Monday, November 09, 2009
Jar’Darin Randolph, ‘J’ to his friends, stumbles over names when he’s reading.
“Especially confusing names,” the third-grader said.
But since J has been working the last few weeks with his tutor, Carlie Riddle, a Baylor University student, he thinks he’s getting better at reading. And if he is, he may have the Greater Waco Community Education Alliance to thank.
J has been taking part in an after-school tutoring program at Doris Miller Elementary School, just one project that has gotten off the ground since the first Greater Waco Community Education Summit in November 2008.
The summit drew hundreds of people from different sectors of the community— parents, churches, businesses and more — to the Waco Convention Center, where they were fed reams of local education statistics. They spent the rest of the time brainstorming how they could affect those statistics with their individual skills.
Attendees at the second community education summit Nov. 18-20 will focus on themes including literacy, parents and early childhood and take a look at projects that have gotten off the ground in the past year. Detailed information about the summit is online at www.educatewaco.com.
The tutoring program at Doris Miller Elementary School, where J is working at conquering those tough names and improving his reading, is one of those projects. Volunteers in that program received training in proven tutoring methods before sitting down with third- and fifth-graders in an after-school program. Training in that same tutoring method will be offered at the summit next month.
There are plenty of tutoring programs in the Waco area, said Ashley Allison, executive director of Waco Foundation and summit planner, and the education alliance isn’t interested in starting new programs but making sure those existing programs are on the same page, using the same researched tutoring methods. There is an emphasis on focusing on quality of existent resources, not on the quantity.
In the past year, leaders from the business community have visited high school classes talking about skills they look for in employees, an idea that came directly from the business stakeholder sessions at the 2008 summit. Members of the after-school community have come together to form a local chapter of the Texas Afterschool Association, which will debut at the summit this year.
Members of the scholarship stakeholder group have created a Web site that will be revealed at the 2009 summit that catalogs the various scholarships available to local students, something parents and students can peruse when making college plans.
“It’s been incredible,” said Leah Jackson, associate dean at Baylor Law School and summit planner. “Programs that were envisioned as part of the summit process last year — they’re happening. Also, new things are popping up.”
Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy mentioned some of the simple post-summit efforts she has heard about, such as an initiative to get fathers reading to their children every day. They are small ideas that may still have an impact, she said.
Another exclusive for the 2009 summit is the study the Waco Foundation commissioned during the past year, which is a status report on early childhood needs and resources in McLennan County.
“After last year’s summit, we wanted to find where we are, get that basic sort of demographic information down,” Allison said.
The study is an account of the types of day care, quality of day care and the demographic makeup of Waco’s preschool-age children. The study also includes a qualitative piece that examines the information that was gathered and explains what it means for the community.
“It’s a snapshot of where Waco’s kids are and what their needs are,” Allison said. “This study is the first of its kind in Waco. We want to get it out there. It’s for everyone to use.”
Another major theme for the 2009 summit and something that summit organizers have been working on during the last year is sustainability.
“How are we going to make sure this alliance is not short-term but becomes a part of the fabric of our community and what we do on a daily basis?” Jackson said.
DuPuy said the planning team, a group of core people who have committed to working on five summits, is trying to ensure sustainability of the education alliance by creating a structure for it.
It doesn’t need to become another nonprofit organization itself, DuPuy said, but rather a network of existing entities and individuals. The planning committee already has identified leaders within the various sectors of the community, the stakeholder groups, who can help keep the momentum going within those groups.
More details of the structure will be released at the summit next week.
wgragg@wacotrib.com
757-6901
Comments
By Duan
Nov 10, 2009 9:39 AM | Link to this
Thank GOD for the volunteers that have given some time to help the children in our communities. Thank GOD for the passionate people of Waco working to improve the youth of today's skills.
Ignorance is bliss for those making negative comments. Go to the summit and voice your opinion instead complaining and feeling guilty.
No one is saying you aren't doing your job as a parent. Everyone is saying we want to help. So instead of feeling like the whole world is against you take time out to see what the citizens of Waco, working to improve our youth, are really saying. It is ok to have help. Its okay to say you can't do it all.
I am a single mother and I am in school full time. It takes a village to raise my daughter and I know that if we all work together and take notice of the facts (our children are not where they need to be to compete in the real world) we can make an improvement far greater than just working by ourselves to raise our kids.
God Bless
By East Waco
Nov 9, 2009 7:12 PM | Link to this
To Belinda, You tell me one thing that came out of last years education summit and is working in the schools or at home now. ZERO. All it is a bunch of blah blah blah!!! Some rich white people again tilling us black folks we are not doing our job. I read to my children every night, only have 1 TV and watch it for 2 hours before bed. no housekeeper like the rich Mayor Depuy. I went to one meeting last year and all I heard was about us as black parents not educating our kids. The other thing that bothers be also is that Mayor Depuy believes in abortion.
By East Waco
Nov 9, 2009 7:11 PM | Link to this
To Belinda, You tell me one thing that came out of last years education summit and is working in the schools or at home now. ZERO. All it is a bunch of blah blah blah!!! Some rich white people again tilling us black folks we are not doing our job. I read to my children every night, only have 1 TV and watch it for 2 hours before bed. no housekeeper like the rich Mayor Depuy. I went to one meeting last year and all I heard was about us as black parents not educating our kids. The other thing that bothers be also is that Mayor Depuy believes in abortion.
By East Waco
Nov 9, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this
To Belinda, You tell me one thing that came out of last years education summit and is working in the schools or at home now. ZERO. All it is a bunch of blah blah blah!!! Some rich white people again tilling us black folks we are not doing our job. I read to my children every night, only have 1 TV and watch it for 2 hours before bed. no housekeeper like the rich Mayor Depuy. I went to one meeting last year and all I heard was about us as black parents not educating our kids. The other thing that bothers be also is that Mayor Depuy believes in abortion.
By eye in the sky
Nov 9, 2009 6:56 PM | Link to this
Ok African American men, let's get involved...Reading is essential.
By Jason
Nov 9, 2009 5:40 PM | Link to this
I am just going to go because I think Ashley Allison is hot!!!
By Adam
Nov 9, 2009 5:31 PM | Link to this
I commend the people trying to do this Education Summit but all these things have been done before, after the 3 days of meeting nothing happens and it gets put back on the shelf again until next year. Education needs to start at home with the parents. Don't complain because you have to work and have 3 kids, that not my fault. We elected our school boards and state officials to manage our public education. As far as teachers, they only work 8 months out of the year and gets paid for 12 months. Don't know of any sweeter deal then that. 4 months vacation and we pay for it. The Waco Mayor I know supports PPH so she must be doing this because of guilt. Keep it real people, if you really want to help spend 3 days with the children one on one or at the school. Don't sit in a meeting talk about it and nothing happens. Get up and Really make a change.
By eye in the sky
Nov 9, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this
Mary, you sound kind of ticked off. Stephen Bailey, you are right. Also, a lot of kids just need a litle bit of attention. Kids of all ages. Reading is one of the best things a kid and people of all ages can do. Read a book, magazine, newspaper...even a news comment section. I haven't volunteered, but I wouldn't mind doing it. I don't have much good to say about the happenings in Waco, but this is a good program here.
By Community Leader
Nov 9, 2009 2:36 PM | Link to this
Hats off to this effort. As a leader I am involved in this prcoess and the city is trying to get the right players at the table. ( Parents, leaders, educators and children)This is not a time to be critical nor judgemental but a time for all of us to pull our resources together and bring the education in Waco TX to higher levels of excellence.
We need more leaders in the community to rally the parents, the retired educators, grandparents and those with available time to go volunteer at their local schools.
The city has recognized we have a problem and the Summit is a plan to address the problem. Let's not be a part of the problem with our negativity, but let's be a part of the solution. Our children's education is at stake. Without the proper education our children will not become the adults we need to run this city in the future.
By Belinda Rubio
Nov 9, 2009 1:22 PM | Link to this
I cannot praise enough the job the Education Alliance volunteers are doing to teach and support our struggling students. Teachers work hard every day and many parents help when they can, but with 22 students in every classrooms and many one parent families trying to put food on the table, the one on one interaction and targeted instruction with a trained volunteer is invaluable. Thank you to the Education Summit for bringing the need of area children into focus and to the brave souls who have answered the call!
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