An Urban STEM Academy

STEM schools in urban settings aren’t common.  But in 2009, a STEM-based middle school opened in North Minneapolis – Richard Allen Math & Science Academy (RAMSA).  North Minneapolis has seen its fair share of challenges, so this kind of venture is especially encouraging for the neighborhood.  According to a recent Star Tribune article about the school, “Science, technology, engineering, and math education is important to the future competitiveness and economic prosperity of Minnesota and the United States according to most educators.”  Read more about this Minnesotan organization that is trying to wire kids for 2020 in the full article.

MPM Board Member Jim Scheibel Writes for MinnPost on Education

Today, MinnPost’s Community Voices features Jim Scheibel and Christy Hovanetz in a commentary on education.  Scheibel, Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota Board Member and Public Policy Committee Chair, is also the former mayor of Saint Paul.

“What might a DFL governor and Republican Legislature bring us in 2011? One priority issue they should work together on is education….Minnesota’s reading scores have remained flat for nearly 20 years on the National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) and on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCAs), and the achievement gap continues to persist….People at our Capitol should be able to find ways to support our teachers and increase mentoring opportunities.”  Read the full commentary.

M.A. Mortenson and The Andersen Family Foundation to Match Funds Raised for Minnesota Mentoring

From October 15 to October 22, all donations made through the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) will go to mentoring programs that commit to striving for the highest level of quality best practices, in turn ensuring more positive outcomes for youth.  This campaign, called “Strive for Five: Give Mentoring a Hand,” will also be matched dollar for dollar by M.A. Mortenson and IWCO Direct with a generous contribution of up to $12,500 to support MPM’s quality initiative.

As a bonus, for every $5 individuals donate during the campaign, they will be entered to win a baseball hand-signed by Twins All-Star catcher and mentoring advocate Joe Mauer.

“We’re not asking for much,” said MPM Associate Director Mai-Anh Kapanke.  “But if everyone donates just $5, together we can build a tremendous pool of support for mentoring programs that are committed to building the quality of their mentoring practices.  Ultimately, that can provide better and safer experiences for the kids and volunteers in our communities.”

The results of this campaign will be announced at the 11^th Annual Minnesota Mentoring Conference on October 25, when MPM will launch its Quality Mentoring Assessment Path (QMAP).  The QMAP is the nation’s first interactive quality assessment for mentoring and is based on the latest research and best practices in the field of mentoring.

Please consider giving just $5, then ask your friends to do the same.  Donate at www.mpmn.org.

Mayor Rybak, Brother Ali, Slug, Superintendent Johnson All Want Youth Back in School

Minneapolis Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson visited Patrick Henry High School last week and told students, “Six days ago we welcomed back 32,000 students to the Minneapolis public schools. So we’re very excited about that, but we also know there are about 2,000 who are not in our schools, and we want them back.”

To combat the dropout crisis, Minneapolis Schools have teamed up with the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board and are reaching out in a “We Want You Back” campaign.  The campaign is designed to raise awareness and enlist help from the community to reach the goal of re-enrolling 200 students by the end of the school year.  This past Saturday, volunteers took part in a door-knocking event to identify, connect with, and invite students to return to school.

The effort has also spawned lots of news coverage, as well as PSA’s and YouTube videos featuring Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, local hip-hop artists Brother Ali and Slug from Atmosphere, and Superintendent Johnson.  Check them out here:

• PSA: Brother Ali and Mayor Rybak “Want You Back”
• PSA: Slug from Atmosphere and Superintendent Johsnon “Want You Back”
• Conversation with Brother Ali
• Conversation with Mayor Rybak
• KSTP Video & Article
• MinnPost Article – Interview with Brother Ali
• MPR Article
• KARE11 Article

Mayor Rybak and Superintendent Johnson also encouraged current students to get the word out any way they know how, since peer support can be critical.  Mentors can also make a difference.  So get the word out, tell everyone you know!  The youth in our community deserve a second chance at school so that they can start to pave their way to a more successful future.

Programs for PreK-12 Students and Educators from the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota has a new resource, K12@U, and it is a great way to find learning opportunities for youth in your area.  The site lets you search for learning opportunities according to interests.  From summer camps to professional development, from art to STEM, you can find it all here.

Engineering Mentors Help MN High Schoolers Win Award

Students comprising “The Innovators” from Hutchinson High School deserve congratulations for placing third out of 22 states in the Real World Design Challenge.  With the help of mentors from Lockheed Martin MS2 Tactical Systems, Cessna Aircraft, and the Federal Aviation Administration, the team designed and tested innovative new parts for a business jet.  The students also won awards for most innovative design and technical merit.  Read more…

Teen and Mentor Work Together on Biological Discovery

Moses Fung is a high school senior who, with the help of a university mentor, recently made an important contribution to infant lung disease research.  As a result, he is a finalist for the Sanofi-Aventis Bio Talent Challenge.  Hurray for mentoring through STEM education!  Read more…

Wired for 2020 Campaign Wins Prestegious Design Award

Congratulations to Peggy Lauritsen Design Group (PLDG), whose phenomenal work on the Wired for 2020 campaign earned them an AIGA MN Design Show Award on Friday.  PLDG’s work, which was provided pro-bono, included the Wired for 2020 logo, MPM’s K-12 Journey Map, and other graphics and icons that were featured at the Wired for 2020 event in May 2009.  Check out their award-winning work at www.wiredfor2020.com.  Thanks to PLDG for their generous contribution to the nonprofit community.  MPM is honored to be associated with such talent!

Minnesota Schools Get Innovative Supporting Young People in Math

Edina High School is one of a few high schools in the state who are trying an innovative new teaching method to improve STEM education.  That method is offering E-math classes, a computer-based approach to teaching students who are at-risk of failing math graduation standards tests.   The classes utilize both the math teacher in the classroom and software from Plato Learning, and the combination allows students to learn at their own pace.  The program has been proven effective with students who put in the effort, and improving performance on math graduation standards tests (which can stand in the way between a student and a diploma) should help reduce the number of students who give up and drop out.    Read more…

Get in Their Shoes Campaign Auctions Top Execs for 30-minute Mentoring Sessions

The International Mentoring Network Organization (IMNO)  has launched a campaign for the highest bidders to win 30-minute interviews with thought leaders.  Right now, a chat with Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake is going for $182.50 on eBay.  In the coming weeks, you can bid on Guy Kawasaki (formerly of Apple), Chris Anderson (editor of Wired Magazine), and Fernando Aguirre (CEO of Chiquita) – just to name a few.  Read more…