by Kimberly Sawatka | Oct 9, 2013
As Breakthrough fellows at the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO), experiences in the community provide unique insights and personal touches to the research they lead. Recently Michael, Yenipher and Aundrea had the opportunity to visit Ivy Preparatory Academy, an all- girl charter school in our backyard here in Norcross, GA.
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- Students at Ivy Prep practice their “ones” and “twos”. Courtesy: Ivyprepacademy.org
Michael:
From the moment we arrived I could tell Ivy Prep is devoted to one powerful mission – developing college-ready scholars. And not just for any college – this school strives to prepare its students to be scholars at our nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities.
Touring the campus, friendly student ambassadors directed us from classroom to classroom where we noticed that each time a teacher asked a question, instead of raising their hand or avoiding eye contact with the teacher, students would raise one or two fingers indicating that they either knew the answer (“ones”) or were unsure of it (“twos”). This method of student participation was just one unique aspect of the Ivy Prep culture we became familiar with during our tour.
Culture is a critical component in creating the unique setting at Ivy Prep. A week prior to starting sixth grade students learn to raise one or two fingers when responding to a question, what to wear and what not to wear, how they are to behave transitioning between classes, and so forth. This week of training, known as “Culture Week”, sets the tempo for the remainder of their educational experience at Ivy Prep. Additionally, the culture prepares students to thrive in alternative classroom settings. For high schoolers at Ivy Prep, an integrated technological approach– or blended learning model– allows students to complete all of their courses online with the exception of math and language arts providing more freedom to work at their own pace.
Yenipher:
While Touring Ivy Prep, there were posters of different colleges and universities, motivational quotes and pictures of role models everywhere. Interacting with a group of girls waiting outside a classroom, they spoke well of their school experience, were well disciplined, educated and motivated to go to college.
The visit solidified the importance of educational attainment. Parents sometimes underestimate the large percentage of time children spend in school, the importance of the quality of their education and the environment that shapes their development. It can take extra steps to find the right school for your child, but it can make a difference of a lifetime.
Through the example of Ivy Prep, it seemed many more students in Georgia can benefit from opportunities such as these. Many parents are just not aware of Ivy Prep or similar schools and how it can transform a child for the better. Parents need to value educational attainment in order for their child to do so. One values educational attainment by making sure that the school their child attends produces quality results and instills principles the parent believes in.
Aundrea:
Within the beautiful facilities of Ivy Preparatory Academy, it touched me as a woman of color to see such a diverse group of young ladies being directed to “Believe. Achieve. Succeed”–the school’s foundational motto. Likewise, the evident culture of college at Ivy Prep, attentive participation within the classrooms, and stylishly uniformed students bustling about all served as a great introduction to charter schools for me.
More than 2.3 million students now attend charter schools across the U.S., and these innovative models are quickly becoming staple education options in communities all around Georgia. For parents exploring alternatives to a traditional public schools, theses charter school settings can be positive learning environments for kids. Additional time in the classroom, blended learning models, and the single gender setting–which was adopted to give girls a chance to just be themselves–are some of the ways Ivy Prep aids their students in becoming successful scholars. And all without steep tuition costs!
Still, it is important to remember charter schools face obstacles similar to traditional public schools–such as constricted funding and surpassing state academic standards. If you are considering alternatives to traditional school settings it is important to be thorough in your search for finding the right learning environment for your child. There are many charter schools in the Metro Atlanta Area, so look for schools that fit your child’s interest or offer special programs. Take a tour of a school you are interested in to see the learning model in action. Investigate what success the school has had by checking out testing scores and college placement results. Or ask others in your community about their experience with charter schools. These were all important lessons from our day with the Ivies.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Sep 9, 2013
As a delivery consultant with Georgia Center for Opportunity I have recently been engaged with an inspirational organization named Every Woman Works (EWW), located in Sandy Springs, Georgia. EWW can technically be described as an organization that provides training in a safe, therapeutic and supportive environment where women who are recovering from addictions, in transition from the penal system, recovering from domestic violence, living in poverty, or homeless, have an opportunity to develop solid, transferable work skills to strengthen their sense of self confidence and to obtain financial independence. However, it is so much more than that.
When you walk through the door of EWW, you are warmly greeted by staff members who wear yellow and black, the colors of their bee logo, and a lovely bee brooch. Multiple affectionate hugs are bestowed upon you, as employees have a daily hug quota. Each day’s training begins with an “Hour of Empowerment”, a blend of inspirational speaking, singing and dancing; and yes, you will sing and you will dance. The positive energy is intoxicating.
Then there are the “students”, the vulnerable women who are served by EWW. As you begin to hear their stories of struggle and triumph, one after the other, your heart softens and often weeps. EWW changes the hearts, minds and ultimately the lives of so many women who come, desperate to be free of their pain and insecurity. The process is initiated through love and acceptance and ends in accomplishment and confidence.
Miss Tillie, EWW’s Executive Director, asked me to participate in their annual fundraising event, Stars Dancing to Change Lives. How could I say “no”? Although I am no star, I am currently training with a professional dance partner, Buddy Stotts, and will dance on Saturday, October 5th. Each dancer is raising funds for EWW through donation “votes”, sponsorships and event ticket sales. If you would like to support this incredible organization, please visit starsdancingtochangelives.org and vote for your favorite dancers by offering a donation. In fact, a vote for Linda Newton and Buddy Stotts would be much appreciated.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | May 17, 2013
Upon arriving at Margaret St. in Atlanta, I wasn’t sure what to expect of the old brick buildings in front of me. Words like Altruismo and Amistad were written above the sturdy gate leading into the school, and the faces of a few smiling children could be seen inside the facilities. I thought that I could hear music from the outskirts of the building, but I dismissed the thought as a song that was stuck in my head from the car ride. Immediately after opening the doors, I found myself joyfully proved wrong.
Music was playing, and the tour guides I expected to shake hands with were actually some of the students themselves. Looking around, I couldn’t help but notice the big blue slide leading from the top floor to my feet, or the colorfully painted walls decorated with pictures of smiling students and teachers. I was surprised as a 4’8’’ middle schooler proceeded to lead me through the history of her school while engaging each of the adults in the room. This girl is not an anomaly at this place, and after touring this oasis in education; it’s obvious that something is different.
Ron spoke to the kids as if he were training executives, but taught them with a passion beyond comparison. One of the students actually got up and taught the class, finishing the algebraic inequality while clapping along with the mathematical victories of his fellow classmates. This boy was not simply completing the problem, but like Mr. Clark, he was ardently engaging the students as he brought them into the close of the class hour. As the boy asked mathematical trivia, the students responded within seconds at the same time. I had forgotten that I was in one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, as I dived into the passion filled academy of Ron Clark.
I had forgotten that I was in one of the most prestigious schools in the nation, as I dived into the passion filled academy of Ron Clark.
These students, these kids, and the teachers themselves are authentically passionate and it pours out into the classroom. Ron Clark has not simply done it right, he has done it phenomenally well. Education has certainly been a battlefield for unenthused students and discouraged educators, since many gifted students soar through classes and the rest get lost in the crowd. At Ron Clark, the gifted students set the pace in each class, and the rest of the class is pushed to hit that academic mark. This feat would be considered a fool’s endeavor in most academic environments, but there it is the norm. That’s right, students from across the intellectual field not only hit the bar set by the gifted students, but they raise it. The classrooms are teeming with students who struggled in the classroom and students who excelled in their schools, yet it was near impossible to tell who was who.
The students clap and cheer as each question is answered successfully, while engaging joyfully with their teacher. It was a rare time when a question was answered incorrectly, but when it happened, the student body turned to encourage their fellow classmate. The class atmosphere was filled with laughter and enthusiasm as drums were beat to the tune of success. There wasn’t a single student who could be found disengaged from the teacher, as they were all decoding and solving the problems in unison. The classroom sounded more and more like a chorus as the students symphonically engaged the subject. I was lost in wonderland, but Mr. Clark has proved that wonderland is real, and he has invited everyone to come be a part of his revolution in academics.
It was a rare time when a question was answered incorrectly, but when it happened, the student body turned to encourage their fellow classmate.
