West Virginia Pass

In an effort to keep kids safe, support academic achievement and help working families, Morgantown's efforts to provide supervised activities to youth during the afterschool hours has led to a partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC) to create a citywide system of supporting young people. Through NLC's "City Leaders Supporting Afterschool and A New Day for Learning" project, Morgantown hopes to close gaps in services for middle and high school aged youth through the Mayor's Task Force on Child Care and Out-of-School Time. The city also hopes to further engage the business community in its afterschool efforts.

Morgantown along with seven other cities including Albany, NY; Cincinnati, OH; Omaha, NE; St. Paul, MN; Tampa, FL; Tulsa, OK, and Vancouver, WA will work to solidify its citywide afterschool system and expand learning opportunities for young people.

For additional information or to get involved:

http://www.morgantown.com/year-of-the-child.htm.

Calendar of Youth and Family Friendly Events in Morgantown: http://cityofmorgantown.hosted.webevent.com/cgi-bin/webevent.cgi?cmd=opencal&cal=cal3

2008 Children's Day at the Legislature

First Lady Gayle C. Manchin welcomed the 2008 Children's Day at the Legislature Public Policy Forum attendees on February 12th. The opening session included a presentation, "The Maltese Budget" by Stan Collender, Qorvis Communications Managing Director. The presentation was informative and entertaining. Ted Boettner of the WV Center on Budget and Policy presented "A Primer on the West Virginia State Budget".

The opening session was followed by several concurrent workshops: "Virtual Field Trip to the Virtual Floor"; "Win Your Policy Issue Without Moving From Your Couch" and "Election Commitments for Children" .

Following the workshops Most Reverend Michael Bransfield, Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston delivered the keynote, "A Commitment to Health and Well Being in West Virginia".

Sister Janet Peterworth received the "2008 Champion for Children Award".

On February 13^th West Virginia lawmakers heard from the youth of WV during a YouTube Forum. Students from around WV participated via YouTube and attended the forum in the Great Hall at the Cultural Center. Students' had a variety of questions and comments:

Educational: Why aren't additional teachers hired for speech, debate; more AP classes; and teachers who care?
Health care - concern about students without health care. Why don't child sex offenders receive more jail time?
School bus safety - Concerned about the lack of discipline on school buses.
Concern on teens losing drivers license for poor grades.

June Robinson, WVPASS, attended the Children's Day Public Policy and YouTube Forum.

2008

100 Best Communities for Young People

In its third year, America's Promise 100 Best spotlights those communities that find unique and effective ways to ensure their young people receive the resources necessary to stay in school and succeed.

More than 300 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico entered this year's competition. The winning communities included cities, towns and counties of all sizes and regions from 37 states. Of that list, 44 communities were three time winners.

"The 100 Best competition is more important than ever because it's become harder for cities and towns to focus on the needs of their children with all the challenges facing them and we see the impact of this in our dismal high school graduation rates," said Marguerite Kondracke, president and CEO, America's Promise Alliance. "These communities rose above and through their actions, remind us that there are cities and towns that are going the extra mile everyday to make sure young people reach their potential. On behalf of the Alliance, I congratulate these communities and call on others to follow their lead."

Congratulations Mercer County & Monroe County!

Mercer County is one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People for the third time. One program in particular, Creating Opportunities For Youth (COFY) coalition, has reached out through various programs to sway youth away from the pressures of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Mercer County was the recipient of the 2006 Governor's Red Wagon Award.

For additional information, please contact:

Greg Puckett

Community Connections, Inc.

307 Federal Street, Suite 305

Bluefield, WV 24701

drugfreemercer@ccifrn.org

304-323-3472

Monroe County is one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People for the second time. The county's universal preschool, in collaboration with Head Start and day care, propels its youngest citizens on the road to success. Monroe County was the recipient of the 2007 Governor's Red Wagon Award.

For additional information, please contact:

Judy Azulay

Monroe County Board of Education

P O Box 330

Union, WV 24983

jazulay@access.k12.wv.us

304-772-3094

The 2008 winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges that included some of the nation's most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders such as: Gayle Manchin, first lady of West Virginia, United Way President Brian Gallagher, former Mayor of Denver and President of Webb Group International, Wellington Webb, Thomas Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Carol Coletta, president and CEO, CEOs for Cities, Christine James-Brown, president and CEO, the Child Welfare League of America, and Dr. Suzanne Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.

College Prep Conference A Success!!!

First in Your Family, in October 2007, partnered with Shepherd University to host a College Prep Conference in conjunction with the annual College Fair.

The Conference was opened by Jack Wiseman, Director of WVPASS (Partnerships to Assure Student Success) and delivered information on additional resources that can help local school achieve their goals.

The free, day long conference covered a wide range of topics. Sessions included:

Planning for college;
ACT and SAT test preparation;
Options in higher education institutions;
Skills needed for emerging industries;
Scholarships and grants;
Overview of the financial aid process;
How to find the right school;
Today's job market; and

Other sessions that would help students and parents plan and pay for higher education.

The conference was attended by 230 students and parents. The College Fair included displays for local colleges and universities and organizations that provided information on youth development; tutoring; leadership training; international study opportunities and scholarship programs.

For additional information, visit www.firstinyourfamily.org.

AmeriCorps Energy Express Member Visits White House

On May 18, 2007, President Bush welcomed West Virginia AmeriCorps member Alivia Sturgill to the Oval Office as part of a nationwide recognition week for the AmeriCorps national service program as it reached a historic milestone of 500,000 members. "I am grateful for all those involved with AmeriCorps for your dedication to a cause greater than self. Your compassionate efforts demonstrate the great character of our country and inspire others to build a more hopeful society," the President said. Ms. Sturgill is an AmeriCorps member with the Energy Express program in Mingo County, West Virginia. After meeting with the President, Sturgill joined 100 of her fellow members for a reception at the Indian Treaty Room at the White House.

Ms. Sturgill will mentor low-income elementary students in rural Mingo County this summer as part of the Energy Express AmeriCorps program run by West Virginia University. Alivia will serve as a mentor, help the children increase reading scores, make family visits, and work with her site team on a community service project. Serving as an Energy Express AmeriCorps member has a special meaning for Alivia -- in the fifth grade, she was a student in the program. Now Alivia will be able to give back the same guidance, instruction, and loving attention that helped her on her own path to success. After a family-style breakfast with her group of eight children, Alivia will lead integrated reading, writing, art and drama book-based activities. On May 12, Alivia graduated from Midway College in Midway, Kentucky, with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Her career goal is to be an elementary school teacher. Ms. Sturgill started volunteering in the sixth grade and has been involved in range of community service projects including serving as a reading partner, organizing book drives, providing art and drama activities for kids, and training other volunteers.

Energy Express is a six-week summer AmeriCorps program operated by the West Virginia University Research Corporation promoting the school success of children living in rural and low-income communities across West Virginia by providing summer learning experiences focused on reading, serving two nutritious family-style meals each day, and developing strong partnerships involving parents, schools, communities, and state agencies and organizations. Energy Express engages 492 AmeriCorps members in promoting the school success of children living in rural and low-income across the state by providing summer learning experiences focused on reading. The target populations are those children who typically lose ground both academically and nutritionally over the summer months. Since its first AmeriCorps funding in 1996, Energy Express has engaged 4,423 AmeriCorps members who have provided mentoring, meals, and summer reading instruction to more than 34,000 low-income and rural children across West Virginia

For information on Energy Express, visit their website http://www.energyexpress.wvu.edu/.

West Virginia First Lady Launches Website

On April 20, 2007, First Lady Gayle C. Manchin officially launched the WVPASS (Partnerships to Assure Student Success) website www.wvpass.org. Mrs. Manchin said,

"As a former educator and life-long community volunteer in West Virginia, I believe in creating the opportunity to bring a variety of people together to share ideas, communicate and network, which in turn allows programs at all levels, grow and become self-sustaining - that is WVPASS." Mrs. Manchin initiated WVPASS in 2003. WVPASS also connects partners to help facilitate unprecedented collaboration and serve youth with far greater resources than they would otherwise receive. "The website contains a myriad of training programs and grant opportunities. It is a timely resource that benefits all West Virginians," said Jack Wiseman, WVPASS Director.

WVPASS provides training and technical assistance to integrate America's Promise, Communities In Schools (CIS), Ruby Payne Training, WV’s Promise and WV-FAIR (Financial Aid Information Resources) in West Virginia's communities. The website will enable West Virginia communities, non-profits, civic organizations, state agencies and individuals the ability to gain access to state and national grants, training opportunities and events that assist in community and youth development.

For additional information about WVPASS, contact Jack Wiseman or June Robinson at (304)558-2440 or jwiseman@wvosea.org or jrobinson@wvosea.org.

Literacy Grant Awards

The West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, Office of the Secretary would like to thank the many organizations that applied for our literacy grants. We were very excited to have the opportunity to offer these grants to assist various organizations with their quest to improve the skills of low-level readers in West Virginia.

Congratulations!!!

Pre-K through 12 Literacy Grant Awardees:

Brooke County Schools Pre-K................................Brooke County

Cabell County 4H Foundation.................................Cabell & Kanawha Counties

Hamlin Elementary School.......................................Lincoln County

PATCH 21st Century CCLC..................................Roane County

Playmates Preschool & Learning Center..................Wayne County

Williamstown Elementary School.............................Wood County

PATCH 21st Century Hamlin Elementary School

Williamstown Elementary School Cabell - Kanawha

Adult Literacy Grant Awardees:

Catholic Community Services of McDowell.............McDowell County

DAYMARK, Inc...................................................Kanawha County

Putnam County Adult Basic Education....................Putnam County

Rainelle Public Library............................................Greenbrier County

RESA IV...............................................................Nicholas County

WV State University Land-Grant Program..............Kanawha County

Daymark, Inc. Putnam Co. Adult Basic Education

RESA IV WV State University Land Grant Program

Distinguished West Virginian

Dr. Jane McKee, Associate Dean for Academic Program at Marshall University, was recognized as a "Distinguished West Virginian" by Governor & Mrs. Manchin.

Dr. McKee has devoted 35 years to education. As a 27-year educator in West Virginia, she has received numerous West Virginia honors. Some of the honors bestowed upon Dr. McKee include: Logan County Teacher of the Year; West Virginia Teacher of the Year; June Harless Rural Education Hall of Fame; Marshall University Distinguished Service Award and others. Dr. McKee has also written several educational publications.

During the presentation First Lady Gayle Manchin stated, "The Governor and I cannot always let individuals know how much we appreciate their dedication to West Virginia but presenting this recognition is one way that we can publicly acknowledge the hard work and dedication of "distinguished" West Virginians."

At the end of June Dr. McKee will be "retiring" as a Marshall University employee but she will continue working with Marshal University and public schools through various grant projects, including the Professional Development School Partnership.

Dr. McKee also serves as a WVPASS co-chair and will continue to serve along with Dr. Jane Hange.

Events

Volunteer Focus Group Session:
"The Link to Making a Difference," sponsored by the WV Commission for National and Community Service, is a free focus group and information session to evaluate existing volunteering tools and to present information about funding and national service opportunities. Attendees will participate in a facilitated focus group about volunteerism in the community and the role, www.volunteerwv.org, the Commission’s web site can play. Following the focus group session participants are encouraged to attend information sessions on national service, volunteerism, and statewide funding opportunities

To register contact: Gina Namay at 558-0111 or email gnamay@mail.state.wv.us

All sessions are from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.