The “Daily News-Record” reports on Waterman Elementary School educators finding novel (excuse the pun) ways to encourage youngsters to read. Children participated in a reading challenge, winners were rewarded with a pizza party and free books by author and Madison World Changer Ginjer Clarke who writes children’s books. You can read the full story online.
Archive for February, 2008
Encouraging reading
February 29, 2008Making math “cool”
February 27, 2008Here’s an example of a great partnership between Madison and the local community…JMU’s Laurie Cavey, an education professor, is one of the people behind an interesting and novel way to make math fun for kids. College students team up with middle school students and present mathematical concepts in an accessible and “cool” format. You can read Kelly Jasper’s article “Striving to make math cool” at the “Daily News Record” online.
informed or taking action?
February 19, 2008
Kathryn Manning, staff writer for “The Breeze,” makes a very valid point in her 2/18 editorial “Because I Said So: Child Soldier Awareness Week shows us we shouldn’t just be informed.”
We all know about various inhumanities and injustices, but being informed is far different than taking action to correct the wrongs. Manning points to Sarita Hartz (‘02) who acted to make a difference and help heal the victims of injustice in Uganda as an example for all of us.
As Hartz points out in her “Be the Change” profile, “I just decided that if I wanted the world to be different, then I had to stop complaining and do something about it.”
Uganda Child Soldier Awareness Week at JMU
February 14, 2008Madison World Changer Sarita Hartz will be on campus for a week of events focusing attention on the plight of Ugandan child soldiers. Uganda Child Soldier Awareness Week, Feb. 16-22, will feature talks by former child soldier Grace Akallo and activists who are assisting former child soldiers.Sarita Hartz, director of Zion Project and a 2002 graduate of JMU, is returning to her alma mater to assist students and the University Program Board in sponsoring the awareness week.Hartz established Zion Project, a Christian, nonprofit organization that provides care for girls who have escaped their forced fighting.
JMU grad Alex Sirney and a documentary to motivate change
February 11, 2008Last Thursday’s “Breeze” had an interesting article on JMU graduate Alex Sirney who hopes to inspire change in a novel way. Sirney studied abroad in Kenya in summer 2005. He returned to Africa in 2006 with a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant to create a film on Kenya’s educational system. His film “Teaching Kenya” recently debuted at Court Square Theatre in Harrisonburg.
According to “Breeze” staff writer Caroline Cournoyer, Sirney “hopes his documentary will help people to not only think more globally, but also help to improve the situation in their own towns and countries.” JMU’s Associate Executive Director of the Office of International Programs Jennifer Coffman who led the teacher seminar in Kenya, echoes Sirney’s hope that “the documentary will motivate change.”
Sounds like Sirney’s determined to be the change in his life and to motivate others to make a difference as well.
Kudos.
What’s a social entrepreneur?
February 8, 2008According to the Phoenix Project, a social entrepreneur combines passion for a social mission with business discipline, innovation and determination to create sustainable new solutions to our most pressing public challenges. That’s a pretty tall order and one that Madison World Changer Joy Petway (’07) embraces. In 2007, she was one of 30 top students selected to participate in the Phoenix Project’s Nonprofit Leadership Program.
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and the Phoenix Project are inviting participants to a statewide conversation on the commonwealth’s toughest challenges to be held March 19, 2008.
Kline-Gabel’s AMISTAD
February 7, 2008JMU professor and Madison World Changer Karina Kline-Gabel created AMISTAD to build bridges between JMU and the Harrisonburg community. As part of the program JMU students mentor Latino students in the local area. The program has been a great success, and Jacqueline Quattrocchi, a contributing writer for “The Breeze,” wrote a great piece about the effort. Read her article, “Helping los estudiantes” online.
