For many non-traditional candidates, the path into teaching is riddled with bumps and detours. They must pay for increasingly expensive coursework and certification costs, attend classes that conflict with work schedules, and forgo wages to complete unfunded student teaching requirements. These roadblocks can deter valuable local…

"Collective impact" is a new place-based model of educational and social intervention that aims to shift responsibility for improvement in outcomes from individual organizations to entire systems that affect the lives of people in a particular location. CCRC's "Corridors of College Success Series" provides insights into…

The Summer Research Enhancement Program (SREP) at Diné College provides students with a solid foundation of public health research methods and includes a hands-on internship in their home community to test their newly acquired skills while enhancing the communities' health. Focusing on health issues prioritized by Navajo health leaders, from…

This article describes three service-learning projects implemented in three different ESL programs in the United States. Each description includes typical course goals, service-learning assignments, reflection activities, student learning outcomes, and pedagogical challenges. The first project was developing digital literacy through…

As cities across the country and globe continue to generate new solutions to a wide variety of vexing problems, sharing information about what works and what doesn't has become more important than ever. Yet, outside of a few prominent policies, the vast majority of successful municipal experiments never reach a national audience or, for that…

Making Connections was the Annie E. Casey Foundation's signature place-based, community-change initiative of the 2000s. It sought to build on previous work and launch an effort focused firmly on the framework of family strengthening. The Foundation started Making Connections in 22 places, focusing eventually on first 10, then seven sites. It…

These "Stories From the Field" describe five Wallace-funded programs working to expand learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children, so they can benefit from the types of opportunities their wealthier counterparts have access to, from homework help to swimming classes. The report details each program's approach, successes and…

What happens when teams from 57 cities building afterschool systems gather to discuss two key system responsibilities--improving afterschool programs and using data for informed decision-making? Lots of rich discussion. This report covers a national afterschool conference held in February 2013. It details what mayors, program providers, system…

The Youth Handgun Violence Prevention Project (YHVPP) was conducted in the Denver Metropolitan Area from July 1999 to June 2002. Several factors associated with youth attitudes and behaviors regarding handguns were identified and verified empirically. Interventions were designed to modify these factors and to evaluate their effectiveness in…

This guide contains examples of volunteer projects related to solid waste management. Volunteering provides the opportunity to enjoy new experiences, meet new people, learn new skills, and put ideas and talents to work. The stories included in this guide are: (1) Raucous Revelry and Recycling: Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling…

Model early education programs in Brattleboro, Vermont, and Leadville, Colorado, identify ingredients for success: serve families as well as children, collaborate with social service agencies, secure diverse funding, have universal eligibility, make programs part of the school system, seek parent input, and deal fairly with competitors. (SK)

This article features KURA 98.9 LP-FM, a student-run radio station in a small Colorado town named Ouray. KURA is one of only a few radio stations in the U.S. managed and produced by high school students 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long. Since first hitting the airwaves in 2002, the station has been a public forum for teenagers'…

This report provides a qualitative evaluation of Colorado's 56 Learn and Serve programs. It contains descriptions of 39 K-12 school-based programs and 17 community-based programs funded during the 1997-98 grant cycle. The profiles were written by the program directors, and each profile provides an overview of the program and includes general…

The site visit report describes the Residential Support Program of the Centennial Developmental Services, a community-centered board providing residential services and support to persons (currently 67) with disabilities in Weld County, Colorado. Residential settings include a group home, supported apartments, foster homes, natural family homes, or…

Career education in Colorado is the focus of this article. Colorado's three areas of concentration are described: business-education community council, a K-12 guidance and counseling program, and availability of technical assistance to educators. Future endeavors are also discussed. (CT)