News release from Fort Wayne Community Schools:
Study Connection begins 23rd year
(September 9, 2011) – Study Connection will kick off its 23rd year of helping students with its Annual Celebration and Recognition Breakfast Friday, Sept. 16.
This year’s keynote speaker is Stacey Bess, author of “Nobody Don’t Love Nobody,” a book about Bess’ early teaching career. Her first job was teaching children in kindergarten through sixth grade in a small shed behind a community homeless shelter. The children were homeless and sometimes hopeless, but through teaching and modeling love, self-worth, personal power and courage, Bess reached many of the children who had been labeled unteachable. Her memoir went on to inspire the Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie “Beyond the Blackboard.”
In addition to sharing her story at the Study Connection breakfast on Friday, Bess will meet with education majors at Indiana Tech from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Many of these students will be tutoring Adams Elementary students this year as Indiana Tech becomes a Study Connection site.
Study Connection began in 1989, founded by Don Wolf, retired CEO and president emeritus of Do it Best Corp. In the last two decades an estimated 10,000 students have gone through the program. Volunteers are matched one-to-one with FWCS students who need academic assistance. Students and volunteers meet weekly after school for one hour during the school year with 79 percent of the students bused to and from local businesses for their tutoring sessions. This not only gives students a chance to receive some extra homework help, but also meet a mentor in the community and learn about local career opportunities.
Study Connection has been replicated in other cities across the nation, including Clinton, Iowa, where the Governor recognized it as the 2000 Volunteer Program of the Year. In 2007, Study Connection received the Indiana Youth Institute Award for investing in youth.
The Study Connection breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday at Ceruti’s, 6601 Innovation Blvd. Attendance at the breakfast is by invitation only. Media are invited to cover the event.
To get involved with Study Connection, call 467-8811.
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