News

We’re excited to announce our Education Circle has chosen three new grant projects! After several months of due diligence by our members under the leadership of Grant Cycle Director Lucy Johns, the July meeting provided an opportunity for members to vote on the new projects*, which include the following:

>The FACES for the Future project will be headed by leads Emily Harpster and Amy Zucchero, with a grant timeline of Summer 2009 to Summer 2010. FACES for the Future is a multifaceted educational program directed at improving health disparities by increasing diversity among health care professionals via hospital internship programs and mentoring for youth from Oakland. The project team will be identifying and piloting an evaluation model for the organization to capture and articulate the impact of their work.

> The Ed Circle will be continuing its work with Niroga, with work led by Project Leads Fred Schnider and Clayton Yee and a grant timeline of Summer 2009 to Summer 2010. This media advocacy project aims to bring more attention to Niroga’s innovative, classroom-based yoga protocol for at-risk youth at urban public high schools. The team will develop a sustainable marketing program leveraging both traditional and social media to expand Niroga’s core audience and grow a base of individual donors.

> And finally, the Systemic Change Project will be led by Natasha Hoehn during the grant timeline of Summer 2009 to Summer 2010. An umbrella project containing five sub-project teams, the Systemic Change Project aims to provide a platform for Full Circle Fund members to examine and engage in key issues in education reform in California. This work will be primarily done by members, independent of a grantee. The five sub-teams include:

1. Developing a policy platform which aims to be influential in major education policy conversations. Lead: Merrill Vargo
2. Participating in planning and coalition-building meetings in support of a California Constitutional Convention integrating in key issues of Full Circle Fund Education policy platform. Lead: Brooke Briggance
3. Briefing candidates in the 2010 California Gubernatorial Race on Full Circle Fund’s Education Policy Platform or through a Full Circle Fund-led coalition. Lead: Jared Hyatt
4. Building momentum for Equitable Local Funding conversation in major education policy conversations via publications, press activity, and, eventually, legislation or ballot initiatives. Lead: Natasha Hoehn
5. Continuing to work with districts adopting new Alternative Teacher Compensation frameworks. Lead: Stephen Dodson

If you are interested in working on these projects, contact Caroline Thompson by email to talk about becoming a member and joining one of the Education Circle’s new grant project teams.

*All grant projects are subject to official board approval.

Posted in Emily Harpster, Clayton Yee, Lucy Johns, Amy Zucchero, Merrill Vargo, Brooke Briggance, Jared Hyatt, Natasha Hoehn, Systemic Change, Niroga, education, Fred Schnider, Stephen Dodson, FACES for the Future, California Constitutional Convention, grantees