By Kate
Wednesday,
Aug 6, 2008 at 12:36pm
In June, Ernst & Young LLP challenged their leaders in a new way. Not content to just be auditors and business advisers to some of the world’s most powerful companies, or consistently being rated a “best place to work” by publications ranging from Fortune to Working Mother Magazine, they thought up yet another way to distinguish themselves as out of the box thinkers!
At the Mid-Atlantic Partner, Principal, Executive Director and Director’s (PPEDD) meeting, Ernst & Young challenged their PPEDDs from its Baltimore, Greater Washington, Philadelphia and Richmond offices to support DonorsChoose.org in their respective communities through its first-ever School Is Cool Challenge, which pitted the four locations against each other in a friendly competition for a great cause. The three-day challenge has already benefited nearly 2,000 students. All this leads up to their “Cares Day” in September, where all Mid-Atlantic Ernst & Young personnel have the opportunity to do hands-on service in local public schools, as well as local parks, the USO, YMCAs and a host of other deserving not-for-profit agencies.
So who won the first stage of the challenge? Don’t let the numbers fool you: the Baltimore office’s four donors comprised 20% of their PPEDDs, solidly earning bragging rights. What will happen in the months ahead as the challenge gets rolled out to entire offices? Check back in at the School is Cool Challenge to keep tabs on them!
On a personal level, as a former Ernst & Young employee, it was delightful for me to work with them on such an innovative, creative partnership.
Thanks, Ernst & Young, for caring about schools, and being cool!
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By Oliver
Thursday,
Jul 31, 2008 at 2:35pm
We’re super excited that Joe, Peter, and Eric over at Social Action Labs are building a WordPress plug-in that promotes DonorsChoose.org classroom projects!
The plug-in will enable WordPress to automatically accompany each blog post with relevant recommendations for classroom projects. It will do this by first analyzing the content of a blog post to extract the key topics, then using our JSON API to pull in projects related to those same topics.
Such a cool application of our API! We’re looking forward to testing this cool plug-in right here on our blog.
If you have a blog and are willing to also give this cool free functionality a test-drive, do take a moment to pledge your support for the project at ThePoint.
Oliver
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By Lauren
Friday,
Jul 18, 2008 at 2:20pm
String Financial is providing a great incentive for folks to complete a survey. They have just launched a retirement planning questionnaire through the business networking site LinkedIn. If you take the survey, String Financial will donate $1 to one of 5 charities, including DonorsChoose.org! After you take the survey, you can select the charity of your choice. The other 4 options are The BELL Foundation, Children’s Literacy Initiative, Children’s Organ Transplant Association, and CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation.
All responses are completely anonymous. String Financial does not collect any personally identifiable information, email addresses, etc., and IP addresses are not recorded by their survey collector.
The survey can be found, here.
Once String Financial has gathered enough responses, they’ll apply all the money allocated to DonorsChoose.org to a proposal on our site. This is a great way to help bring a project to life for free. Click on the link and help support a classroom today!
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By Yaritza
Tuesday,
Jul 1, 2008 at 2:03pm
Scientists often make the impossible a reality and inspire us through their work. They challenge our thinking and help us understand our environment and each other. Some scientists were born with a natural curiosity, and others had teachers who sparked their interest and helped science come alive for them.
This is why Pfizer, BigThink, and DonorsChoose.org have partnered to promote Pfizer’s Inspiring Science Challenge .
For 10 weeks, beginning June 24th and ending September 1st, website visitors to Big Think will be able to vote for the scientist whose research and enthusiasm inspires them the most. For each vote cast online, Pfizer will donate $1 to science projects posted on the challenge page at DonorsChoose.org.
Pfizer is also issuing a challenge to viewers and voters to raise $20,000 in support of the science projects featured on the Inspiring Science Challenge. With your support, science classrooms across the nation will be filled with the resources they need to succeed.
Let’s be inspired to vote and give students across the country the encouragement to pursue achievement in science!
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By Katie
Thursday,
May 29, 2008 at 2:00pm
Below is a press release that Washington DC Mayor Fenty and Deputy Mayor Victor Reinoso issued about our partnership. A big THANK YOU to the Mayor’s office for its support!
You can also hear Kate Hays, DonorsChoose.org Atlantic Deputy Director, talking to NPR about our efforts in Washington DC.
__________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2008
Government of the District of Columbia
Executive Office of the Mayor
Washington, DC - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Deputy Mayor Victor Reinoso today announced a partnership with DonorsChoose.org, an innovative program designed to connect district teachers and students with local philanthropists. DonorsChoose.org puts individuals directly in touch with teachers seeking support for educational tools ranging from school supplies to field trips. Since the start of the school year, 28 District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) have received over $137,000.
“I am excited about this partnership with DonorsChoose.org because it provides an opportunity for individuals to review teacher proposals, fund projects, and see firsthand, how exactly their money is spent,” said Mayor Fenty.
“This partnership encourages innovative teaching by providing a simple way to fulfill small, teacher-directed needs,” said Deputy Mayor Victor Reinoso. “This exciting opportunity will help bring more resources to the city’s teachers and students.”
DonorsChoose.org invites teachers to submit a proposal for school supplies and projects that support the healthy development of students. Individual donors can search teacher proposals on the DonorsChoose.org website by areas of interest, learn about the classroom needs, and fund projects that they find most compelling. Students and teachers have a direct connection with their donors and often send thank you letters along with photographs of the projects.
CONTACT: Dena Iverson
202-727-6914 (office)
Below is a picture of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty:
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By Natalie
Friday,
May 23, 2008 at 12:04pm
Thanks to a generous donation from The Simmons Foundation, Citizen Philanthropists have the opportunity to fund Houston ISD (HISD) science and math projects at half the cost.
Proposals ranging from graphing calculators to microscopes to LCD projectors are sure to make a huge difference in the lives of HISD students now and for years to come.
Help make much-needed resources a reality for Houston students. Click here to double your impact and give to teacher proposals matched by The Simmons Foundation.
Houston ISD teachers: Be sure to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Post proposals for science and math materials!
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By Alex
Tuesday,
May 20, 2008 at 9:45am
Students at E.K. Powe Elementary in Durham, NC capped off several weeks of lessons focused on alternative forms of energy at a mural unveiling on Thursday, May 15. Students worked with science teacher Treva Fitts, second grade teacher Meg Goodhand and art teacher Malcolm Goff to explore alternative forms of energy through multiple disciplines while working with local artist Debra Wuliger to create a permanent energy-themed mural.
Durham Public Schools Superintendent Carl Harris and Progress Energy representatives were on hand as students showcased what they had learned to parents and staff. The materials for all of the lessons, and the mural itself, were funded as part of a $50,000 grant made by Progress Energy to DonorsChoose.org last year to inspire innovative energy education in Carolina classrooms.
Progress Energy has committed $75,000 in funding to support energy education project requests made through DonorsChoose.org next school year. If you are a North or South Carolina teacher interested in learning how your class can participate, please email alex@donorschoose.org.
Read more about the mural project at Durham Public Schools North Carolina.
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By Kirk
Thursday,
May 15, 2008 at 11:30am
We are excited to announce that Lumina Foundation for Education has committed $100,000 in support of college preparatory and advanced placement high school student projects in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. This partnership reinforces Lumina Foundation’s overall goal of increased higher education accessibility across the country, while building upon the success of their KnowHow2GO campaign, which helps prepare high school students for college by providing them with resources, educational opportunities, and guidance.
Please spread the word to high school teachers in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio! From Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classroom supplies to science equipment and student technology, it is now easier for high school teachers in these four states to get supplies for academically rigorous courses, thanks to the generosity of Lumina Foundation.
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By Kirk
Monday,
May 12, 2008 at 1:00pm
To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, DonorsChoose.org partnered with the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) to fully fund projects posted by the first 50 new Indiana teachers on our site. The campaign has already had more than 60 eager responses from ISTA member teachers at over 30 schools in every nook and cranny of the great state of Indiana.
The best thing about this incentive is that teachers who did not make the “first 50” can still benefit from the vast national network of citizen philanthropists funding projects every day at DonorsChoose.org, and the more teachers and schools getting materials for their classrooms, the better! Click here to donate to one of these wonderful Indiana projects!
Thanks to the Indiana State Teachers Association for helping us spread awareness of this special initiative!
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By Kate
Friday,
May 9, 2008 at 2:00pm
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
We wanted to share an email from Dr. Andres Alonso, the Chief Executive Officer of the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS), encouraging the Baltimore community to visit www.DonorsChoose.org, learn about public education needs, and appreciate local teachers by supporting their projects.
And WE appreciate Dr. Alonso and his staff for helping us get the word out about the ways we’re trying to support Baltimore classrooms! Thanks, Baltimore!
You can learn more about the Baltimore City Public School System here, and you can find Baltimore City classroom projects to support here.
Here is the text of Dr. Alonso’s email to BCPSS community partners:
May 6, 2008
Dear Friends of City Schools.
Great teachers make great schools. Please join me this week, during Teacher Appreciation Week, as we celebrate all of our teachers throughout city schools.
Letting teachers know how much they mean to us is important. This year, I am going to ask you to go beyond what you normally do to show your appreciation, and financially support the work of one of our many great teachers in Baltimore City. (Click here to learn more about how you can do this at DonorsChoose.org.)
I’d like to tell you about one great teacher in particular, Kristin Covaleskie, a fourth-grade teacher at Northwood Elementary School. Today, Ms. Covaleskie was named Baltimore City’s 2008 Teacher of the Year, because every day she is contributing mightily to our effort to build an entire system of great schools.
An elementary teacher in the city since 1996, Ms. Covaleskie pushes her students to excel academically. She also develops in them the desire and skills to advocate for their communities. You’ve heard me say this before: at great schools students don’t just read, write, do math and perform well on tests; they also develop a broad body of knowledge that will carry them through life, and the skills to make the most of that knowledge. They learn to think, discover, question. For more than a decade, Ms. Covaleskie has pushed her students to do just that. She has used her classroom to provide a solid foundation for her students to be successful in school and in their communities. She cultivates in them respect for one another, and instills in them the importance of contributing to, and participating in a greater good. Day in and day out she helps shape the lives of her students and we are proud to claim her as our own.
I am asking you to go a little out of your way this week to let Ms. Covaleskie and all of our teachers know how very much we value their daily contributions to the education and lives of our students. Through Baltimore City schools’ partnership with DonorsChoose.org (www.DonorsChoose.org), people who care about our schools have funded 370 classroom projects so far this year. Another 266 projects are still waiting for help.
Here’s how it works: Teachers request specific materials and/or experiences their students need to learn. You choose to fund one of these classroom projects—any amount helps. A teacher feels supported and valued, and our students benefit and succeed.
Your support today is one way you can help our great kids get the great schools they deserve right now.
Sincerely,
Andrés A. Alonso, Ed. D
Chief Executive Officer
Baltimore City Public School System
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