Graduation Coach Added to Project Leadership Delaware County Team

Muncie resident and educator Julie McGee has joined Project Leadership Delaware County to lead and launch the local mentoring initiative. McGee’s undergraduate degree in social studies teaching is from Michigan State University and graduate degree in language education is from Indiana University. She is a former Ball State University college instructor and former high school social studies teacher.

As graduation coach, she will be recruiting mentoring program participants and monitoring the program. She joins Community Scholarship Liaison Dick Daniel who has been partnering since March with Delaware County schools and the regional Twenty-first Century Scholars office to recruit local middle school students into the state’s Scholars program.

“Julie’s lifelong commitment to education makes her an excellent choice for the position of graduation coach,” Daniel said. “Only half of the battle is won by providing students the opportunity to get money to go to college. The other half of the battle is to ensure that they successfully navigate their way through high school and into that post-secondary world.”

More than 7 out of 10 eligible 8th-grade students (73%) were recruited into the state’s Twenty-first Century Scholars Program this past enrollment year in Delaware County. Students are enrolled for the state program while in middle school. Sixth-graders were able to enroll last year for the first time because of changes in the program guidelines. In Delaware County, 35% of the eligible students in this grade level were recruited. Across all three recruitment grade levels —6th, 7th and 8th — 799 students or 49% of those eligible were enrolled in Delaware County.

“We’re excited to take this next step and are confident in the team we have in place to fulfill a collective community goal to increase the number of students pursuing higher education,” said Project Leadership Director Tammy Pearson. “Through its community partnerships, Project Leadership Delaware County is meeting its goal to increase the number of Twenty-first Century Scholars. The critical next step is to support and mentor students as they transition out of middle school and into high school to fulfill their Scholars pledge.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Project Leadership Delaware County

Community Scholarship Liaison Dick Daniel

765-747-5250

ddaniel@muncie.k12.in.us

Project Leadership Director

Tammy Pearson

765-651-0650

tpearson@projectleadership.org

Community Donations Lead to Launch of Mentoring Program

Next semester, Project Leadership Delaware County will launch a mentoring program for local high school students who are on track to go to college through Indiana’s Twenty-first Century Scholars program. The program launch is made possible because of recent donations from community partners.

Those include:

· $51,000 from the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County
· $5,000 from the Old National Bank Foundation
· $25,000 from the Walmart Foundation. These grant funds will be shared between Project Leadership’s operations in Delaware and Grant counties.
Project Leadership is a non-profit organization that works with communities and schools to improve high school graduation rates and encourage post-secondary educations. Project Leadership programming, which originated in Grant County, expanded to Delaware County nine months ago through funding from the Ball Brothers Foundation and support from the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Since that time, The Star Press Children’s Charities and United Way of Delaware County also have stepped forward as community partners to support Project Leadership Delaware County.

The recent grant awards from the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Old National Bank Foundation and Walmart Foundation specifically will be used to launch the mentoring initiative among participating Delaware County high schools. Project Leadership offers a mentoring program that is primarily school-based. Mentoring is offered to high school students accepted into the Twenty-first Century Scholars program for the purpose of ensuring that they do not lose their scholarships because of poor academics or behavior. The program is structured to give Scholars the tools they need for success including the following:

—Scholarship: The Twenty-first Century Scholars program pays for 8 semesters of tuition at public Indiana colleges or universities.

—One-on-one attention: Positive community volunteers are matched with students and encourage them in their academic and life choices.

—Consistency: Mentors and mentees meet once per week while school is in session.

—Positive social interaction: Activities, such as field trips and cultural enrichment, encourage interaction between mentees, mentors and families in group settings.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

· Project Leadership Delaware County
Community Scholarship Liaison Dick Daniel
765-747-5250
ddaniel@muncie.k12.in.us

· Project Leadership Director Tammy Pearson
765-651-0650
tpearson@projectleadership.org

Meet the Match: Linda Lowe and Makayla

Meet Makayla, a Junior at Marion High School, and mentor Linda Lowe who participate in Project Leadership’s mentoring program, which matches community volunteers with local Twenty-first Century Scholar students.

Makayla

Career goals: Nursing
Favorite subject: Nursing class at Tucker, US History.
Favorite book: Elmoa.
Hobbies/Interests: Spending time with my family.
Family: 1 ½ year old daughter, Makiyah.
School: Marion High School.

Linda Lowe
Career goals: Working with teenagers
Favorite subject: Math.
Favorite book: Redeeming Love.
Hobbies/interests: Crafts, reading.
Family: Husband, Steve; Daughter, Heather; Son-in-law, Aaron; Grandchildren, Grace, Landon, Javan, Callie.
School: Indiana Wesleyan University.

TO LEARN ABOUT THE MENTORING PROGRAM: Visit http://www.projectleadership.org/ or call Project Leadership at 651-0650.

Old National Bank Foundation Awards Grant to Project Leadership

The Old National Bank Foundation has awarded Project Leadership Delaware County $5,000 to support its mentoring program for Twenty-first Century Scholars. The mentoring program will be offered in Delaware County schools during the second semester of this school year, with Old National Bank Foundation funds being used to support the costs of operating the mentoring program for portions of the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.

Project Leadership Delaware County was launched in March 2009 with the support of the Ball Brothers Foundation and the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. Additional support has been provided by the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc., The Star-Press Children’s Charities, United Way of Delaware County and the Walmart Foundation.

Project Leadership offers a mentoring program that is primarily school-based. Mentoring is offered to high school students accepted into the Twenty-first Century Scholars program for the purpose of ensuring that they do not lose their scholarships because of poor academics or behavior. The program is structured to give Scholars the tools they need for success including the following:

—Scholarship: The Twenty-first Century Scholars program pays for 8 semesters of tuition at public Indiana colleges or universities.
—One-on-one attention: Positive community volunteers are matched with students and encourage them in their academic and life choices.
—Consistency: Mentors and mentees meet once per week while school is in session.
—Positive social interaction: Activities, such as field trips and cultural enrichment, encourage interaction between mentees, mentors and families in group settings.

“The Old National Bank Foundation’s generous contribution will generate a positive ripple effect among children and families in Delaware County for years to come,” Delaware County Community Scholarship Liaison Dick Daniel said. “We believe that this gift from the Old National Bank Foundation will have a long-lasting impact on the community’s quality of life and future economic health.”

For more information, contact Dick Daniel at 765-747-5250 .

Walmart Foundation Supports Project Leadership

The Walmart Foundation awarded the Community Foundation of Grant County $25,000 in front of a crowd of mentors and the students the program is designed to help. The grant will help Project Leadership in Grant and Delaware counties to identify at-risk youth who have the desire and potential to attend college and receive post-secondary education.

“The Walmart Foundation’s generous contribution will generate a positive ripple effect among children and families in Grant and Delaware counties for years to come,” Project Leadership Director Tammy Pearson said. “We believe this gift from Walmart will have a long-lasting impact on our communities’ quality of life and future economic health. Project Leadership is grateful for Walmart’s strong involvement and connection with our communities, which will assure that the youths we serve will one day live better – and fulfilling – lives.”

Within the last year, the Indiana State Giving Program awarded more than $837,500 to local organizations such as Salvation Army, Down Syndrome Indiana, Indiana Recycling Coalition, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Tri-State Food Bank, FBI/AFCA Child Identification Program and the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. In Indiana, a team of local associates determine needs within each state, review eligible grant applications and make funding recommendations to the Walmart Foundation.

“Walmart is pleased to support community programs like Project Leadership,” said Jason Wetzel, senior manager of public affairs for Walmart in Indiana. “This is Walmart’s way of continuing to serve the community and our commitment to help prepare youth for a stronger, educated future.”

To be considered for support, prospective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application. Eligible applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum funding criteria. Additional information about the program’s funding guidelines and application process are available online at www.walmartfoundation.org/stategiving.
From February 2008 through January 2009, the Walmart Foundation awarded more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts, an $85.6 million increase over its global giving in the previous year.

Walmart’s FYE 2009 giving breakdown:

• In the U.S., Walmart gave more than $378 million in cash and in-kind gifts, up from $296 million in 2007.
• In international markets, Walmart gave $45.5 million in cash and in-kind gifts, up from $41 million in 2007.
• Globally, Walmart’s customers and associates gave more than $106 million through in-store giving programs that benefit local charities.

In total, Walmart, its Foundations, its customers and its associates supported communities around the globe with nearly $530 million in charitable contributions during FYE 2009.
In Indiana, Walmart operates more than 124 facilities employing 40,321 associates. It’s Walmart and Sam’s Club stores gave more than $7.3 million in cash and in-kind donations to local causes and organizations in the communities it serves in Indiana. With additional funds raised through stores and Clubs in Indiana, Walmart contributed a total of $10.4 million as a result of its Indiana presence. The company paid more than $45.4 million in Indiana state and local taxes in fiscal year ending in 2008.

About Project Leadership

Project Leadership is an eight-year old organization that began as a way to promote education and increase student enrollment in post-secondary programs. Today, Project Leadership recruits middle school students into Indiana’s Twenty-first Century Scholars program, which provides the financial means for low-income students to go to college. The program is structured to give scholars the tools they need for success – scholarship tuition, positive attention through mentorship, tutoring, social interaction and encouragement to believe they can achieve and succeed at their goals.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Walmart – and its domestic and international foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally. To learn more, visit http://www.walmartfoundation.org/.

Meet the match: Sonia Strevy and Shasta

Meet Shasta Bragg, a sophomore at Marion High School, and mentor Sonia Strevy who participate in Project Leadership’s mentoring program, which matches community volunteers with local Twenty-first Century Scholar students.

Shasta Bragg
Career goals: Pediatric Nurse.
Favorite subject: All.
Favorite book: Twilight.
Hobbies/Interests: hanging out with friends and spending time with my little sister.
Family: Mom, Melissa; sister, Daytona.
School: Marion High School.

Sonia Strevy
Career: Teach Nursing.
Favorite subject: Psychology, Health.
Favorite book:
Hobbies/interests: Reading, movies.
Family: Husband and four daughters.
School: Marion High School

TO LEARN ABOUT THE MENTORING PROGRAM: Visit http://www.projectleadership.org/ or call Project Leadership at 651-0650.