The Daily Tell

As he promised last year, President Barack Obama has donated the $1.4 million reward he received along with the Nobel peace prize, the White House announced recently.

The president distributed the cash to 10 wide-ranging organizations, such as funds that provide scholarships to minorities and another that provides relief in Haiti.

The White House press secretary released a short announcement from the president that approved of the education advocates, foundations, and charity nonprofits chosen, saying they bring benefit to society at multiple levels.

"These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students, veterans and countless others in need," said President Obama. "I’m proud to support their work."

Nine months into his presidency, the Nobel committee shocked some people and pleased others by supporting Obama as the winner of the prestigious prize for promoting peace. Obama was quick to pledge all of the cash reward he would receive for the controversial award.

While Obama made several $125,000 donations to college funds, such as the United Negro College Fund, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the American Indian College, he also gave to three organizations that serve the needy in other parts of the world.

Obama donated $200,000 to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, to help the country and its survivors recover from the devastating earthquake earlier this year. Another $100,000 was donated to AfriCare, an charity that helps with hunger issues and the AIDS crisis in Africa, while $100,000 was designated for the Central Asia Institute, which helps educate girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

But the largest donation went to the Fisher House, which provides aid to veterans and their families being treated at major military and VA medical centers.

Obama isn’t the first major U.S. politician to donate money from the Nobel prize. Al Gore donated his 2007 reward to a environmental nonprofit that he chairs.

The National Network to End Domestic Violence, a leading nonprofit advocate for victims of abuse, recently released the findings of a 24-hour survey that shows that although domestic violence experts answered more than 23,000 emergency hotline calls daily, 9,280 requests for help went unmet.

The snapshot study, taken last fall, also shows that in one 24-hour period 65,000 victims of domestic violence and their children received life-saving services. The results were submitted by 1,648 domestic violence programs that participated, which account for 83 percent nationwide.

Sue Else, president of NNEDV, said that numbers show that the economic problems of late are exacerbating domestic violence and at the same time limiting services to victims of domestic violence. But despite the difficulties, she said, advocates and volunteers are giving back to the community more than ever to address the issue.

"I am in awe of the grassroots victim advocates who served more than 65,000 victims in one day alone," said Else. "But I’m saddened that more than 9,000 times the same day, limited resources forced these tireless advocates to say, ‘I’m sorry we can’t provide what you’re asking for, but we’ll do whatever we can to help. We have come a long way, but these numbers remind us that we still have a long way to go."

This is the fourth annual survey that NNEDV has conducted in an attempt to analyze domestic violence services.

The project was supported by Intelius – one of the top 100 most visited websites on the internet, which specializes in background checks and identity theft protection – as well as the Mary Kay Foundation and the Allstate Foundation.

Others hoping to support NNEDV in its mission to stop domestic violence may want to sign up for action alerts, which allows the nonprofit to let supporters know when there is political action that can be taken to support legislation to aid life-saving services for victims.

While green isn’t often the first color that springs to mind when thinking of The Bronx, a new $4 million federal grant may go a long way toward changing that.

Borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr. recently announced that a $4 million federal grant would be awarded to the Consortium for Worker Education.

The grant will help establish a program, the "Center for Environmental Workforce Training" that will prepare about 400 Bronx residents to work in the blooming "green" jobs marketplace, he announced.

"With this new training center we are taking a big step toward becoming the ‘greenest’ borough in New York City," said Diaz. "Through this program more than 400 residents will be prepared to work in the growing field of energy efficiency. It will not only train our residents but also will help us in the tough fight against unemployment."

The participants of the Center for Environmental Workforce Training program will take part in job training centered on the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

The program will provide training and education services offering a degree or certification for the participants, with 297 placed in training related employment.

The plan is designed to help residents with limited English proficiency, veterans and eligible spouses, persons with criminal records, disconnected youth, and women, which would help the borough’s lagging employment rates.

According to the New York State Department of Labor Statistics, the Bronx led all of New York City with a 13.9 percent unemployment rate in December 2009, a 4.4 percent jump from the same period in 2008.

Under the grant, all participants will be required to take the Consortium for Worker Education’s (CWE) sustainable mechanical and retrofitting technologies introductory courses that will get them up to speed on skills and opportunities available in the environmental sector.

The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Pathways Out of Poverty Grants, the organization said.

President Barack Obama called for a $1.35 billion expansion of his Race to the Top educational reform program today after speaking to students at Graham Road Elementary School in Fairfax County.

The expansion will be in addition to the $4.3 billion in grants already proposed as part of the of fiscal 2011 budget. Race to the Top offers funds for schools committed to the prescribed reform program, which includes instituting more rigorous national academic standards, better evaluations of student knowledge and teacher performance, plans for improving failing schools, and state laws that encourage innovative educational institutions like charter schools.

"We’re going to raise the bar for all our students and take bigger steps towards closing the achievement gap that denies so many students, especially black and Latino students, a fair shot at their dreams," Obama said to sixth-graders at Graham Road.

Five years ago, Graham Road instituted a strategy of student assessment, teacher evaluation, and other policies to increase test scores. Today, though 80 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-cost meals, 96 percent meet the state’s math requirements and 100 percent meet the state’s reading standards. This type of performance is directly supported by Race to the Top, which encourages school districts to compete for grants by demonstrating progress.

The first deadline for grant applications was yesterday; more than 30 states are expected to have applied. Eleven states have initiated Department of Education-mandated reforms to ensure their eligibility for funding in the second round, which will begin in September. Forty-eight states and Washington, D.C. will participate in the development of a common core of educational standards to replace the existing system, which allows for wide variation between states.

President Obama will host representatives from a Big Brothers Big Sisters military mentoring program and corporate sponsor Jack in the Box at a recognition ceremony at the White House on January 20 to celebrate National Mentoring Month, the nonprofit group announced on Tuesday.

The president and first lady will host Anselmo DeLaCruz, a Big Brother military mentor, and 11-year-old Andre Fernandez, his Little Brother. Anselmo was medically discharged from the Army following a combat injury sustained in Iraq. Jack in the Box chief executive Linda Lang will also attend the ceremony.

"We’re proud to support our nation’s youth who bravely share their parents with the rest of the country, and we commend the military personnel and volunteers for their efforts in filling the void created in a child’s life when a parent is deployed," said Lang.

Jack in the Box recently donated $1 million to support Big Brothers Big Sisters military mentoring programs. Past donations from the restaurant chain have supported expansions of the nonprofit programs throughout San Diego County.

President Obama recently proclaimed January to be National Mentoring Month, claiming that mentoring programs help children develop into responsible and productive adults. Big Brothers Big Sisters currently pairs 255,000 children of low-income, single or incarcerated parents with 255,000 mentors at 385 branches nationwide.

"Our screening, monitoring and individual match support enables our agencies to sustain long-term mentoring friendships that yield successful outcomes," said Big Brothers Big Sisters president and chief executive Karen Mathis.

The need for mentoring programs may increase as high unemployment rates send a growing number of children into poverty. Forty-one percent of U.S. children live in low-income families and one in five children live in poor families, according to the National Center for Children in Poverty.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced $150 million in grants Wednesday for green jobs training, using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Pathways out of Poverty grants will fund training programs designed to help underserved populations realize economic self-sufficiency through employment in the renewable energy or energy-efficiency sectors.

"Green jobs present tremendous opportunities for people who have the core skills and competencies needed in such well-paying and rapidly growing industries as energy efficiency and renewable energy," said Secretary of Energy Hilda L. Solis.

The Labor Department will distribute of 38 grants earmarked for work-readiness, basic skills and occupational skills training; referral and recruitment services; supportive services to help unemployed people overcome barriers to employment; and other services. The training programs will offer certifications, as well as on-the-job training leading to employment.

These new grant come under a larger American Recovery and Reinvestment Act measure passed in February designed to promote employment and energy efficiency. Congress approved a total of $500 million under the Recovery Act to support workforce development programs geared toward careers in the energy efficacy sector.

"These Pathways Out of Poverty grants will help workers in disadvantaged communities gain access to the good, safe and prosperous jobs of the 21st century green economy," said Solis.

Unemployment remains elevated nationwide, even after the economy grew in the last few months of 2009. The unemployment rate stayed unchanged in December at 10 percent after peaking at 10.2 percent in October. Rising fuel costs could help make the employment situation even worse in the coming months as firms continue to cut costs.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation recently announced that it will donate $3 million to Cleveland, Ohio’s Fund for Our Economic Future, a nonprofit group that solicits ideas from the public for ways to increase government effectiveness and efficiency.

The Knight Foundation grant will initially support social media and civic journalism programs designed to solicit ideas from Northeastern Ohio residents on local government policies to increase the economic competitiveness of the area. It will then provide funds to help the implementation of new policies.

"The citizens of Northeast Ohio recognize that the fragmented, costly system of local government that has evolved over the decades hurts our region’s ability to compete in the global economy. They’ve consistently said they want to see the system changed," said David Abbot, chairman of Fund for Our Economic Future.

The social media and civic journalism programs will include online media, as well as traditional grassroots organizing efforts. Once residents form a consensus around certain policies, the grant will help the local government implement needed policy changes.

Kent State University’s Center for Public Administration and Public Policy will help guide and evaluate policy proposals, and the nonprofit Kent State University Foundation will work as a fiscal agent for the grant.

"As a university, Kent State plays a strong role in promoting economic development and improving the quality of life in Northeast Ohio," said Kent State University President Lester Lefton.

Ohio has been hit hard by the current economic downturn, as declines in consumer spending and employment added to existing problems stemming from the collapse of much of the country’s manufacturing base. The unemployment rate is currently 10.6 percent in Ohio, according to the state’s Department of Job and Family Services.

During his campaign President Obama repeatedly spoke about the importance of science and math education for the success for the youth in the ever-changing global economy. Following up on the campaign rhetoric, President Obama recently announced a $250 million public-private effort to improve science and mathematics instruction.
Building on the President’s previously announced "Educate to Innovate" campaign, five new public-private partnerships and funding programs seek to prepare more than 10,000 new math and science teachers over five years and provides on-the-job training for an additional 100,000 teachers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

"The quality of math and science teachers is the most important single factor influencing whether students will succeed or fail in science, technology, engineering and math," President Obama said in a statement. "Passionate educators with issue expertise can make all the difference, enabling hands-on learning that truly engages students – including girls and underrepresented minorities – and preparing them to tackle the grand challenges of the 21st century such as increasing energy independence, improving people’s health, protecting the environment, and strengthening national security."

As part of the initiative announced, Intel will launch a 10-year, $200 million campaign to support teaching in math and science. Under this campaign Intel will provide training to more than 100,000 U.S. math and science teachers.

Other elements of the initiative include a $13.5 million expansion of a university-based program called UTeach that aims to deliver 7,000 expert teachers by 2018 as well as a commitment from public universities to prepare 10,000 math and science teachers a year.

Additionally, PBS and its 356 partner stations will work with the National Science Teachers Association to launch a multi-year STEM initiative to expand the PBS teacher community, provide a platform for sharing effective teaching practices, and inspire the next generation of teacher-leaders. Lastly, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation announced a major expansion of its program, which provides future teachers with a Master’s degree in education and places them in difficult-to-staff middle and high school positions.

In separate yet related initiatives, NASA and the U.S. Department of Education will launch new programs and expand current ones.

NASA will launch a pilot program where, through competitive grants, underrepresented groups can participate in multi-week summer learning programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education will award an additional $100 million next month under the Teacher Quality Partnership program to improve recruitment of teachers in high-need school districts.

During his campaign President Barack Obama repeatedly spoke about the importance of science and math education for the success for the youth in the ever-changing global economy. Following up on the campaign rhetoric, President Obama recently announced a $250 million public-private effort to improve science and mathematics instruction.
Building on the President’s previously announced "Educate to Innovate" campaign, five new public-private partnerships and funding programs seek to prepare more than 10,000 new math and science teachers over five years and provides on-the-job training for an additional 100,000 teachers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

"The quality of math and science teachers is the most important single factor influencing whether students will succeed or fail in science, technology, engineering and math," President Obama said in a statement. "Passionate educators with issue expertise can make all the difference, enabling hands-on learning that truly engages students – including girls and underrepresented minorities – and preparing them to tackle the grand challenges of the 21st century such as increasing energy independence, improving people’s health, protecting the environment, and strengthening national security."

As part of the initiative announced, Intel will launch a 10-year, $200 million campaign to support teaching in math and science. Under this campaign Intel will provide training to more than 100,000 U.S. math and science teachers.

Other elements of the initiative include a $13.5 million expansion of a university-based program called UTeach that aims to deliver 7,000 expert teachers by 2018 as well as a commitment from public universities to prepare 10,000 math and science teachers a year.

Additionally, PBS and its 356 partner stations will work with the National Science Teachers Association to launch a multi-year STEM initiative to expand the PBS teacher community, provide a platform for sharing effective teaching practices, and inspire the next generation of teacher-leaders. Lastly, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation announced a major expansion of its program, which provides future teachers with a Master’s degree in education and places them in difficult-to-staff middle and high school positions.

In separate yet related initiatives, NASA and the U.S. Department of Education will launch new programs and expand current ones.

NASA will launch a pilot program where, through competitive grants, underrepresented groups can participate in multi-week summer learning programs. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education will award an additional $100 million next month under the Teacher Quality Partnership program to improve recruitment of teachers in high-need school districts.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will give $2 million in grants to the National Freedom of Information Coalition to help state and local open government organizations file freedom of information requests over the next three years, the foundation recently announced.

The grants will help groups cover filing and deposition fees, as well as court costs in legal suits to promote freedom of information and open government on the state and local levels. The grants are meant to make up for declining private investment in freedom of information cases.

"Many efforts to improve and preserve freedom of information and keep government open to the public would have been impossible in the past without the support of Knight Foundation," said Tennessee Coalition for Open Government executive director and NFOIC president Frank Gibson.

The Knight Foundation cited a recent survey conducted by the Media Law Research Center in which 53 percent of respondents said that the frequency of open government violations have increased over the last two to five years, and less than one-third said reporters in their areas were increasing numbers of freedom of information requests.

An ailing media industry may be to blame for the decline in information requests. Fifty-three percent of respondents in the same Media Law Research Center survey said their resources have declined in recent years, while 35 percent said they have eroded significantly.

"Media companies have for generations taken on the lion’s share of the legal work surrounding freedom of information. But as media economics restructure, new approaches are needed," said Knight Foundation vice president for journalism programs Eric Newton.

Signed into law by President Johnson in 1966, the Freedom of Information Act allows any person to petition previously classified documents from the federal government for release. People may petition for the release of eligible documents by filing FOIA requests to government agencies.