The latest about the Pearson Foundation and the ideas, people, and partners that inform our work

Will Tablets Replace Textbooks? Findings from our Second Annual Survey on Students and Tablets

2012-03-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Last week’s launch of the new Apple iPad engendered more buzz around tablets and their roles for both personal and educational use. Since our first survey on this topic last year, we’ve been following closely as it seems there are more and more reasons to believe tablets are making their way into college classrooms — and more and more reasons to believe that tablets themselves are changing the way young people think about learning and formal education.

Today, we’re releasing the Second Annual Pearson Foundation Survey on Students and Tablets. Conducted by Harris Interactive, the survey helps frame the ways that college students and college-bound high school seniors currently use and would like to use the latest digital technologies.

Perhaps most impressive is this finding: Tablet ownership among college students and college-bound high school students has more than tripled from a year ago. The survey also reveals that more students are reading digital books than were last year, and a majority of college students and high school seniors believe that tablets will replace textbooks in the next five years. (This survey was conducted in January, 2012 and consisted of a nationally representative online poll of more than one thousand college students and more than two hundred college-bound seniors in the United States.)

The results are well worth reading. You can find the Pearson Foundation Survey on Students and Tablets overview on our site, or, read the official Summary of Findings online.

Pass the Books. Watch the Films.

2012-03-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

If you’ve not yet seen it, you’re sure to be as pleased as I was to read Thomas Friedman’s recent “Pass the Books. Hold the Oil” in Sunday’s New York Times — not only because the column underscores the important connection between education and better outcomes for individuals and for nations, but because it does so in a way that rightly acknowledges OECD’s important work in framing this connection.

The timing was strong for those of us at the Foundation, as on Sunday we were making final plans to announce the formal addition of six new films to our “Strong Performers and Successful Reformers” series - a film series we’ve put together in partnership with OECD that documents the ways countries have successfully reformed their education systems to better serve their students and teachers.

As the resulting release explains: Each short film presents concrete solutions that have helped each education system to identify and teach the skills students need to succeed in an increasingly global, interconnected economy. The video series has been shaped by the OECD’s Andreas Schleicher, who is heavily cited in Mr. Friedman’s column.

All of this is a great prelude to another key event this week—the second annual International Summit on the Teaching Profession—which brings education leaders from countries around the world to New York City to share ideas and to discuss the key drivers of the teaching profession. We were pleased to be able to help publish the results of last year’s International Summit (you can download the Asia Society’s excellent post-summary report here, or read a more recent round up in an Ed Week bost by the Asia Society’s Tony Jackson, here).

We’re equally pleased that this year together with OECD we’ll share DVD copies of the entire video series — all ten films - with every person in attendance.

Now Available: The 2011 My Voice National Student Report

2012-03-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

If you’ve not met Russ Quaglia, you’re missing one of the Foundation’s favorite people. Russ believes that by listening to students and understanding their aspirations, educators can improve today’s teaching and learning environments. And he’s devoted his professional life to formalizing the ways we can learn from and about young people and the ways educators can benefit from what we find out.

We at the Pearson Foundation have been so inspired by Russ’ body of work that — since 2009 — we’ve been supporting both the research conducted at the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations and his My Voice Student Aspirations Survey survey, which seeks to gather information about student perceptions of their experience at school. Administrators, educators, parents and students use survey findings to improve schools, inspiring many schools to create or move to a more student-centered focus.

This week we’re excited to share the findings of the most recent National Report, conducted with more than 57,000 students in grades 6-12 during the 2010-2011 academic year and representing more than 200 schools from across the United States.

Please take the time to read the Executive Summary, or review the full My Voice National Student Report.

To learn more about the My Voice program, please visit http://myvoice.pearsonfoundation.org.

Join Us on March 7 for World Read Aloud Day 2012!

2012-03-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

Worldwide, more than 793 million people remain illiterate. Our friends at LitWorld are trying to change that by spreading the power of stories.

Join us at the Pearson Foundation on March 7, 2012, as we stand with LitWorld — a fantastic global literacy organization and We Give Books literacy partner — in celebrating World Read Aloud Day.

World Read Aloud Day aims to motivate children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.

It’s easy to support World Read Aloud Day - simply pledge online to read aloud with loved ones and friends on March 7. You’ll find a library of great read-aloud stories online at We Give Books, and, as always, for each book you read in our online library, we will share a book with a child in need. To learn more about LitWorld and to register to participate in World Read Aloud Day, please visit http://litworld.org/worldreadaloudday/.

Pearson Foundation announces 2012 Pearson Prize applications now being accepted.

2012-02-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

Big news today: The Pearson Foundation has officially opened the application for the 2012 Pearson Prize for Higher Education, the award that recognizes and supports undergraduate student leaders who are distinguishing themselves by leading public service efforts that give back to their local communities.

In 2011, 18,000 students registered for the Pearson Prize, aiming to be among the 20 students to be recognized nationally as Pearson Prize National Fellows. These exemplary students from across the U.S. receive financial assistance, access to a vast network of professionals and past award recipients, and the opportunity for training in the areas of project management, communications and technology through the TakingITGlobal Sprout E-course.

The online application is now available at
http://pearsonprize.pearsonfoundation.org/applications/. Completed applications must be received by March 28, 2012.

To learn more about the inspiring collection of past awardees, visit http://pearsonfoundation.org/pearsonprize/2011/fellows.html.

The 2012 Call for Pearson Fellowship for Social Innovation Applications is Open!

2012-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

The 12 Pearson Fellows of 2011 brought projects to reality on three continents in various categories like human rights, technology, health, environment, and education.

We’ve already received such strong response from the announcement of this year’s Pearson Prize for Higher Education, I thought it might be right to spread the word about the Pearson Foundation’s other youth recognition program: the 2012 Pearson Fellowship for Social Innovation.

Now in its second year, The Pearson Fellowship for Social Innovation supports promising social change projects created by youth leaders who are part of one of our favorite international partners: TakingITGlobal.

The application period for this award—which supports young people who have completed the Sprout eCourse also developed in partnership with TakingITGlobal—concludes at the end of March. The Fellowship offers seed grants, one-on-one mentoring, peer support, and online resources for these leaders to launch their projects.

To learn more about the Pearson Fellowship for Social Innovation, please visit http://sprout.tigweb.org/offerings/fellowship.html.

To learn more about the Sprout e-Course (our first partnership with TakingITGlobal) please visit http://sprout.tigweb.org/offerings/index.html.

150,000 Books Read and Donated!

2012-02-21T16:43:00.000-08:00

Some remarkable news: Thanks to dedicated readers across the United States, We Give Books reached the Read for My School campaign goal—150,000 books to be shared among US classrooms in less than a single week!

We’re confirming achievements with each of the schools that took part and making plans for our next big announcement: details regarding this year’s upcoming Read for the Record Campaign.

In the meantime, please take a moment to share news of We Give Books with someone you know? We’re closing in on 1 million books read online at We Give Books. We’re already more than 80% of the way there.

We Give Books’ Read for My School: The Pearson Foundation Shares 150,000 Books Nationwide

2012-02-16T15:58:00.000-08:00

Here’s some great news: On Tuesday, we launched the 2012 Read for My School campaign at We Give Books. The aim was to raise awareness about the importance of schools and school libraries while also giving readers the chance to give books to their local public elementary schools. If you go to the Read for My School campaign page, you’ll see that we’re off to a blistering start! We Give Books readers across the country have read more 89,000 books in just two days!

This first nationwide Read for My School campaign extends last year’s introduction of this program in the state of Florida. We aim to give 150,0000 books through Read for My School, though it looks like this may happen in less than a single week.

What the excitement around this campaign shows, again, is how energized people are about supporting their local communities. It also shows how well school communities organize to get things done. More than 20 schools across the country have already reached the maximum allotment of 500 books donated to their libraries. In all, we’ve seen readers from all 50 states visit We Give Books, and traffic to the site seems to be picking up rather than slowing down.

There’s still time to read for your school! Log on to We Give Books today to get started, and be sure to visit the Read for My School campaign page to learn more. And please spread the word. We’d like as many local schools and school libraries to benefit as possible.

The Pearson Prize 2012 Application - Now Live!

2012-02-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

Again this year, the Pearson Foundation will offer the Pearson Prize to recognize 20 college and university students for their work in supporting local communities. As Pearson Prize National Fellows, these outstanding students will receive financial and other resources, including guidance to support their ongoing service to their communities, as well as opportunities to get to know one another and share ideas – which may be the best thing of all.

The application for the 2012 Pearson Prize for Higher Education went live today and will be available through March 16.

Just a word on why the Pearson Foundation created the Pearson Prize: We noticed that most college award programs and scholarships focus on graduating high school students and their academic merits. But there’s a different, special kind of student who often emerges while in college – one dedicated to service and to the community.

By identifying emerging leaders who are already underway in their college careers, the Pearson Prize for Higher Education addresses the needs of students who have been doing great things under the radar. Every year, a number of the National Fellows say that they’ve never received any kind of award before, which is really amazing when you hear their stories.

To learn more about the Pearson Prize and see videos made by current Fellows, visit the Pearson Prize website.

To apply today, please visit the application page. Be sure to check out the eligibility requirements and FAQ for detailed application information.

Digital Learning Day Roundup

2012-02-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

All the details aren’t yet in, but it’s clear that yesterday’s first Digital Learning Day was an important, in many ways remarkable, coming together to draw attention to all that’s already changing in classrooms across the country.

“It is time we stop asking students to ‘power down’ when they go to school and instead to ‘power up’ and use their interest in technology as a new way to learn,” said Bob Wise, former governor of West Virginia and president of the Alliance for Excellent Education, which organized the event.

The day’s agenda—which included town hall meetings, in-class participation by close to two million young people and their teachers across the country, and the sharing of exemplary programs already making a difference to kids thanks to their thoughtful adoption of technology tools they use every day—makes clear the degree to which things are changing, in many cases more rapidly than anyone might expect.

The creators of the day-long event have put together an inspiring compendium of examples from districts and schools.

As usual, the great folks at Edutopia have collected their own great set of resources.

For more, be sure to read today’s blog from John Wilson. John, the Pearson Foundation’s first Senior Fellow, represented the Foundation at yesterday’s proceedings in Washington D.C.

We’re honored to have been part of yesterday’s celebration of teaching and learning, and glad that as a result more people than before are checking out our own New Learning Institute website.

Digital Learning Day

2012-01-31T16:16:00.000-08:00

A quick note in advance of tomorrow’s first ever Digital Learning Day, an important nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning that makes thoughtful use of digital media and technology.

All day tomorrow, February 1st, a majority of states, hundreds of school districts, thousands of teachers, and nearly 2 million students will encourage the innovative use of technology by trying something new, showcasing success, kicking off project-based learning, and focusing on the ways that digital tools can help improve student outcomes.

We’re pleased that the Pearson Foundation was among the first of many sponsors of this first ever nationwide celebration—one that builds on many of the same interests we’ve explored for years in our own Mobile Learning Institute and New Learning Institute programs. (Check out the New Learning Institute for detailed video case studies of similar investigations, including our own ongoing work with the Smithsonian Institution.)

Tomorrow, the Alliance for Excellent Education will host an in-depth webcast featuring moderated discussion of video footage of innovation in action looking at leadership, instruction, innovation, every subject area, and effective teaching.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., EST, the Alliance is hosting a National Town Hall meeting featuring FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in a special joint appearance. The event will profile great teachers that effectively use technology to deliver instruction, and focus on education innovation projects happening across the country.

Look for a roundup of key take-aways later this week.

A few quick facts: 

Over 16,000 teachers and nearly 1.7 million students have  registered directly as part of the national Digital Learning Day effort.  
38 states, many with their own registration processes are hosting  their own Digital Learning Day activities and celebrations. This state  program covers 88% of US students.
President Obama has provided a statement sending greetings to  Digital Learning Day participants and encouraging every educator to think  about how technology can support effective teaching and learning.  
Dignitaries from across the aisle will support the potential for digital learning in schools.
  13 states have issued Governor Proclamations for Digital Learning  Day, including Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,  Maryland, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and  Wyoming.

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind comes to We Give Books

2012-01-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday this week, Penguin’s Dial press published an inspiring new children’s book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba.

Already this beautifully illustrated story has been read more than 7,000 times at wegivebooks.org.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind shares with young readers William’s remarkable story and desire to learn—a desire that empowered him to harness the power of the wind to produce electricity and bring lifesaving water to his drought-ravaged village in Malawi.

In addition to making his story available to young readers, a new We Give Books reading campaign is helping other Malawian children follow in William's footsteps. For each book read online, We Give Books will donate a physical book to one of the schools and libraries being built to support early childhood development through William’s own nonprofit initiative, the Moving Windmill’s project.

This is just the sort of effort We Give Books was designed to support: A great story, and a great non-profit—in this case both the work of a remarkable young man.

You can read the book online, see a video, and support the Moving Windmill’s Campaign right now.

When you’re done, I hope you’ll learn more about William in his own words by visiting his blog. You can also read an interview with the book's illustrator, Elizabeth Zunon, on today's TEDBlog.

One Book Two Book: A Celebration of Children’s Literature

2012-01-12T17:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks the launch of a unique event taking place in Iowa City: The One Book Two Book Children’s Literature Festival. The festival, which coincides with Iowa City’s being designated a UNESCO City of Literature, brings together educators, librarians, authors, publishers, bookstores, parents, and children to recognize the important role of literature in the development of children’s literacy, imagination, and love of reading.

Needless to say, the festival’s mission is a natural fit for the Pearson Foundation. In addition to sponsoring the event, we’ve launched a One Book Two Book campaign on We Give Books as an additional effort to ensure that all children in the greater Iowa City area have access to quality children's books.

However, the real action takes place at the festival itself: The weekend begins with a prologue dinner this evening, celebrating stories written and performed by children from area schools and recognizing children’s author Kathryn Erksine, winner of the 2010 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. On Saturday, the children’s book fair itself takes place at the Sheraton Iowa City hotel. On Sunday January 15th a very special Reading on the Rails event invites children and adults to ride the Hawkeye Express Train on a special literary excursion.

Book donations from the Pearson Foundation and other partners will benefit worthy, youth-serving organizations including MECCA's Transitional Housing Program, Russell and Ann Gerdin American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, Crisis Center Food Bank, Four Oaks, Ronald McDonald House, Community Mental Health Center for Mid-Eastern Iowa, Handicare, 4Cs, Early Childhood Support Program (Iowa City Community School District), Kirkwood Elementary Family Resource Center, and Shelter House.

To learn more about One Book Two Book, visit http://onebooktwobook.org. To learn more about We Give Books and our almost-maxed-out One Book Two Book campaign, please visit http://wegivebooks.org.

New We Give Books Video

2012-01-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

One week into the new year, and we’ve posted a new We Give Books video that highlights many of the effort’s key accomplishments from 2011.

We launched We Give Books hoping it would prove an innovative way to invite others to learn more about great literacy organizations making a difference around the world. Our first goal was to bring together a digital library of great children’s books, and invite parents, teachers, and other adults to help put books in the hands of children who don't have them, simply by reading online.

One of the great joys of our work last year was discovering the degree to which the idea of sharing books and promoting literacy spread from something that one person might do with one child to something a teacher might do with her class, and then to something that brought together whole communities.

Please check out the video here, and—while you’re at it—please feel free to forward the link to others who might want to know about this always free, always available Pearson Foundation program.

Project Exploration Co-Founder Gabrielle Lyon – Chicagoan of the Year!

2012-01-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Here's some great news to start the year: Friend of the Pearson Foundation and Project Exploration Founder and Senior Explorer Gabrielle Lyon has been selected as a 2011 "Chicagoan of the Year" by Chicago magazine, joining a group of six Chicagoans that the magazine celebrates as "intrepid heroes who make our city - and our world - a better place."

Gabe has been a great Chicagoan for years. She's co-founder of Project Exploration, the nonprofit science education organization that works to ensure communities traditionally underserved by science education – in particular, minority youth and girls – have access to personalized experiences with science and scientists. In January 2010, she and Project Exploration co-founder Paul Sereno were honored at the White House by receiving the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mentoring.

Since 2006, the Pearson Foundation has supported Project Exploration by funding the organization's Field Institute, which offers specialized training to exceptional Chicago Public School science teachers. More recently, we've funded Project Exploration's beginning investigation in broader, more sustained professional development support for educators.

All the while, Project Exploration has been thriving. The organization has served more than 1,000 middle school and high school students, and a recent study by the University of California – Berkeley revealed that 95 percent of Project Exploration participants had graduated from high school, and 60 percent of those who went on to college are pursuing—or have earned—degrees related to science and math.

To learn more about Gabe's recognition, check out the Chicago Magazine article.

To learn more about the Pearson Foundation's involvement with Project Exploration, please visit http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/teacher-quality/partnerships/project-exploration-science-teacher-institute.html

Congratulations Gabe!

Start the Year by Making a Connection for Literacy

2012-01-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

The new year’s begun, but before we get too far: One additional thought about the power of making connections.

2011 marked the first full year of We Give Books, the digital literacy initiative presented by Penguin Books and the Pearson Foundation. At current count, we’re closing in on 600,000 books shared as a result of this campaign. In the process we’ve helping a growing number of great non-profit organizations deliver books to young people they serve in communities around the world.

We’ve set as one of the Foundation’s many new year’s resolutions to make sure we deliver our one-millionth book sometime in 2012. To do so, we’ll be doing more than ever before to showcase the great work of exemplary non-profits served by We Give Books—organizations including Room to Read, Volunteer USA, Books for Asia, and the Harlem Children’s Zone. We’ll also be doing more to share We Give Books’ ever-growing library of free digital titles with schools and community organizations who might wish to make use of it.

Very likely at the center of the forthcoming We Give Books milestone will be another: We’re already making plans to set another world record this fall in conjunction with our 7^th annual Jumpstart Read for the Record campaign. You might remember that on October 6, 2011 more than 2,184,155 people read Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama Red Pajama in a show of support for early childhood education. We’re hoping to best that number this fall, and to showcase Jumpstart and Read for the Record even more within our broader We Give Books program.

Together, we intend that both these programs will add up to a lot of reading. More importantly for us they add up to increased awareness about the essential role that reading has in developing successful lives for young people everywhere.

If you haven’t had the chance to check out We Give Books just yet, may I suggest it’s a great way to start the new year?

If you like it, please spread the word. We think it’s a great, easy way to get involved in an essential cause. Your efforts will help share books with great literacy organizations, and will get your ready for a brand-new record-breaking celebration this fall.

Best wishes for a great new year.

Once More: Thanks for some amazing moments

2012-01-01T07:31:00.000-08:00

As I suggested yesterday, many of the Pearson Foundation’s best moments in 2011 came about when we were fortunate enough to help deliver the work of an individual or organization with others who otherwise might not have benefited from this connection.

This happens all the time, in a lot of small but important ways. Some of the bigger connections this year all had to do with identifying, exploring, and sharing best practices—of broad, national educational systems, and of individual, innovative educators working to develop smart approaches inside and outside the classroom.

Three quick examples worth celebrating before we begin again this year:

Exploring Best Practices with OECD. When the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results were released last December, the Pearson Foundation and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a series of videos documenting the most effective education reform strategies from around the world. The series, “Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education” examines the innovative partnerships that led to improved student learning and, ultimately, more access to high-quality education in several of the PISA top-performers. The existing collection includes in-depth looks at the relationships among officials, educators and students in such places as diverse as China, Canada, Poland, Germany, Brazil and Finland.

One of the year’s finest moments: seeing for the first time the way in which OECD’s Andreas Schleicher expertly integrated components of these longer films as proof-points with his thoughtful and provocative presentation of OECD’s findings. (There are more profiles on the way—look for news of them early in the new year.)

This year’s Pearson Foundation/CCSSO International Conference on Education, which for the fourth consecutive year brought together an international delegation of education leaders to explore innovative approaches to a single, shared issue. In many ways, the gathering is a regional analogue to the international analysis underway with OECD, providing participants the opportunity to explore first-hand emerging methods, best practices, and policies—all with an eye to the ways in which they may apply to their own local contexts. (An overview of past conferences is available here.)

In the process, another of the year’s finest moments: Watching Fernando Reimers—the Ford Foundation Professor of International Education and Director of Global Education and of International Education Policy at Harvard—who gave one of the opening presentations at this year’s event in Rio de Janeiro. He expertly connected Brazil’s complex social and educational systems to those in the United States, making use of the Brazil film we completed together with OECD to help bring these distinctions to life.

Working together with the MacArthur Foundation on a variety of initiatives, including the funding of Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century. The film—which appeared first on PBS stations nationwide early in the year—shares with parents, teachers and education leaders the ways in which exceptional educators are using digital media and innovative practices to ignite their students' curiosity and ingenuity, encourage them become civically engaged, allow them to collaborate with peers worldwide, and empower them to direct their own learning.
Two great moments: The first, watching the film with my kids at home on TV, right on PBS, and then talking through their suggestions for ways their own classrooms could be energized by some of the approaches they’d seen. Another: Using the film as a centerpiece for town-hall meetings the Pearson Foundation hosted together with the MacArthur Foundation to help bring these ideas to local communities. (In Chicago, we were joined by both Mayor Rahm Emanuel and by the Department of Education’s Karen Cator. That was a great evening.)

In every instance, proven practices were shared and new ideas were developed. We’re very much looking forward to building on all this work in the new year.

A Personal Note: Thank you from Pearson Foundation President & CEO Mark Nieker

2011-12-31T20:00:00.001-08:00

As the year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has had a hand in the Pearson Foundation’s great success this past year—and in so doing thank you too for helping the great educators, students, non-profit organizations we do our best each day to support.

This year began with one of the greatest honors we could ever imagine—news that we had been singled out as the 2011 recipient of the NEA Foundation Award for Philanthropy in Public Education. It was a wonderful moment to be celebrated all at once by many of the nation’s finest education leaders at the NEA Gala in February. In my brief remarks at the time I tried to suggest that I felt the Pearson Foundation was being recognized for something important, and something any organization would do if it were fortunate enough to have the opportunity: for identifying and connecting the best individuals and organizations devoted to learning and in so doing for expanding the scale and impact of their work.

As I look back on the past year, I’m pleased to see that we succeeded in doing just that in many instances, and I’m grateful that in the process we came to know and to work with innovative individuals and organizations making important, often essential, contributions. These connections have made us better as well.

With the new year, I aim to be writing more, to draw attention to some of these inspiring leaders, and—in so doing—to underscore their contributions and the consequences of their commitment.

In the meantime, I thought I might celebrate some of the most significant moments for the Pearson Foundation in 2011.

I’ll get to that tomorrow, but I wanted to start the new year right and to thank you again for being a part of all we do year-round.

Best wishes to you and yours for a great 2012.

Digital Learning Day

2011-12-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

We're pleased to announce our participation in the first-ever Digital Learning Day campaign. This national campaign is designed to celebrate innovative teaching and highlight practices that make learning more personalized and engaging for students, exploring how digital learning can provide all students with the opportunities they deserve—to build the skills needed to succeed in college, a career, and life. Through this work and by hosting a Digital Learning Day on February 1, 2012, we're hoping to help build momentum for a wave of innovation that changes policies, shifts attitudes, and supports wide-scale adoption of these promising instructional practices.

Learn more here.

Meet Another of the Pearson Prize National Fellows

2011-12-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

Meet the Pearson Prize National Fellows

Maria, what cause(s) are you passionate about, and why?

I believe that adolescence is a critical life stage during which one determines a trajectory for the rest of one’s life, and I am passionate about giving young people the support and the tools that they need to succeed. In the world we live in, high school graduation is a very crucial step toward leading a successful and productive life.

But the reality is that we are not all given an equal chance at this. For example, if a student is homeless, unsure where she will spend the night or what and when she will eat next, it will be difficult for her to focus on academics. If a student is forced to find money for rent, he will face a tough choice between dropping out of school in order to work and finding other ways to survive while attempting to finish high school without a place to call home. It is no wonder that the drop-out rate for high school students who experience homelessness is about 75% according to the DOE.

How have you acted on that passion?

I work at a non-profit called Rediscovery, where in pursuit of my passion I helped to develop an innovative school-based homelessness prevention/intervention program called YouthHarbors. As the Program Manager of YouthHarbors, I work with high school students who are unaccompanied (not in the care of an adult) and facing homelessness. We work to house and stabilize youth in their own communities, thus preventing further disruptions to their education and slashing drop-out rates. We help students to find permanent, safe, and affordable housing, connect them with supportive host families, and can provide as much as 100% rental subsidy to students while they search for a job.

What is the most rewarding experience you've had in your work?

The work that I do is often the difference between a young person sleeping on a bed and sleeping on a bench, the difference between being able to take a hot shower and walking the streets in the rain, the difference between being a graduate and being a drop-out.

Can you guess what our YouthHarbors’ drop-out rate is? The first year we ran the program, 96% of students graduated or remained on track to graduate. In the second year, 100% of students graduated or remained on track to graduate. Not a single drop-out. It is incredibly rewarding to be a part of what I believe to be the most effective drop-out prevention model for this population.

But what is even more rewarding is watching the students that I’ve worked with walk across that stage, shake the principal’s hand, and receive a diploma. Finishing high school is no small feat – but for a student who just months ago had been sleeping on a friend’s porch and carrying all her belongings in a trash bag, such an accomplishment is truly remarkable. This past June, I had the privilege of watching16 YouthHarbors students walk across the stage.

The work that I do is so meaningful and so intrinsically rewarding that sometimes I cannot believe I also get paid to do it! But don’t tell my boss that.

Books for Asia

2011-11-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Books for Asia’s Indonesia program recently published a story on The Asia Foundation’s blog, In Asia, and an online photo slideshow last week about community learning centers in Jakarta serving at-risk youths in low-income communities. These children either cannot afford to attend Indonesia’s public schools or work on the streets to support their families, and the centers provide them an alternative pathway to receiving an education. Learn more about Pearson's involvement and read the story here: http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2011/10/26/deep-in-jakartas-slums-community-learning-centers-thrive/

Meet Pearson Prize Fellows' Karim Abouelnaga

2011-10-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

Karim, what cause(s) are you passionate about and why? And how have you acted on that passion?

Raised in a household by two very entrepreneurial immigrant parents, the values of hard work and perseverance were instilled in me at a very young age. The goal was that one day my older brother and I would take over the family business, and at times it came at the expense of our education. Unfortunately, when my father passed away and we were forced to close the family business, I quickly realized that I didn’t have anything but education to rely on. Because of the good grades I was able to receive, I became a target for nonprofits who aimed to find high-achieving students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and provide them with resources and mentorship to help them realize their full potential.

As a child of nonprofits who has been given countless opportunities through education, I understand the importance of mentorship and the value that an education can provide to someone. Thus, I brought together a group of friends to found and operate Practice Makes Perfect (PMP), Inc. PMP was conceived on the premise that all children – regardless of race or socioeconomic status – have equal potential to compete intellectually in our society. PMP pairs under-achieving fourth graders with high-achieving ninth graders, under the supervision of undergraduate interns, for an intensive seven-week academic enrichment program that provides students with resources and mentorship that are beyond the reach of their inner-city classrooms.

This past summer, PMP operated a successful pilot program in Long Island City, Queens, and had a profound impact on the lives of roughly 55 people. As an outcome of the incredible results, PMP is looking to expand to impact over 200 students next summer. Besides the personal contributions made by the family and friends who donated, we recently applied for a $50K Pepsi Refresh Grant and hope to be in the November voting cycle for the chance to secure some much-needed funding. For more information on PMP, please visit www.pmpnyc.org. For opportunities to get involved, please check out more on our National Leadership Council through our website.

Upon graduation, I hope to pursue a graduate degree in policy and one day have the opportunity to craft legislation that will help disadvantaged children succeed in the classroom and society.

I would like to give a special thank-you to my fellow Board members (Amy Mitchell, Andre Perez, Nicolas Savvides, and Brennan Spreitzer); our Advisory Board (Linda Gadsby, Robert Reffkin, Eddie Rodriguez, and Laura Smith); and our National Leadership Council (Edwin Huerta, Dipabali Chowdhury, Dana Covo, Tyler Shine, Zach West, Gabriel Kennedy, and Brandon Taylor); and an extra-special thanks to our donors and supporters, without whom PMP would not be possible.

See some of the wonderful work in action below:

Meet the Pearson Prize National Fellows

2011-10-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

The Pearson Prize is a student leadership award that recognizes and provides support to exemplary students who are distinguishing themselves by leading public service efforts in their local communities. This post is part of a series of blog entries highlighting Pearson Prize National Fellows . Recently, we asked Greg Woodburn, a Pearson Prize National Fellow for 2010, what issues or initiatives he is passionate about and the most rewarding experience he’s had in his work.

Greg, what cause(s) are you passionate about and why?

I am passionate about providing opportunities for youth to discover their passions, live them fully, and in turn share those passions with others. At the heart of this is the idea that we cannot ensure everyone will get to the same finish line, but we can – and should – give everyone the chance to chase after their dreams from an equal starting line of trust and encouragement.

I care about these causes because I believe in transforming adversity into opportunity.

Understand, my journey in social entrepreneurship did not begin with a business plan, but rather when nothing went according to plan. I have been a competitive distance runner since elementary school, even competing in several national championship meets for cross country and track. As a high school freshman, however, I suffered a hip stress fracture and was sidelined for my sophomore year as well.

Devastated by my injuries then, today I consider them true blessings. They made me realize how deeply I love running and all it has given me: improved health, self-esteem, new friendships. During my long road to recovery I empathized with underprivileged kids who couldn't enjoy running and its rewarding journey – not because of injury, but because they could not afford running shoes.

I have endeavored to help others live out their passions – and improve education and health, which are likewise essential to empowering others – through my 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Give Running.

Give Running uses running to instill in disadvantaged youth the character traits and skills that serve as a foundation for success in the classroom, community, and life.

Among other endeavors, we promote a love for running – as well as the many benefits and opportunities running fosters – by collecting, cleaning, and then distributing new and used running and athletic shoes (more than 11,700 to date) to disadvantaged youth in Third World nations and local inner-city communities.

Give Running is also expanding to hold youth “Pyramid Running Camps” that include leadership development and community service components emphasizing the broader application of lessons and skills learned through sports. Thus, in addition to teaching kids about well-balanced training, nutrition, and injury prevention, we will also work on public speaking, teamwork, problem-solving, and setting life goals. Indeed, the name “Pyramid Running” underscores the fact that Coach John Wooden's Pyramid of Success and other teachings will be at the heart of these camps; and that the camps are about using the character traits running fosters to create a foundation from which to build upward towards success in all aspects of life.

This Winter Break I will be returning to West Africa – this time Ghana – to lead Give Running's inaugural International Pyramid Running Camp.

Giving has brought me great joy in hearing from orphanages in Africa that the lives of many kids have been redirected from violence and drugs towards education and family, not merely because shoes are often part of the required dress code to attend school, but also simply by reminding youth, through a pair of gift shoes, that they are loved. Giving has enriched me with deeper perspective in realizing my hip injury was not calamitous but actually wondrous.

The more I have grown with Give Running and addressed these causes, the more I have realized we all have the potential to make a difference; little acts truly add up, just as a marathon is run one step at a time. This in turn has instilled in me even greater passion for helping others – for providing people with a worthy avenue through which to give back and run forward.

What is the most rewarding experience you've had in your work?

Traveling to Mali in West Africa was certainly a humbling and life-changing experience – to learn about my experiences there with Give Running, please read my article in Business Today Magazine.

I would like to share with you another story that, in a different sense, hits closer to home.

There are two brothers in Southern California. They have a single pair of shoes between the two of them that are too small for the older brother and too big for the younger brother.

But it's the best they have, so they make do.

What is more, the shoes are falling apart to the point that duct tape is holding them together.

Still, it's the best they have, so they make do.

And part of this “making do” is that the brothers alternate days going to school. They switch off days wearing the worn-through shoes so they can attend school.

Thanks to Give Running, each brother now has his own pair of shoes that fits him so they can both attend school every day with the comfort and confidence they deserve.

Indeed, I have never been more proud of Give Running than in an act of helping those in need – but this act encompasses far more than the moment when we give shoes to brothers. This act is the donation of the shoes by two of our community's anonymous everyday heroes. Who knows, perhaps the two people who donated the shoes were brothers or sisters themselves.

In a larger sense, there is no single moment that is most rewarding, because each part of the process depends on the commitment, effort, and enthusiasm for the other components of Give Running.

For instance, people often assume cleaning the shoes is a gross chore, but I often look forward to it and greatly enjoy it. As I handle each pair, I try to think about the person who will receive this pair of shoes and the smile it will evoke; I also reflect on the person who generously took the time to donate shoes to benefit someone they will never know.

While the giver and receiver of each pair of shoes may not meet face-to-face, through the shoes they nevertheless meet “foot-to-foot.” It is moments like this, when I am reminded of the souls touched by the soles – whether that be in learning about new aspects of Give Running's impact or washing a pair of shoes in the sink – that still give me goose bumps.

I also want to briefly share the story of an anthropologist who chose a most unlikely form of field study. Rather than conducting a project, say, on gorillas in Tanzania, he spent a year with kindergarteners in the sandbox.

Among countless life lessons, the big take-away he discovered was that the kind of learning we don't lose takes place in creative play.

When we creatively play, not only do we hold on to what we learn, but we cannot hold it in! We have to share it with others, and live it through our lives! That is why using running to teach disadvantaged youth about the foundations of a successful life is so powerful.

And that is why, in closing, I want to ask you to play creatively. Run. Paint. Play the violin. Whatever your passion is, live it. Live it to the point where you cannot hold it in. And then overflow.

Meet the Pearson Prize National Fellows

2011-09-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Timi , what issues and initiatives are you passionate about and how have you acted on your passion?

I am passionate about promoting early childhood literacy by empowering college students with the ability to ensure that every child in future generations enters school prepared to succeed.
In January 2011, I founded Book Buddies at the Evanston Public Library. My goal was to bring individual reading opportunities to school-age children in the Evanston (Illinois) area while engaging students from Northwestern University with the enjoyment of sharing the gift of literacy. Having worked with a similar program back at home prior to college, I worked with the children's librarian here to develop a successful program that would fill the gaps between already-existing children's programs. I also partnered with the Northwestern Jumpstart program, through which I was a Corps Member. After advertising both in the library and in nearby elementary schools, our first session proved to be very successful. The library staff, parents, volunteers and, most importantly, the children welcomed Book Buddies into their Friday afternoons with open arms.

Every session begins with a couple of lively songs and a story led by the children's librarian. We then pair the children with their Book Buddies for about half an hour of one-on-one reading and attention. Pairing the children up presents them with the opportunity to receive their volunteer's undivided attention, a rare phenomenon in the working parent world. All volunteers are enthusiastic Northwestern students, who are trained on effectively engaging children while reading, suggesting level-appropriate books, giving children the appropriate level of decision-making and providing positive reinforcement in performing tasks.

The session concludes with a quick recap of books that everyone read, a discussion about the weekly theme and a fun craft related to the theme. In the six months that Book Buddies has operated, I have received numerous thank-yous and questions about when we will be starting up again in the fall; this comes not only from parents and children, but from the volunteers as well. It really makes my day to see college students reading with young children and teaching them how to color within the lines or how to hold scissors correctly.

Many students go through their undergraduate years slaving away over textbooks and never seeing the light of day. In addition to enriching the lives of the children who return every week, I hope that the volunteers who join us also gain a sense of comfort in working with younger children, so that one day their own children will be fortunate enough to have the best Book Buddy of their own.

I am continuing my work with Jumpstart this year as a Team Leader. Although this requires that I pass on my Book Buddies leadership to a new crew, I will still serve as a supporting member to help the program reach its full potential. Additionally, attending the Pearson Student Leadership Summit inspired me to help Book Buddies grow to serve an even larger population beyond Evanston. I will be tackling this feat in the upcoming months and am excited to see the results!

Help Timi and Jumpstart work towards the day when every child enters school prepared to learn. Join us in reading Llama Llama Red Pajama on October 6th for Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign: www.wegivebooks.org/readfortherecord

Pearson Foundation Announces GO GREEN! Challenge

2011-09-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

Today we launched the New Jersey GO GREEN! Challenge, a video public service announcement (PSA) competition for students designed to raise awareness among young people, educators, and policymakers about the importance of clean, renewable energy sources.

The New Jersey GO Green! Challenge is open to all Garden State residents between the ages of 13 and 18. To enter, students must produce a 30-60 second video PSA that explains the need for renewable, carbon-free energy that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat.

The Grand Prize winner will receive will receive an Apple iPad and an invitation to join New Jersey public officials and Pearson executives at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the solar panels at Pearson’s Cranbury facility, one of the largest installations of its kind in the U.S. Two runner-ups will also be chosen. The best PSA entries will be featured online at www.pearsonfoundation.org.

“More than ever, young people are using media and technology to make their voices heard,” said Pearson Foundation President and CEO Mark Nieker. “The New Jersey GO GREEN! Challenge is a great way to engage students around the challenges and opportunities of clean energy. We look forward to seeing what the Garden State’s young people produce.”

The deadline to enter the NJ GO GREEN! Challenge is October 28, 2011. To view sample PSAs, visit http://www.njgreenchallenge.org/psas/. For rules and more information about the GO GREEN! Challenge, visit www.njgreenchallenge.org.