Sunday, May 18, 2008

Berwyn CARES Scholarship Fund

As many of you HOPEFULLY know, we will be raising money for college scholarships for Morton West High School Seniors headed to college at our 2nd annual "Rock the Vote" concert. Please reserve your tickets by e-mailing berwyncares@yahoo.com today! You will pay at the door.

If you cannot attend, but still would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, please consider making a donation in any amount to BerwynCARES via paypal at berwyncares.org or by sending it snail mail to: BerwynCARES P.O. Box 397, Berwyn, IL 60402. Any donations made between now and May 30th will go directly for scholarships. Any person or individual who donates $500 or more will have a scholarship named in their honor (The Joe Shmoe BerwynCARES scholarship). Pretty cool.

We have 13 scholarship applications. Our event will likely only fund 2 or 3, so it would be great to be able to fund more through private donations. Here are some examples of the scholarship applications we have received:

This kid is #2 in his class and wants to get a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also works as a volunteer janitor at his church.
"After I have completed my education, I plan to work as an engineer to develop alternative forms of fuel, with the goal of helping rid the United States of its dependency on foreign oil."

This girl ranks # 12 in her class and wants to study Biochemistry. She's first generation American.
"As a Greek immigrant, my father came to this country to give his children opportunities never possible to him. Evan after making such a low income, he still strives to provide his children with higher education."

This guy's #1 in his class and wants to study Economics. He volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and feeding the homeless in Chicago.
"After finishing my undergraduate studies, I plan to make my mark in the business world. Hopefully I will find a situation that will combine innovation with practicality and profits, while still being able to help others."

This kid ranks #13 in her class and wants to study music.
"I am deeply interested in classical music and have spent many hours studying independently. I hope to study music history while in college."

These are only a few examples of the deserving and impressive students who applied for our scholarships. Our event alone will only allow us to fund 2 or 3 of our applications. Wouldn't it be great to be able to fund more through private donations? Please consider contributing today!

Thanks!

Monday, May 12, 2008

Meet your State Senator: Kimberly Lightford

In an effort to promote our "Rock the Vote" fundraiser, BerwynCARES will be providing profiles of state representatives and information on their impact on education in Berwyn.

Kimberly Lightford represents the 4th District which includes parts of Berwyn, Maywood, Oak Park and the city of Chicago. Did you know...

*She sponsored the Preschool for All Bill that increased spending for early childhood programs allowing more 3 and 4 year olds to attend quality preschools?

*Senator Lightford is the Chair of the Education Committee?

*Senator Lightford Voted Yes on the following bills: Public School Transfat Ban, Silent Reflection and Student Prayer, Gaming Expansion to fund Infrastructure and Social Programs, Funding for Schools, Universities, and Roads, and Bond Authorization?

*Kimberly Lightford has represented the 4th district since 1998?

Senator Lightford's contact information can be found at the Illinois General Assembly website.

Monday, May 5, 2008

CARES Recommends Continued Search for District 100 Superintendent

Dear District 100 Board of Directors,

Berwyn Citizens Aligned to Renew Education for Students (Berwyn CARES) is writing this letter to express concern about the two final candidates for Superintendent of South Berwyn District 100.

At a focus group conducted by the board a few months ago, hosted by the Illinois Association of School Boards, the community clearly articulated that the new superintendent possess the following qualifications:

• Superintendent experience at the elementary school level, with a proven track record for success at the elementary school level

• A proven track record of engaging and energizing the Latino community

• A proven track record of addressing the achievement gap between non-minority and minority students, and middle class and low income students

• A resume beyond reproach, that will exhibit a pattern of stability and logical career moves, in consideration of the recent short tenures of District 100 superintendents


We believe the board did the right thing in soliciting the input from the community via focus groups regarding the qualifications of an ideal candidate. However, we are concerned that neither of the final two candidates meet the criteria identified in the focus groups. We believe that the two candidates possess few – if any – of these qualifications.

One candidate does not appear to have experience at the elementary school level, and has exhibited a series of job moves that raise questions - with recent short-lived assignments and resignations in nearby school districts.

The second candidate’s background indicates little or no experience with the Latino community (present district is less than 1% Latino), and despite working with smaller class sizes and less minority and low income students, that district’s academic performance has not fared much better than ours.

Accordingly, it is the opinion of this organization's board, and it is our recommendation to the District 100 board, that the search continue, and that an interim superintendent be appointed until a qualified candidate can be found. However, we do recognize that it is ultimately the responsibility of the District 100School Board to choose the Superintendent. BerwynCARES is committed to working with whomever the Board chooses as Superintendent to eliminate the achievement gap in Berwyn and offer a world-class education for ALL students.

Sincerely,

Berwyn Citizens Aligned to Renew Education for Students
Shelley Titzer - President

Friday, May 2, 2008

Reserve your "Rock the Vote" tickets today!


Don't forget to reserve your tickets ASAP for the Rock the Vote concert! E-mail berwyncares@yahoo.com to reserve tickets. Pay at the door.