Getting the Community Involved

Yesterday, author Hugh Price spoke about his latest book, Mobilizing the Community to Help Students Succeed, during a roundtable discussion at the Alliance for Excellence in Education. Price spoke to fellow educators about getting the community involved in children's lives so they can succeed as adults. Central to this mission:

• Adults' recognition of students' academic and nonacademic achievements. By not acknowledging a student's achievements, adults leave open the possibility that the child may feel undermined, which can be devastating in the long run.
• The impact of organized groups, such as the Boy Scouts, on a child's life. Groups can build confidence and a sense of belonging in a positive manner.
• Motivating children to want to learn and be interested in education. Students unmotivated to learn are more likely to fail.

Price stressed that achieving the above factors, along with other ideas from his book, will help close the achievement gap but that none of this is possible without the support of the community. With the community's help, children will have a "ladder of opportunity."

Does your community rally around the achievements of its younger members?