Presentation Panels
Edible Schoolyards
From Grey to Green: ‘Concrete Schoolyard to Garden of Hope at the Edible Schoolyard New Orleans
With Alice Water’s ‘Edible Schoolyard’ as an inspiration, three innovative and committed local residents have started a food revolution at public schools in New Orleans. Organic gardens, a test kitchen, healthy food habits, and curriculum change are just some of ideas that have been developed – and more are likely in the works. We heard the details and enjoyed some true food for thought.
Donna Cavato, Executive Director, The Edible Schoolyard New Orleans
Dr. Anthony Recasner, Co-Founder, First Line Schools
Kristin Shannon, Executive Director, Emeril Lagasse Foundation
Bessie Speers, Head, Ethel Walker School, facilitator
From Grey to Green – Part II; Reimaging Food Programs at NCGS Schools
We all remember the lifeless lettuce and off color veggies from the school cafeterias of our youth. Today’s food programs are not just fresher, more edible, and more sustainable – they’re educational too. We heard from a school, which has made a firm commitment to an organic gardening program along with environmental stewardship, and another whose remarkable redesign of their dining community has affected the entire life of the school.
Kate Windsor, Head, Miss Porter’s School
Grace Epstein, Visual Arts Teacher and Organic Garden Creator, The Ethel Walker School
Sandra Luna, Head, Julia Morgan School for Girls, facilitator
Global Education
Educating Girls Globally
Girls’ schools are leading the way in redefining what it means to educate “global girls” both here in the United States and overseas. In this country, schools are increasingly integrating global perspectives and “cross boundary skills” into all aspects of their programs and involving all members of their community. Internationally, our “sister schools” are growing in number, providing quality academic education to often marginalized girls, equipping them with the wherewithal to become active and contributing citizens in their own countries and abroad. We joined US and international school representatives and leaders of the Girl Up initiative at the UN Foundation for a lively discussion on the role girls’ schools can play in the “glocal” community.
Susanne Beck, NCGS Executive Director, facilitator
Heidi Chang, Director of Global Education and Community Action, Castilleja School
Kimberley Perry, Director, Girl Up Campaign
Ann Pollina, Head, Westover School
Sherley Young, Board of Trustees, Nurturing Minds in Africa/SEGA
UNF-GMMB Girl Up Campaign Evaluation 2 24 10 Final.pptx
Philanthropy
More Than Money: Engaging Students in 21st Century Philanthropy
Philanthropy, today, is about much more than just writing a check. Especially for this generation of students, it translates into action and the giving of intellectual, human, and social capital as well as the traditional financial capital contributions. Three unique perspectives on developing a culture of awareness among students about 21st century philanthropy and inciting them to action were presented. From the home front (a parent) to the school yard (a school-based program) to the community (a nonprofit organization), we learnt about the challenges and the payoff for all involved. It’s not about raising money; it’s creating a mindset!
Dave Aldrich, Founder, Grab the Torch
Luana Nissan, Director, The Glenn Institute, The Westminster Schools
Kevin Salwen, author, The Power of Half
Nancy Mugele, Director of Communication, Roland Park Country School, facilitator.
Innovation & Philanthropy: New Forms of Philanthropy and Partnership
Three experts on philanthropy, each with a different professional perspective and expertise –corporate, private, and individual– discussed the ‘philanthropic space’ today. There are innovative approaches in building a culture of philanthropy, in attracting donors. We heard their insights about how to remain donor-centered and mission-centered, and how to build and blend philanthropic partnerships.
Pamela Shifman, Director of Girls’ and Women’s Initiatives, NoVo Foundation
Emily Brew, Creative Director, Nike Foundation
Julia McGuire, Consultant, Campbell and Company
Margaret Broad, Head, St. Margaret School (VA), facilitator.
Public/Private Partnerships
Faculty Partnerships: NCGS Schools Unite for Professional Development
Taking a cue from most school-based partnerships that focus on uniting young people through community service projects, NCGS and Wingspan Partners are collaborating to develop a pilot public-private partnership program for NCGS faculty in the area of professional development as well as for students, parents, and other administrators. The program will be tailored to meet the needs and interests of participating schools and their teachers, with the long-term goal of enhancing girls’ schools practices and effectiveness in the classroom and beyond.
David Drinkwater, Co-Founder, Wingspan Partnerships
Larry Goodman, Co-Director, Center for Research on Girls, Laurel School
Susanne Beck, NCGS Executive Director, facilitator
http://www.wingspanpartnerships.org/
http://www.laurelschool.org/about/CRGatLaurel.cfm
Student Collaboration: Building Community across NCGS Schools
From the first days of the Coalition, NCGS schools have come together to develop and disseminate the best educational opportunities for girls. Increasingly, our schools are bringing their students together, as well, to enhance learning and community. Whether public, parochial, or independent, schools have made connections that serve as examples of true support of each other’s missions and goals and result in learning through outreach that has life long impact. How do these powerful partnership work? We explored the reasoning and results.
Richard Abbondanzio, Lead Science Chair, Grades 1-7, The Hockaday School
Chris Bhatti, Science teacher, The Hockaday School
Polly Lagana, Director of Programs and Partnerships, Young Women’s Leadership Foundation
Helen Marlette, Dean of Students, Buffalo Seminary
Betty Bourgeois, Principal, Ursuline Academy of Dallas
Leslie Pfeil, Director of Communications, Public Relations, The Baldwin School
Ann Pollina, Head, Westover School, facilitator
An Innovative, Proven Approach to Rebuilding the Jefferson Parish (New Orleans) Public School System
A discussion featuring:
Dr. Diane Roussel, Superintendent, Jefferson Parish Public School System
Mary de Wysocki , Director, Cisco Systems, Global Education Transformation
Bill Christ, Head, Hathaway Brown School, facilitator
Public Service
A Conversation with a Senator: Karen Carter Peterson of Louisiana
A daughter of New Orleans, Karen Carter Peterson has been an active leader, fighting for her city and her people, advocating for better schools, more equitable economic development, and improved affordable housing. With an insider’s view of the state government, Senator Peterson led a conversation about the particular challenges and unique opportunities for women in government and in political careers.
Introduction: Tara Hernandez, Board of Trustees, Louise S. McGehee School
Pathways to Public Service
In spite of – or perhaps because of – the rising national cynicism directed at Washington and career politicians, there is growing interest and emphasis on a more active and informed citizenry. NCGS schools are well on their way as topics like “civic literacy” and “civic engagement” take hold and flourish within our network of schools. Preparing NCGS students to play such a role, formally or informally, requires a skill set incorporating such areas as public speaking, negotiations, and critical thinking, that will be equally valuable in their day-to-day lives going forward. We heard how three NCGS members are encouraging student involvement in active citizenship and preparing them for potential careers as public servants.
Andrea Perry, Dean of Special Programs, Garrison Forest School
Andre Withers, Director of Co-Curriculum, The Madeira School
Carolyn Thompson, History Faculty, Louise S. McGehee School
Bill Christ, Head, Hathaway Brown School, facilitator.
Social Entrepreneurship
New Approaches to Civic Revitalization: New Orleans Social Entrepreneurs Lead the Way
Employing exceptional creativity and a willingness to use models from a variety of systems and sectors and fueled by a desire to facilitate change, local social entrepreneurs are thinking well outside traditional boundaries and the proverbial “box” to bring needed change and growth back to New Orleans. This group of dedicated individuals talked about their motivation, their work, their upsets and their victories, not to mention the results they have already realized just a few years into their new social experiment in urban renewal.
Stephanie Barksdale, Director of Social Entrepreneurship Initiatives, Tulane University, facilitator
Stephanie Potter, Director of University Partnerships, Ashoka Foundation
Liz McCartney, Co-founder and Director of Development, St. Bernard Project
Tim Williamson, Co-founder and CEO, The Idea Village
Andrea Chen, Volunteer, Social Entrepreneurs of New Orleans (SENO)
Recommended Resources from Stephanie Potter:
Books
How to Change the World, David Bornstein
Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know by David Bornstein and Susan Davis
The Power of Unreasonable People, John Elkington
Articles
socialentrepreneurship.nola.doc
Websites
Urgent Evoke
http://www.urgentevoke.com/
Interrobang
http://playinterrobang.com/
Doing Good and Doing Well: Teaching Sustainable Social Change through Social Entrepreneurship
So you have looked around your school, your community, and then beyond and found yourself asking: what are we doing to mentor our students to create meaningful societal change in a thoughtful and proactive way? We heard from some NCGS schools which work not only with students but also alums, community organizations, countrywide and global groups, and other non-profits to develop a community call to action.
Karen Roark, Director of Winterim and International Programs, Harpeth Hall
Virginia Berman, Co-owner, Fundraising Program Director, Equal Exchange
Kim Blanchard, Student Services Coordinator, The Ethel Walker School
Erin Ross Moses, Associate Director of Admissions, Buffalo Seminary
Jon , Assisitant Head, Emma Willard School, facilitator
socialentrepreneurship.walkers.doc
Social Justice
Social Justice in Post-Katrina New Orleans: Three Women, Three Stories, One Mission
Incited to action by the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on their beloved city and their fellow citizens, three women stepped forward to lead their community back to life. From Capitol Hill to the forgotten streets of New Orleans, these women were everywhere, accepting no excuses in their campaign to raise public awareness, mobilize resources, and lend whatever direct support they could to return local residents’ lives to some degree of normalcy. These local heroines inspired and provoked as they shared their different stories of fighting for a common mission: to ensure a safe and just community for all.
Ruthie Frierson, Founder and Chairman, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans
Ann Milling, Founder, Women of the Storm
Cecile Tebo
Eileen Powers, Head, Louise S. McGehee School, facilitator
Social Justice On Campus: Moving from Mission to Action
From around the world and across the country, we heard from NCGS schools that infuse their programs – and their students’ lives – with a daily dose of social justice through curriculum, culture, on-campus activities and community outreach. Schools from Australia, California and New York invited us to a discussion with them asking: is social justice alive on your campus and what more can you do if it’s not?
Sandra Luna, Head, Julia Morgan School for Girls
Catrina Sharp, Head of Senior School, Fairholme College, Australia
Hilary Johnston-Croke, Principal, Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart, Australia
Stefan Cornelis, History Teacher, Marymount School (NY)
Tim Burns, Headmaster, Academy of the Sacred Heart (LA), facilitator
Social Technology in Education
Social Media for Education
A conversation with and online demonstration by Crystal Kile, founding directrix of Sophielab, the media collaboratory at Newcomb College Center for Research on Women at Tulane University.
Jessica Good, Dean of Faculty, Girls Preparatory School (TN), facilitator
NCGS Members: Social Media for Social Good
Perhaps it all starts with tapping into girls’ interest in helping others, their drive to make a difference, and their strength in collaboration? Outreach by schools and students for social good has changed dramatically through technology. Working with students on projects that have at their core helping others and making a positive impact, several NCGS schools have developed programs where social media and social networking are making a difference while enhancing girls’ interest and skills in technology.
Jennifer Brittingham, Visual Arts Coordinator and Technology Specialist, Agnes Irwin School
Jennifer Vermillion, Educational Technologist, Springside School
Larry Goodman, Co-Director, Center for Research on Girls, Director of Strategic Programming Laurel School
Emilie Liebhoff, NCGS Director of Strategic Initiatives, facilitator