WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that eight Iowa AmeriCorps programs have been awarded a total of $2,107,284 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  A longtime champion of AmeriCorps, Harkin helped secure these funds as Chairman of the appropriations panel that oversees CNCS.  

"AmeriCorps volunteers provide vital services that help strengthen Iowa communities," said Harkin.  "In everything from mentoring kids after school to teaching healthy eating to protecting our natural resources, AmeriCorps is making a difference.  Despite the tough budget climate in Washington, I have fought - and will continue to fight - to support the AmeriCorps program."

AmeriCorps, which is administered by CNCS, engages 80,000 people each year in intensive, results-driven service through more than 14,000 organizations across the country.  Since 1994, more than 775,000 Americans have provided more than 1 billion hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps.  Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 3.4 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth.  Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.

Details of the Iowa funding are as follows:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley, BBBS AmeriCorps Consortium for Eastern Iowa - $130,000
This funding will help to support 14 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will recruit and support volunteers to mentor disadvantaged youth at risk to leave school without a diploma.  The mentoring will result in improved academic achievement among these youth.  The program will serve students in Eastern Iowa.

Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa Inc., AmeriCorps Education Enhancement Project - $216,468
This funding will help to support 25 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide after school homework help, healthy choices programming and case management support in the education priority area to increase positive attendance patterns in schools.  The program will serve students age 5 - 18 in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Council Bluffs, Carter Lake, Sioux City, Adair, and Davenport, Iowa.

City of Dubuque, Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program - $210,587
This funding will help to support 48 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide in-school, before school and after-school academic mentoring and summer learning opportunities to improve math and reading proficiency in the city of Dubuque, Iowa.

Community Corrections Improvement Association, Each One Reach One AmeriCorps Project - $460,435
This funding will help to support 49 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will leverage volunteers to mentor youth and adult offenders resulting in fewer youth entering the criminal justice system and increased life skills of ex-offenders.  The program will also target families in the child welfare system for abuse and neglect in Linn, Johnson and Tama counties of Iowa.

Graceland University, AmeriCorps Youth Launch - $175,146
This funding will help to support 25 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will leverage  additional volunteers to strengthen academic engagement through mentoring service learning cultural/enrichment opportunity programs and building 'developmental assets' as indicators of academic achievement in rural south central Iowa.

Habitat for Humanity of Iowa, Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Iowa AmeriCorps - $274,576
This funding will help to support 31 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will recruit and support volunteers to build low-income housing units to eliminate substandard, unaffordable housing in the state of Iowa.  The program will serve low-income families in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Quad Cities, Des Moines, Knoxville, Mason City, Marshalltown, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Webster/Humboldt, and Greene/Boone counties of Iowa.

Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources, Keepers of the Land AmeriCorps - $506,727
This funding will help to support 87 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide wildlife habitat restoration and trail improvement to reduce water quality decline in the Environmental Stewardship priority area.  The program will serve all residents, particularly in rural communities, throughout the state of Iowa.

United Way of East Central Iowa, Youth Achievement Corps AmeriCorps Program - $133,345
This funding will help to support 11 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide early literacy activities and tutoring in out of school time programs to children and parents, and provide outreach services for children and families with disabilities. Members will serve in Eastern Iowa and the program will address the CNCS focus area of education.

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ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/30/2012)(readMedia)-- Augustana's 152nd commencement took place at the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill., on Sunday, May 20. In all, 558 undergraduates earned their degrees.

Students from your area earning degrees and graduating with honors include :

Erica Aten, from Coal Valley, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.

Courtney Brown, from Port Byron, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology.

Owen Engstrom, from Davenport, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.

Tyler Henning, from Rock Island, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science and business administration-management information stystems.

Gaetano Iaccarino, from Davenport, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music general and anthropology.

Nathaniel McDowell, from Rock Island, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, philosophy, and classics.

Lauren Reid, from Sherrard, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration-marketing and communication studies.

Amber Soike, from East Moline, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and psychology.

Peter Wessels, from Bettendorf, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration-finance and accounting.

Jennifer Youngs, from Taylor Ridge, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and political science.

Students from your area receiving degrees include :

Amanda Eslinger of Coal Valley, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in art.

Timothy Gillman of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in geography.

Karla Guadarrama of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in business administration-marketing.

Randi Johnson of Silvis, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in communication sciences and disorders.

Megan Keller of Taylor Ridge, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in communication studies.

Momina Khan of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in religion and pre-medicine.

Adam Lang of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in business administration-management.

Anthony Linden of Orion, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in accounting and business administration-finance.

Conner Martinez of East Moline, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in accounting.

Melissa Mc Greer of Illinois City, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in biology.

Timothy Murga of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in biology.

Michelle Nguyen of East Moline, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in business administration-management and psychology.

Nicholas Nolte of Rock Island, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in music general.

Samantha Ott of Milan, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in sociology-social welfare.

Troy Rorer of Bettendorf, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in business administration-finance.

Lisa Schippers of East Moline, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in communication sciences and disorders.

Blythe Sharp of Milan, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English.

Dain Swetalla of Davenport, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in communication studies.

Bo Weber of Illinois City, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in physics.

Alexander Wenskunas of Davenport, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in political science.

Laurel Williams of Milan, received a Bachelor's of Arts degree in communication sciences and disorders.

Augustana President Steve Bahls told the graduating Class of 2012 he hopes they will use their liberal arts education to tackle problems from all angles, and the commencement speaker, Broadway's SPIDER-MAN: Turn off the Dark director Philip William McKinley '73, urged them to use their talents and to take risks.

Mr. McKinley urged the grads to not treat their dreams like mom's fine China or save them up for a special vacation, he suggested students "try them out and test them as often as they can."

Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers nearly 90 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 182 full-time faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

Lt. Governor visits Shady Oaks wind farm as it prepares to go on line

 

COMPTON - May 30, 2012. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon visited the Shady Oaks wind farm today just as the turbines are scheduled to come on line and provide power to the state's residents and businesses. She used the visit to voice support for Governor Quinn's plan to rescue the state's pension and Medicaid systems, which would help provide employers with the certainty they need to invest in Illinois and create jobs.

 

The 109.5 megawatt wind farm development in Lee County will sell power to Commonwealth Edison Co. beginning June 1 and provide enough energy to provide electricity for an estimated 25,000 homes. Under the Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard established by lawmakers in 2007, Com Ed and Ameren Illinois must purchase at least 25 percent of Illinois energy from renewable sources by 2025. Three quarters the renewable energy is to come from wind power.

 

"Bringing this wind farm on line will bring Illinois closer to its sustainability goals, and contribute to our state's economic recovery," Simon said before climbing one of only three 2.5 megawatt wind turbines in the country. "If we want wind energy production and manufacturing to continue to grow in Illinois, we must give investors and employers the certainty and stability they need to build and hire here."

 

The Shady Oaks wind farm is a result of an agreement that Governor Quinn announced during his trade trip to China last fall. Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co., LTD (Goldwind), is one of the largest wind turbine manufacturers in the world and began construction of the $200 million wind farm last year. The project supported 200 on-site construction jobs and 300 U.S. jobs overall, with 10 permanent operation and maintenance jobs anticipated.

 

"Were it not for the commitment to wind energy by Governor Quinn and Lt. Governor Simon, the Shady Oaks project would not have been possible," said Goldwind's CEO, Tim Rosenzweig. "Thanks to this project, 25,000 Illinois residents will benefit from clean energy while over 300 U.S. families benefitted from the economic impact of the construction of Shady Oaks. We are delighted to have been a part of it."

 

Governor Quinn and the General Assembly are working to pass legislation that will fundamentally restructure the Medicaid system and stabilize the pension system to prevent rising costs are predicted to eat into other budget expenses. Lawmakers approved a package of Medicaid cuts and a $1 a pack cigarette tax in recent days to achieve $2.7 billion in health care savings. Public pension reform negotiations are ongoing.

 

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This curriculum is for teachers, counselors and administrators grades 6-12 and identifies, in detail, the 20 motivations that lead to harassment, intimidation and bullying and goes far beyond traditional strategies.

 

Park Ridge, NJ - May 30, 2012- Chase Wilson Education is pleased to announce the release of a new comprehensive Anti-Bullying Curriculum The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined for teachers, counselors and administrators. The curriculum was developed and written by Andrew Yeager, a NJ School Psychologist and Student Assistance Coordinator, who lectures extensively and conducts trainings on bullying and adolescent issues throughout the country.

 

Based on academic research and clinical experience, this extensive curriculum enables teachers in a variety of disciplines to educate students on the nature and risks of HIB and enables school counselors to assess, intervene, monitor and reduce HIB incidents.

The curriculum, designed for students in grades 6-12, is comprised of three distinct sections:

 

Part One: "The Building Blocks of Bullying" - We redefine bullying - dispelling common myths and exposing the underlying roots of bullying behavior. The curriculum provides a detailed description and analysis of the 20 "Building Blocks" that lead to harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB). This information allows educators and students to understand and interpret the true motivations behind bullying like never before.

 

Part Two: "Core Lessons, Classroom Infusion Lessons, & Film Analysis" - Using the "Building Blocks" as a foundation; this highly detailed section provides teachers with a wide variety of lessons to use in the classroom.

• Core Lessons: An introduction and detailed description of the "The Building Blocks," including a Building Blocks Checklist and Behavioral Assessment Worksheet, to be used in conjunction with multiple Case Studies for student analysis.
• Classroom Infusion: A variety of lessons that subtly "infuse" anti-HIB education within a variety of subject areas. Lessons are provided for English Language Arts, Math, Science, History, Physical Education and Health, World Languages, Music, Visual Arts, and accommodations for Special Education.
• Film Analysis: Using the highly effective anti-bullying film Sticks & Stones, students address specific issues such as cyberbullying, homophobia, hate speech and peer pressure.

Part Three: "Counseling the HIB-Involved Student" - This section provides detailed therapeutic strategies for counseling HIB-involved students and includes assessment forms and guidelines for creating effective treatment plans and documenting student progress.

 

This curriculum is available for purchase at http://cweducation.com/BuildingBlocksofHIB.html for $799.99 and includes:

• A comprehensive curriculum aligned to Core Curriculum Content Standards.
• Detailed Infusion Lessons provided for 9 school subjects.
• A FREE copy of Sticks & Stones with an updated Teacher's Guide.
• Printable handouts, lessons, and treatment plans for enhanced in-school use.
• Relatable HIB Case Studies inspired by real-life situations.
• A comprehensive section on assessment and counseling HIB-involved youth. User-friendly assessment and progress forms that clearly demonstrate and document remedial measures and student progress.

Educator Expertise: Andrew Yeager has over 30 years of experience as a counselor working with adolescents, and has written a variety of curricula on cyber-bullying, Internet safety, and DWI prevention. He is a certified school psychologist and presently works as the Student Assistance Coordinator and Anti-Bullying Specialist at Park Ridge public schools in N.J. He is the President of The Association of Student Assistant Professionals of N.J., and lectures throughout the country on issues such as bullying, Internet safety, adolescent risk and substance abuse. Yeager works directly with bullying-related cases every day in the state with the most comprehensive anti-bullying laws in the country.

 

Enhanced Understanding: The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined provides an in-depth understanding of the underlying motives behind harassment, intimidation and bullying. Simultaneously, it gives teachers, administrators, counselors and students a universal vocabulary that lays the foundation for better communication, awareness, and response to harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

 

School Inclusivity: Instead of purchasing anti-bullying resources from multiple sources, The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined is a one-source solution for the entire school. This is not only cost-effective, but it also ensures a cohesive unity and direction for schools' anti-bullying initiatives.

 

Student Empowerment: By using the The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined in coordination with core lessons, infusion lessons, and the film analysis -- educators re-frame the way students see themselves and the actions and motives of those around them. Lessons and activities encourage students to think analytically and introspectively. By making lessons more relevant to them and their unique personal experience, students raise understanding and empathy. "The Building Blocks" inspire students to alter their own behavior and stand up against HIB - enhancing their self-esteem, self-awareness, leadership skills, and overall character.

 

Climate & Culture: The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined gives educators the tools they need to re-shape the culture and climate of their school from the inside out. This includes strategies to enhance engagement in classroom and school-wide programs, and promotes healthier teen relationships and positive role modeling.

 

This program is designed to create a healthier school climate and culture; one which resonates long beyond emotionally-charged assemblies, poster contests, and traditional lectures. The Building Blocks of HIB: Bullying Redefined creates an enduring experience that will greatly impact their day-to-day lives.

 

About Chase Wilson Education:

Chase Wilson Education is an organization in the state of New Jersey that is comprised of a diverse team of filmmakers, educators, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals all working together to improve education, health, and social development in our world.

Our Mission is to provide educator training and student programs centered on a values-based curriculum that provides a foundation of character, tolerance, and empathy.

CWE is a division of Chase Wilson; an Emmy-Nominated multimedia production company incorporated in the state of New Jersey. Chase Wilson Education was founded in 2011 with a sole focus on the future development, creation, and distribution of educational films and programs.

 

 

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