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Connecticut's
‘First’ Freedom
School Program Comes to
Bridgeport Offering a Free Summer
Experience For Students
Freedom School students, Pastor Anthony L.
Bennett/Mt. Aery Baptist Church and son Ahmad, Superintendent Ramos
& Dean Ken Holmes/Univ. of Bridgeport cut cake at kick off
celebration.
Taking
the first step for Connecticut, the
Mount Aery Development Corporation, Bridgeport Public
Schools and the University of Bridgeport are partnering to
launch a summer program that will enhance the learning experience
for its city’s students. The Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools
is a six week program designed to help children fall in love with
reading, increase their self-esteem, and generate more positive
attitudes toward learning. Mount Aery Baptist Church is the host site for
the program which kicks off on Monday, July 5th through Friday,
August 13th 2010 from 8:30am to 4:00 pm.
At
a press conference earlier this month at Mount Aery
Baptist Church, leaders of the church and school system came
together to formally announce the state’s first and only Children’s
Defense Fund Freedom School in the
state.
Mount
Aery Development Corporation, Bridgeport Public
Schools and University of Bridgeport are joining this
national movement developed in 1995 by the Children’s Defense Fund,
a national advocacy organization that devotes particular attention
to the needs of the disadvantaged and minority children and those
with disabilities.
Mrs.
Simpson & Min. Odell Cooper/Freedom School Facilitators, Joseph
Elnora Carroll, Noah Carroll and Joshua Carroll, Laura
Hudson/Parents/Students of Freedom School, Pastor Bennett,
Superintendent Ramos & Dean Ken
Holmes.
The
summer experience is available for free to 50 students from
Bridgeport and the surrounding
communities. Applications were accepted on a first come, first serve
basis.
“It
is the responsibility of the church and the development corporation
to transcend out of these four walls into the communities we serve,
and partnering with the Bridgeport Public Schools and the University
of Bridgeport in this national effort is allowing us to do just that
on behalf of our children,” said Dr. Anthony L. Bennett Senior
Pastor of Mount Aery Baptist Church. “The Mount Aery Development
Corporation has a long history of educating our youth through unique
programs, and this Freedom Schools Summer Experience is another
effort that will allow us to reach out to our youth. We want to
thank Dr. Ramos, his executive staff, and Dean Ken Holmes of the
University of
Bridgeport for their
dedication to this effort and for partnering with us on behalf of
Bridgeport’s children.”
“Mount
Aery Baptist Church and the development
corporation are a beacon in this community,” Superintendent Dr. John
J. Ramos said, “and we are excited about this partnership allowing
our scholars to enjoy a free, fun and educational summer experience.
This year we are licensed for 50 students but are hoping that our
surrounding community will join us so that we may offer this
opportunity to others in our community. Learning doesn’t take a
vacation and the Freedom School Program brings a whole new meaning
to that philosophy.”
The
program will be staffed primarily by students from University of
Bridgeport who
are committed to active lives of leadership and service to children.
Other staff members have been recruited from Housatonic Community College , Southern Connecticut
State University and Gateway Community
College.
The
CDF Freedom
Schools program provides summer and
after-school enrichment through a model curriculum that supports
children and families around five essential components:
1.
High quality academic enrichment
2.
Parent and family involvement
3.
Social action and civic
engagement
4.
Intergenerational servant leadership development
5.
Nutrition, health and mental health
In
partnership with faith institutions, schools, colleges and
universities, and community based organizations; the CDF
Freedom Schools program boosts student
motivation to read, generates more positive attitudes toward
learning, and connects the needs of children and families to the
resources in their communities.
The
CDF Freedom
Schools model incorporates the totality of
the Children's Defense Fund's mission by fostering environments that
support children and young adults to excel and believe in their
ability to make a difference in themselves and in their families,
schools, communities, nation, and world. College-age young adults
are trained as servant leader interns to deliver the integrated
reading curriculum (IRC), while site coordinators and project
directors provide supervision and administrative
oversight.
CDF
Freedom Schools
program sites are safe and restorative learning spaces where:
*
children are surrounded by caring adults and college age young
adults from their community (in a classroom ratio of 1:10) who share
their enthusiasm for learning and reading, and commit to serving
them as authentic mentors;
*
children read high quality books and are engaged in learning
activities that are appropriate to their developmental needs and
interests;
*
each day begins with "Harambee!," a 30-minute activity to celebrate
and affirm the value of each participant and prepare for the work
and learning ahead
*
children receive two nutritious meals and a healthy snack each day
in the summer model, and nutritious snacks during the after-school
program;
*
parents are engaged as site volunteers and participate in weekly
workshops on children’s developmental needs, civic responsibility,
and other topics of interest;
*
children are encouraged to dream, set goals for themselves, and
cultivate positive attitudes and high expectations;
*
young people whose lives have been interrupted and impacted by
crises receive consistent, daily service to better understand
themselves, their situations, each other, and their potential; and
*
families have access to free and high quality childcare. Since 1995,
over 70,000 children have had a CDF Freedom Schools experience and
more than 7,000 college students, and 1,500 adult site coordinators
and project directors have been trained to deliver this empowering
model. In the summer of 2008, CDF Freedom
Schools sponsor partners served nearly 9,000
children in 61 cities in 24 states.
Superintendent
of Bridgeport Public Schools Honored with the Ethics in Action
Award
Joy Fernandez of Multicultual
Magnet and parents/Law's of Life Essay Finalist, Dr. David
Wangaard/The School for Ethical Education, Dr. Ramos, Nneoma
Obieshi/John Winthrop and parents Law's of Life Essay
Finalist.
Dr.
John J. Ramos, Sr., Ed. D., Superintendent of the Bridgeport Public
Schools, received the 2010 John Winthrop White Ethics in Action
Award from the School for Ethical Education (SEE). Each year, SEE
bestows this honor on a Connecticut leader who has
authentically demonstrated ethical business or leadership practices.
In
addition, SEE recognized ten Connecticut students for their
inspiring Laws of Life essays. The Laws of Life essay program
provides students with an opportunity to reflect, write, and discuss
with their teachers, peers and parents the values or character goals
that can help them live a successful life.
Superintendent
Dr. John J. Ramos stated that he is honored to receive the Ethics in
Action Award. “I humbly accept this remarkable award, and I am glad
to share in this celebration with scholars who have learned the
importance of having a positive character as an essential part of
their lives.” Ramos publicly accepted the award at SEE’s 2010 Annual
Character Celebration Awards Dinner back in
May.
The
School for Ethical Education is a not-for-profit teaching
organization that provides classes, creates programs and offers
consultation services to promote strategies for comprehensive ethics
and character education. The John Winthrop Wright Ethics in Action
Award seeks to highlight men or women who successfully lead others
while clearly demonstrating positive character. For more information
on The School for Ethical Education, please visit their website at
http://www.ethicsed.org.
Dunbar
Students Awarded for Their Effort
Dunbar Students Latisha
Billups and Kevin Gilling.
Two
Dunbar students, Latisha Billups
and Kevaun Gilling, were honored with $100 Savings Bonds at a MVP
pizza party hosted by Peoples United Bank in April. They are part of
a group of 70 students across the state who put in the most hours
working on TestPrepFUN.com in the 7 weeks leading up to the CMT
Testing.
Dunbar
school purchased the right to utilize the TestPrepFUN online program
this year for all Dunbar students
in Grades 2-8. This Connecticut based program enhances
student learning with online games that blend teaching and test
practice to help students master the skills that the CMT is designed
to test.
Back
in March, Dunbar School also celebrated its
scholars with an “Honors breakfast.” The cafeteria was filled to
capacity with students and their families. Over 90 students received
honors for the second marking period and family members joined them
to share in their recognition. Parents and guardians also received
certificates for all of their support in the educational
process.
Families
were also given an overview of many of the Web-based programs being
used at Dunbar and were shown how
they can be accessed from home-based or other
computers.
Bridgeport
Public Education Fund Honored Bridgeport
Educators
The
Bridgeport Public Education Fund, Inc. honored several educators
from the Bridgeport Public Schools at a special ceremony:
Vae
Champagne - Harding
High
School
Kathleen
Cramer - Columbus School
Frances
Kochiss - Black Rock School
Dave
Meyer - Columbus School
Kimberly
Quinn - Multicultural Magnet School
James
Reilly - Central High
School
Sandra
Sarmiento - Multicultural Magnet School
Lorraine
Wojchik - Multicultural Magnet School
George
Bellinger Leadership Award
Lucille
Sekara, Principal
Hallen
Congratulations
to all honored educators!
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