The 2011 Green Apple Awards: Above and Beyond!

The 2011 Green Apple Awards:

Above and Beyond!

On May 12th, Higher Achievement DC Metro will celebrate the graduation of 63 8th grade scholars at its 11th annual Green Apple Awards. The event will certainly be a night to remember as we honor the years of hard work and excellence that our scholars have spent on their quest for top high school placement. This year’s class was extremely successful in this quest with acceptances at: The School Without Walls, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, the Edmund Burke School, and Gonzaga College High School, just to name a few!

In addition to these accomplishments, this year we are honored to welcome James H. Shelton III, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, as our keynote speaker. Mr. Shelton, a former Higher Achievement scholar, will speak to the scholars about his path to success and the importance of working hard and setting high goals. We are also extremely proud to honor two local partners who have truly gone above and beyond in their dedication to Higher Achievement and its scholars: Noblis and Douglas Jordan.

DATE: May 12, 2011

TIME: 6:30-8:30

LOCATION: The Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U. St. NW

Why STEM is Vital for Out-of-School Time Programs

After the disappointing results on PISA and NAEP, it’s no surprise that policy makers, educators, parents, and communities are talking about science in American classrooms. What’s often missing in these discussions is the important role of OST in teaching important academic skills and inspiring a passion for science. Higher Achievement is excited to see Education Week take on the subject in their recent report on Science Learning outside the Classroom.

Higher Achievement recognizes the need to create opportunities for substantive engagement with science both in and out of the classroom. We are responding to this need with a comprehensive approach by integrating STEM (an interdisciplinary approach to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into our academic program. Through exciting afterschool seminars and summer curricula, we are implementing hands-on and inquiry-based learning of science curriculum across all grades. To support the integration of STEM curriculum, we are building staff development and volunteer trainings that ultimately help scholars develop skills related to scientific thinking and foster a passion for the subject.

This report is a must-read – and articulates much of what Higher Achievement believes about the vital role of out-of-school time programs in science learning. - Sophie Huntington Director of Curriculum and Instruction Higher Achievement

Join Higher Achievement for Global Youth Service Day

Global Youth Service Day 2011

Sunday, April 17 from 9:00am - 12:00pm

Magruder Park, 3901 Hamilton St. Hyattsville, MD.

Higher Achievement will be partnering with the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) to take part in the 2011 Global Youth Service Day. Youth, families, mentors and staff will come together to clean up the Anacostia River by removing invasive plants surrounding the area on Magruder Park. The service project includes an educational component in where the AWS staff will talk about the watershed and the history and ecology of the area, and will be sure to point out interesting native plants and animals.

All youth participants under the age of 18 are required to fill out a permission form in order to participate in the project.

Directions: From Queens Chapel Rd. take Hamilton St., go by the Safeway on the right, pass 38th St., go about one block and the entrance to the park will be on your right. The closest Metro station is West Hyattsville (green line). From the station you can walk about 10 blocks down Hamilton St. and the park will be on your right.

We strongly recommend that you wear long pants and closed-toe shoes

Questions? Contact Amanda Babine at ababine@higherachievement.org

Make the Call Today to Save Service

From Save Service:

The government is currently operating under a short-term resolution that will expire Friday, April 8th. As that deadline nears, House and Senate leadership have resumed high-level budget negotiations in hopes of drafting a FY11 budget bill that has enough support to pass both chambers and end the current legislative stalemate.

Right now Congress is deeply divided and the end-game is very uncertain. That’s why you need to pick up the phone today and ask your Senators to pass a year-long spending bill that funds the Corporation for National and Community Service. Remind them that these programs work in every state and have deep support in local communities.

Visit http://www.saveservice.org/ to find out how to call - they'll provide a number that links you directly with your Senator, background info on the bill, and detailed talking points for your call.

AmeriCorps and other community service organizations help make our work at Higher Achievement possible - please take a moment today to make your voice heard.

Save the Date - June 3!

The First Annual Higher Achievement SUMMER FUNdraiser!

This event will be a salute to summer featuring good food, good friends and lots of FUN! The first Higher Achievement event of its kind, this extended Happy Hour is the perfect way to kick off a Friday night in the District. Stay tuned for a link to purchase tickets.

WHO: You and your friends, coworkers, neighbors – spread the word and bring them all!

WHAT: A good time for a good cause – Open bar and appetizers for $50!

WHEN: Friday, June 3, 2011 from 7:00-10:00pm

WHERE: STROGA Studios, in the heart of Adams Morgan at 18th & Columbia Streets, NW Check out more pictures of the beautiful venue, here: http://www.stroga.com/index.cfm

WHY: Two-thirds of a child’s learning loss takes place during the summer months. This summer, your $50 ticket purchase will provide ten Higher Achievement scholars with access to FUN academic opportunities like engaging electives, field trips and an overnight university experience, ensuring they return to school on track to graduate.

AFTER PARTY! $3 mixed drinks and domestic bottles down the street at Town Tavern! http://www.towntaverndc.com/

Meet some of the young people your donation will support by watching this video about LOVE that the scholars made for Valentine’s Day

Click here to purchase tickets!

Higher Achievement Triathletes!

We're so inspired by our scholars' hard work and dedication that we're putting ours to the test - a team of Higher Achievement staff members and supporters have joined up to train for and complete the Kinetic Sprint Triathlon in Spotsylvania, VA on May 15th! The race will consist of a 750 meter swim, 18 mile bike ride, and 5 kilometer run. In addition to this physical challenge, team members are also charged with raising at least $100 each in support of Higher Achievement. This is the second year we've competed (pic from 2010 above), and we can't wait!

We're pretty tough (and we're getting even tougher by the day!) but we can't do it alone. Here's how you can help:

Join our Triathlon team

Are you looking for a fun way to meet your fitness goals and raise money for a great cause? Join us! The team will offer training and fundraising support for all members – and will even feature a few friendly competitions to inspire success on all fronts. If you are interested in participating (or completing just one of the events as part of a relay team) please email Mike Di Marco (mdimarco@higherachievement.org) for more information.

Help us reach our fundraising goal

Help us reach our fundraising goals (and make crossing the finish line on May 15 that much sweeter). Click here to donate online. To make sure your gift is counted towards our goal, please write “Triathlon” in the designation line.

Spread the word

Share this post with your networks. This is a super fun way to get involved in Higher Achievement, reach your fitness goals, and support our young people – and you definitely don’t have to be a triathlete to join us (although we’d love that too). All are welcome!

Throughout training, we’ll be posting pictures, updates, and news from the team on our blog and on Twitter (@HigherAchieve). Stay tuned!

ACTion Alexandria

Our friends at ACT for Alexandria have launched a very exciting tool that empowers citizens to make positive change in their community.

From their website:

ACTion Alexandria is a web-based platform that brings together neighbors and local nonprofit organizations to exchange ideas, coordinate efforts, and solve problems in our community.

How does ACTion Alexandria work?

ACTion Alexandria works closely with local government and nonprofit organizations to collect and prioritize community needs and turn them into actions and challenges for citizens.

• Each week, ACTion Alexandria features a new action that targets the need of a local nonprofit organization in the form of donations of goods, services,and/or funds.


• Citizens can help solve large-scale community problems by submitting their solutions to challenges hosted on the site.
  

Visit http://www.actionalexandria.org/ to learm more about this fabulous initiative - and help us spread the word!