Having trouble thinking of a great holiday gift for your family and friends? Can’t think of something to ask for from your family?

We might just have the answer. The Emily K Center is launching a “Dream-Do-Achieve Gift Club” for November and December. Basically, any donations received (of any amount) will be recognized with a special winter Thank You Card that you can present to a loved one. At higher giving levels you will receive personalized Coach K signed photos, basketball, and Team USA Jerseys. Check out all the details on-line here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

AMY CUMMINGS, Associate Director for Educational Programming

The majority of students in the Pioneer Scholars and Scholars to College programs will be the first generation in their families to attend college.  Parents expressed an interest in learning more about the college process in a survey conducted at our Family Open House in August.  Last Monday we hosted a workshop for parents entitled “It’s Never Too Early to Think About College.”  Throughout the evening, parents peppered four experts with a variety of questions about financial aid, what colleges look for in terms of extra-curricular activities, community service, standardized test scores and high school transcripts, and what students can and should be doing during the summer months to prepare for college and for careers.  The experts had valuable answers and advice and directed families to look at CFNC and the College Board for more information.

One of the most important messages that were delivered to parents included the idea that parents need to make sure that students don’t close options at too early an age.  A student might think she wants to be a chef, but if she exclusively takes courses in high school that prepare her to go to culinary school and then changes her mind, she may not have taken all the prerequisites for other college programs.  Another important point was that encouraging kids to read as much as possible is the greatest thing parents can do at early ages to prepare their students for college.  The panel talked about the importance of being engaged in school work and intellectual interests.  They encouraged parents to get their students involved in extra-curricular and community service, but warned them not to spread their student’s energy and attention too thin.  They also gave parents low-cost ideas for how to involve their students in activities that will allow them to explore interests and careers.

KARMAN KENT, Program Support Manager

The colors are emerging, a cold wind blows as leaves of gold and red swirl in the air and the school bell rings.  Marking the beginning of an extended weekend?  Perhaps… but maybe it’s something much worse… yes, that’s right, it’s report card time.  In actuality, for many students at the Emily Krzyzewski Center this is far from a dreadful time.  To celebrate the strengths of each individual student after this first marking period, and promote accountability in areas of weakness, we emphasize the value of student-parent-Lead Tutor fall conferences.

The conferences consist of a student and Tutor presentation to share information with the parents about the daily experience of the child in the Pioneer Scholars program.  The Lead Tutor discusses the logistics of how tutoring time is structured and reviews the student’s report card.  In addition, the Individual Student Report generated from the Emily K Center staff, Lead Tutors, and Hill Center specialists who work with the students most directly is shared with parents.  The final component of the conferences involve academic and character goal setting to encourage both Lead Tutors and parents to support students taking ownership of their education and becoming more aware of their strengths/weaknesses. 

As the student-parent-Lead Tutor conferences wrap up and the wind gets colder, we look forward our Dream-Do-Achieve Team Celebration.  This event brings together families, Lead Tutors, staff, volunteers, partners, and students to close out the fall semester and anticipate the warmer days and many successes we’re sure our students will find this spring.

LAUREN GARDNER, Chief Operating Officer

After months of hard work and with great pro bono support from MCKINNEY, we have completed our 2008 Annual Report.  It’s a great way for our committed supporters to see the return that their investment of time, energy, and funds is making by changing the lives of our committed K to College Model students.  It’s also a chance for new supporters to learn about who we are and what we do.

You can check out the full Annual Report on-line here.