Category: News

United Way of Central Alabama awarded grant for improving reading in Birmingham schools

·

BIRMINGHAM — United Way of Central Alabama will receive $150,000 to align the community around a plan for improving reading proficiency for Birmingham City Schools elementary students.

Mayor Randall Woodfin, Superintendent Lisa Herring, and UWCA President Drew Langloh will appear together to announce this initiative. UWCA applied for the grant using the strengths of the Bold Goals Coalition of Central Alabama and incorporating key elements from the “The Woodfin Way” transition plan and the priorities that the Birmingham City Schools have identified. This grant commences an intensive six-month effort to streamline and align all stakeholders behind one plan to improve student-centered literacy efforts.

“We know that by aligning all of the community’s resources around an actionable plan that the sky is the limit for children, not only in Birmingham, but throughout Central Alabama,” Langloh said. “The Bold Goals Coalition of Central Alabama convenes partners to make real change happen in Central Alabama, and this grant helps accelerate that change.”

The grant is an award from the Together for Students initiative, created by three national, education-focused nonprofit organizations — the Coalition for Community Schools, Communities In Schools, and StriveTogether — with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Ford Foundation.

Birmingham was one of just ten communities nationwide selected for this grant. Other key local partners in this grant include Birmingham Education Foundation, Norwood Resource Center, and Alabama Possible.

JefCoEd seniors earn more than $62 million in scholarships

·

By Gary Lloyd

Educators in Jefferson County, Alabama, have more than sixty-two million reasons to smile.

The graduating seniors from the Class of 2018 from the fourteen Jefferson County Schools high schools earned a total of $62,257,917.50 in scholarships.

That’s enough money to buy sixty-two Manhattan apartments. Or pay LeBron James’ salary for two NBA seasons. But most importantly, it’s enough to impact dozens of lifetimes for these students.

The Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School accounted for more than $13 million in scholarships. Minor High School’s seniors earned more than $8 million, while McAdory earned more than $6 million. Gardendale High finished with a touch more than $4 million in scholarships. Finishing with more than $3 million in scholarship money each were Center Point, Clay-Chalkville, Fultondale, Pinson Valley, and Shades Valley high schools. Corner, Hueytown, Mortimer Jordan, Oak Grove, and Pleasant Grove high schools all earned more than $2 million each in scholarships.

See the exact numbers here.

A video tribute to these schools and students is posted on the district’s website, and it ends with writer Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

Those words are right on the money.

Two positive stories from Birmingham

· 1 Comment ·

By Gary Lloyd

There are positive stories happening in Birmingham.

Two recently stand out.

A Tarrant High School graduate, Corey Patrick, had been taking a transit bus to school all year, getting up as early as 4:30 a.m. to make the 5:41 a.m. bus. He took the bus to his graduation this month, wearing his cap and gown. Determination. Read about that here.

Radio host Rickey Smiley gave Patrick his own car Friday morning. A graduation party is planned for Patrick on June 23 in Birmingham.

How awesome is that?

In other Birmingham-area uplifting news, a 4-year-old is acting as a superhero by feeding the homeless. His catchphrase? “Don’t forget to show love.” You can read more about Austin Perine and donate to his cause here.

And people think only negative news comes out of Birmingham.

Wrong.