Conference attendees will participate in workshops and group sessions on service and activism, and complete service projects in the Little Rock community.

Clinton School student Julianne Dunn (’10) has done an outstanding job as one of the main organizers for the conference. Dunn will introduce Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola at the opening session of the conference on Friday at 12:00 p.m.

Other Clinton School students participating in the conference include:

- Alejandro Aviles (’10), director of the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, will facilitate a workshop on promoting legislation.
- Regina Wilkerson (’10) will lead a workshop on campus and community engagement.
- Todd Moore (’10) will lead a workshop on differing leadership styles.

Along with Dunn, several other students have served on the conference planning committee:

- Lindsey Johnson (‘11), Outreach and Volunteer Coordination
- Emily English (‘09) and Kohl Fallin (‘10), Sponsorships
- Sarah Leer (‘11), Social Events
- David Monteith (‘11), Workshops
- Adam Moreland (‘11), Greening the Conference
- Patrick Banks (‘11) and LaTonya Wilson (‘11), Outreach

We’ll provide more on IMPACT throughout the weekend.

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Salem

Clinton School student Latif Salem, a native of Afghanistan, led a workshop Wednesday on socio-political and historical trends in his home country.  A native of Mazar-e-Sharif, Salem discussed local, regional and global conditions there. 

Salem sought to clear up misconceptions about Afghanistan and give fellow classmates an opportunity to ask questions.

“I’m glad I got the chance to clarify things about the ground realities in Afghanistan and the current situation there,” Salem said. “In reality, Afghans have been the victim of terrorism, communism and extremism.  Peace and security is like oxygen for us.” 

Salem earned a master’s degree in peace building and conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University while also studying international development at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich. He has worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Program as a monitoring and evaluation officer in Afghanistan for seven years.

The presentation marked the first event offered by the Multicultural Student Club, a group of UACS students with interest in international affairs and cultural issues. The club plans to encourage more discussion around international issues, particularly through events that heighten awareness about international issues.

More student-led discussions will support the educational process and create more awareness about international issues, said Clinton School student Ratnasari Dewi (’11).

Eighteen students and faculty attended the session and found it to be helpful to understand the current situation in Afghanistan.

“The presentation was very informative,” said Clinton school student David Watterson(’11). ”I see him every day and don’t get a chance to talk with him about his country.” 

Several faculty members in attendance also felt the presentation was enlightening and helped shine a light on the complexity of the issue.

“I learned a lot,” said Clinton School adjunct professor Don Ernst. “It illustrates how we make too simple complex problems.”

The multicultural club plans to survey students to evaluate Salem’s workshop and to solicit ideas for future presentations.  A potluck is planned before the upcoming graduation in May.

This post was authored by Clinton School student Todd Moore (‘10).

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Ambassador Urs Ziswiler

The Swiss ambassador to the United States said the two countries share a strong bond in a speech Wednesday at the Clinton School.

In his lecture titled, “More than just Chocolate, Mountains and Banking: Recent Developments in U.S./Swiss Relations,” Ambassador Urs Ziswiler discussed global issues ranging from climate change and terrorism to the economic crisis and Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.

A correspondent for Swisster (free registration required), an English language Swiss newspaper, reported on the lecture:

“We have always had excellent relations with any administration,” Ziswiler told Swisster. “There’s a mutual trust on both sides.”

He conceded that the country disagreed with the United States’ invasion of Iraq and holding prisoners at Guantanamo Bay during the Bush Administration.

“Both issues changed radically with the new administration,” Ziswiler said. “Even if leaving Iraq and Guantanamo takes longer than planned.”

Switzerland will soon receive two brothers from China’s Muslin Uighur minority who had been cleared for release from Guantanamo but feared persecution if they returned to China. Ziswiler said the transfer of the two brothers will occur in a few weeks.

“We do not only want to be critical, we want to be part of the solution,” he said of Guantanamo.

The United States and Switzerland share other major areas of concern such as climate change and the financial sector. The United States should look at climate change as a business opportunity as well as security issue and a humanitarian concern, Ziswiler said.

“If we continue, 50 to 60 percent of Switzerland’s glaciers will disappear by the end of the century,” he said.

Appointed ambassador in March 2006, Ziswiler previously served as director of political affairs for the Department of Foreign Affairs and as senior diplomatic advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also served as the Swiss ambassador to Canada and the Bahamas from 1999 to 2004.

Video of his lecture will be posted soon at www.clintonschoolspeakers.com.

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Elizabeth and Hazel

Author David Margolick wants to talk to anyone and everyone about a now infamous photo (right) from the 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School, he said Monday in a lecture at the Clinton School.

Margolick is finishing a book about the photo, which features Little Rock Nine member Elizabeth Eckford surrounded by an angry white mob including screaming Central student Hazel Massery.

“I don’t remember when I first saw (the photo),” Margolick said. “But it’s something I’ve remembered ever since.”

The coming book, “Elizabeth and Hazel,” will tell the story of the photo, its historical context and the reconcilation that has occurred between the two women since that day in 1957. But Margolick is still looking for people in Little Rock who knew the women or attended school with them to interview for his book.

“I still want to talk, that’s why I am here,” Margolick said. “We are running out of time now, and I just want to rustle up whatever is out there.”

Margolick began researching the book more than 10 years ago when he visited the Central High National Historic Site where he saw the photo and a reconcilation picture of the women taken 40 years later.

Since then, he’s interviewed both Eckford and Massery and tracked down others who appear in the photo.

Spirit Trickey and David Margolick

Margolick was introduced for his lecture by Clinton School student Spirit Trickey, daughter of Little Rock Nine member Minnjean Brown Trickey.

This was Margolick’s 11th visit to Little Rock. He’s hoping to interview a few more people before he turns his final draft into his publisher next month. The book should be released in about a year, he said.

Video of Margolick’s lecture will be posted soon at www.clintonschoolspeakers.com.

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Fischer

Thanks to the help of a Clinton School student, the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) has a head start on developing its new children’s learning center.

For her final Clinton School project, Emily Fischer worked with the CALS to gather stakeholder input, research best practices and write a grant for the new Children’s and Youth Library and Learning Center (CYLLC). 

Fischer surveyed more than 100 patrons about their library habits and suggestions for the new center, wrote a $50,000 grant for an environmentally friendly greenhouse and researched other libraries and learning centers across the county.

“The center is going to be a hub of innovation,” Fischer said. “From gardening to college prep to digital photography classes, we want to inspire and engage children of all ages. It will be a place where anything and everything is possible.”

One of the best practices models for the CYLLC is the Tiger Woods Learning Center (TWLC) in Anaheim, Calif. The TWLC uses career classes in robotics, marine biology, aerospace design, architecture and others to engage students in the classroom while teaching them academic and life skills. 

Programming at the CYLLC is envisioned to operate in a similar way and give students the motivation they may need to explore new subjects while integrating technology, literacy, research and the arts, Fischer said.

Other models include the ImaginOn, a children’s library and theater in Charlotte, N.C., as well as the Cerritos Library in Cerritos, Calif.

Fischer completed the project as part of the Clinton School’s Capstone program, one of three for-credit public service projects in the Master of Public Service degree program.

The CYLLC is currently in the design stages and is currently scheduled to open next year.  The center will be built south of I-630 and east of Jonesboro Blvd. in Little Rock.

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Sign the Whole Child Petition to tell your state board of education that it is necessary to do more to educate and support the whole child.
Write to your federal representative, urging him or her to work with you, ASCD, and partners to help accelerate passage of this bill. (The form is quick and easy to fill out!)
Use the Whole Child Resolution Tool Kit to ask your school board, town council, and other policymakers ito support a local resolution that addresses the needs of the whole child. 

If you believe in whole child education, now’s the time to take action. Visit the Whole Child’s website for more information and resources.“Practice and policy must work in concert; together we must make the whole child approach to education a national priority so that each child is ready for meaningful employment, continuing education, and active participation in our global society.” - ASCD Executive Director Gene R. Carter
Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) recently introduced H. Res. 1093 to make March “National Whole Child Month”. This bill is the first step toward making the whole child approach to education a national priority and ensuring that all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged in our schools. Congress is expected to vote on H. Res. 1093 within the next few weeks, and it’s up to us to get involved and help speed its passage!
Take a second to make a difference. In a country where a student drops out of school every 9 seconds and where every 7 seconds a child is bullied on the playground, your simple act of support and solidarity can make a huge difference:

Sign the Whole Child Petition to tell your state board of education that it is necessary to do more to educate and support the whole child.
Write to your federal representative, urging him or her to work with you, ASCD, and partners to help accelerate passage of this bill. (The form is quick and easy to fill out!)
Use the Whole Child Resolution Tool Kit to ask your school board, town council, and other policymakers ito support a local resolution that addresses the needs of the whole child. 

If you believe in whole child education, now’s the time to take action. Visit the Whole Child’s website for more information and resources.

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Session Date

Time (Eastern )

Registration

March 19, 2010 - Baltimore, MD

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

March 24, 2010 -  Denver, CO

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

March 30, 2010 - Atlanta, GA

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

 
Investing in Innovation (i3) Pre-Application Webinars (capacity is 200):

Session Date

Time (Eastern )

Registration

March 19, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

March 24, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

March 30, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

The final rules for the i3 Innovation Fund were released today. Pick up the details and application package here. Registration is now open for pre-application workshops and webinars. As per the i3 registration site, be sure to only register for one of the workshops OR a webinar. (If you’re not in Baltimore, Denver or Atlanta, be sure to secure your spot now at one of the webinars today — capacity is 200 applications.)
Investing in Innovation (i3) Pre-Application Workshops:

Session Date

Time (Eastern )

Registration

March 19, 2010 - Baltimore, MD

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

March 24, 2010 -  Denver, CO

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

March 30, 2010 - Atlanta, GA

10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Register

 
Investing in Innovation (i3) Pre-Application Webinars (capacity is 200):

Session Date

Time (Eastern )

Registration

March 19, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

March 24, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

March 30, 2010

10:00 am - 2:00 pm webinar

Register

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The students will make their final presentation to the Central Arkansas Reentry Coalition on Tuesday, March 9 at 2:30 p.m. at the Dunbar Community Center.

The presentation will include a recap of coalition progress, results from community interviews and recommendations for how the coalition, a group of service providers, faith-based organizations and others working with ex-offenders, can continue to grow.

All who are interested in learning more about the Clinton School project, reentry from prison and the future of the coalition are encouraged to attend the presentation.

“We are very excited to share the insight we have gained through engaging new voices in the conversation about serving ex-offenders,” Clinton School student Ryan Ubuntu Olson said. “We hope that the coalition will be able to use our findings and recommendations to keep thinking outside the box and exploring creative avenues for transforming lives.”

Olson, along with fellow students Kimberly Caldwell and Ben Kaufman, began working with the coalition last fall through the Clinton School’s Practicum program, one of three for-credit public service projects in the Master of Public Service degree program.

The team began meeting with the coalition in September to help the group solidify its organization while simultaneously collecting information on services currently available to former offenders and reaching out to include new perspectives in the conversation.

The coalition first formed a year ago as interested service providers met to discuss how to improve the reentry experience for former offenders. That group began holding larger meetings during the summer of 2009, followed by the start of the Clinton School project in the fall.

Since the project began, the coalition has created mission and vision statements, generated a two-year strategic plan and engaged new members across a spectrum of service areas and interests.

Goodwill Industries of Arkansas acts as anchor for the coalition and has supported the Clinton School project this academic year.

“The coalition has really grown since we started meeting a year ago,” said Staci Croom-Raley, vice president for workforce services at Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. “Not only have we seen more service providers coming to the table to talk about reentry, but we have seen increased participation from community, government and faith-based leaders and organizations in working together to help this underserved population successfully reenter their communities and rebuild their lives.”

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The New York Times had an illuminating article on studies that show how subtle touches convey rich emotions: “Students who received a supportive touch on the back or arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not, studies have found.”
Also from The New York Times: An intriguing piece elucidating the pedagogy of teaching.
Developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik has long argued that learning about babies’ minds help us understand age-old philosophical questions.  In this article, Gopnik argues that humans are born to be empathic beings, thereby challenging the conventional, rigid way of bifurcating the world between “us” and “them.”
Normally, we think that play is trivial.  Now here’s a piece that challenges this common public perception and illustrates the significance of play and the need to prioritize it as a fundamental part of human behavior and health. Play can have positive effects on brain development and aid in our ability to be flexible, resilient, and adapt to a changing world.

As before, I encourage you to share your knowledge and wisdom — leave a comment, start a dialogue, and ask questions.  If you are so inclined, you might want to join CSEE’s Facebook Pages and Twitter feeds.  Until next week!
 Another week has gone by, ushering in the month of March! We at CSEE are busy with exciting new projects, such as ongoing professional development, school climate assessment projects, and the planning of our 13th Annual Summer Institute.  Here are some interesting links we’ve been passing around the office:

The New York Times had an illuminating article on studies that show how subtle touches convey rich emotions: “Students who received a supportive touch on the back or arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not, studies have found.”
Also from The New York Times: An intriguing piece elucidating the pedagogy of teaching.
Developmental psychologist Alison Gopnik has long argued that learning about babies’ minds help us understand age-old philosophical questions.  In this article, Gopnik argues that humans are born to be empathic beings, thereby challenging the conventional, rigid way of bifurcating the world between “us” and “them.”
Normally, we think that play is trivial.  Now here’s a piece that challenges this common public perception and illustrates the significance of play and the need to prioritize it as a fundamental part of human behavior and health. Play can have positive effects on brain development and aid in our ability to be flexible, resilient, and adapt to a changing world.

As before, I encourage you to share your knowledge and wisdom—leave a comment, start a dialogue, and ask questions.  If you are so inclined, you might want to join CSEE’s Facebook Pages and Twitter feeds.  Until next week!

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