Community call march 2014 final

March 2014

COMMUNITY CALL

Dr. Brian Wiilliams welcomes attendees of the 8th Annual Sources of Educational Excellence Conference. The 9th Annual Sources Conference will take place April 19th in the College of Education at Georgia State University.

For more information visit: crim.education.edu.gsu

Welcome to the Crim Center Community Call Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Crim Center’s Community Call. I’m Brian Williams and I’m the Director of the Crim Center. Each month the Community Call will give you information about the Crim Center’s programs, facebook.com/crimcenter

innovative research and collaborations and upcoming events.

This month in the Community Call, you will find information about the Jump Start program’s Read Across America event, the Power of Students event, @AlonzoACrimCUEE

and if you don’t read anything else, make sure you check out this month’s Early College celebration and our partnership with the Atlanta Hawks. Of course, we want you to ‘like’ us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. @AlonzoACrimCUEE

For full articles and to learn more about the Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence, please go to our website: crim.education. gsu. edu

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Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence: crim.education.gsu.edu

COMMUNITYCALL March 2014

Who is Killer Mike? The 2014 Power of Students Have the Answer

By Jason Moore, Crim Center Intern "If you're not part of a community, but you're policing that community, then that community is under siege." Those are words from Killer Mike himself, but who is Killer Mike?

He’s rapper from Atlanta, right? He’s the artist from Big Boi’s once popular Purple Ribbon All-Stars, right?

With a name like Killer Mike, most would focus on the “Killer” and forget about the “Mike.” The Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence Interns (CUEE Interns) chose to push back against the idea of Mike as “just another rapper” with a provocative name, and instead brought his thoughts on community engagement to the GSU community through the platform of the Power of Students Conference.

Since 2011, the Power of Students Conference has been an instrumental component of the college experience at GSU. Held annually, students from the CUEE join forces and organize an event for students to have input on how they are educated. Previous conferences featured the Freedom Writers and the participants of the historic 1992 GSU student sit-in.

Continuing this tradition, on February 27th, 2014, hip-hop artist, entrepreneur and community activist Michael Render, also known as Killer Mike, and Virginia Tech associate professor, hip-hop educator and founder of the Four Four Beat Project, Dr. Joycelyn Wilson, took the stage at Dalhberg Hall at Georgia State University. Dr. Wilson and Mike discussed the social responsibilities of community, roles of hip-hop in education and the power of voice with the GSU student body and the Atlanta community—a city full of anxious advocates ready to impact positive change. Mike also addressed his

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Killer Mike challenges GSU and Atlanta to ‘do it big’ by actively participating in strengthening our community.

fellow artists’ concerns about “doing it big” or “living large” by saying, “‘Doing it big’ is creating a source of income for a community,” therefore criticizing what’s happening with the millions of dollars some artists make but don’t invest in their communities. Dr. Wilson shared the stage to deconstruct and interrogate Mike’s lyrics and frame them as a call to action for his audience. For example, Mike commented, "Feeding the homeless is one of the most creative ways to inspire change.”

Before this conference, many students only knew of Killer Mike as the Atlanta rapper associated with hip-hop artist Outkast and for his epic features on the records Whole World and Never Scared. Thanks to the Alonzo A. Crim Center, the CUEE Interns and the Power of Students Conference, the GSU and Atlanta community now know Michael Render to be a profound community leader with goals and ambitions of a better tomorrow. Like an attendee tweeted that night, “If you're not at the Power of the Students Program listening to [Killer Mike] then you're missing out on knowledge.”

Killer Mike (center) surrounded by (front row) Dr. Joycelyn Wilson, CUEE Intern Carmen Cunningham, Stephen White, (middle row) Dr. Brian Williams, CUEE Interns Lauren Johnson and Trevon Norman, and (back row) CUEE Intern Jason Moore.

Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence: crim.education.gsu.edu

COMMUNITYCALL March 2014

“The Alonzo A. Crim Center at Georgia State University has the longest running Early College program in the state of Georgia with its first students coming to campus during the spring of 2007...The GSU Early College Class of 2012 alone had $6 million in scholarships and were accepted to schools such as Harvard University, MIT, and Johns Hopkins University.”

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Celebrating Early College Week at GSU 1MA)(

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By Anique Hameed, Crim Center Graduate Research Assistant After serving a whopping 127 student participants this semester, winning a STEM competition, launching a new community partnership and more, wouldn’t you say the Early College Program at Georgia State has something to celebrate?

From March 24 through March 28, Early College Programs across the country are celebrating National Early College Week. This annual celebration highlights the groundbreaking achievements and outstanding accomplishments of Early College students. Nationally this dual-enrollment initiative aims to increase both high school graduation and college readiness rates among groups that are least likely to attend college. Across the 280 early college schools across 32 states, 90% of participants graduate from high school and 71% enroll in college immediately after. The Early College Program at GSU partners with Carver and Washington High Schools and has an 88% retention rate.

Additionally, 100% of the 2013 Early College students at GSU went on to college.

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8'-"5-(*-#?*&(U%*I(#%(A-.>"&(V?UU+(#%(H?*B>"5-(#$B0-#57%% Dr. Tene Davis, Associate Director for the Early College Program at GSU, is excited about this week’s 8>%&-E(WLGLX(YDY=FZCD( P"[E(WLGLX(CCC=C\ZF( opportunity to delight in the accomplishments of her students )I"$'E(I-.>"&79?UU+]>"4057B%I :$B0-#5("*-(;"5-9(%&("6"$'";$'$#+7(( and the success of the program. “This week I’m most excited :>$5(."I-T-6-&#(I"+(5-''(%?#(H*$%*(#%(#>-(9-"9'$&-7(( M''(2"'-5("*-(P$&"'@(&%(*-U?&95(%*(-[B>"&.-57((( about getting the word out about Early College. With . awareness comes support and greater stability. We want to create longevity so more students can experience this once in a lifetime opportunity”. On Thursday, Early College students were the guests of the Atlanta Hawks at their game against the Portland Trail Blazers. On Friday the students hosted an Ice Cream Social and Pool Party from 1-3pm in the Georgia State Recreation Center, and on Saturday they hosted their inaugural Spring Fling Carnival at Woodson Primary School from 11am-3pm.

If you are interested in learning more about the work of the Early College Program please contact Associate Director, Dr. Tene Davis at tharris49@gsu.edu or 404-413-8074.

Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence: crim.education.gsu.edu

COMMUNITYCALL March 2014

Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess!

“Learning is an innate trait. I believe children are born with a desire to learn.”

By Anique Hameed, Crim Center Graduate Research Assistant Jumpstart members jumped into our annual celebration of Dr. Suess’ Birthday on March 7th.

In honor of the legendary children’s book author, countless schools and communities participated in Read Across America Day to promote reading and increase reading motivation in youth. About 200, 3-5 year old students from local Atlanta schools were invited to Georgia State University’s Veterans Memorial Hall to spend the morning reading the works of Dr. Suess and learning through play.

There were 5 activity stations including “Oh the Place You Will Go,” where students drew pictures describing their career aspirations; “Red Fish, Blue Fish,” where students found opposite fish and described their differences; and the reading station where Jumpstart members and children read Green Eggs and Ham. The organizers of the event enjoyed the variety of games and activities as much as students. “I enjoyed reading to the

Brittanee Rolle Jumpstart Site Assistant Manager

children and the kids knew the book well, so that was refreshing and fulfilling,” said Brittanee Rolle, Site Assistant Manager for Georgia State University’s Jumpstart.

To learn more about the Jumpstart program please contact Program Director/ Site Manager, Eshé Collins at ecollins1@gsu.edu or 404-413-8073.

Crim Center’s Month in Pictures Check out exclusive photos from our work in the community this month. Fore more photos visit our Facebook page: facebook.com/crimcenter

Photos from the following Crim Center programs (clockwise from l to r): TEAM, Power Students Conference, TEAM, Early College, TEAM and Jumpstart

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Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence: crim.education.gsu.edu

COMMUNITYCALL March 2014

UETT Tackles 21 Century Urban Ed Challenges The Alonzo A. Crim Center’s Urban Education Think Tank (UETT) is comprised of Georgia State University graduate students whose research intersects issues, challenges and successes of urban education in Atlanta and around the world. The UETT, as a think tank, has a mission of supporting each other through their research and writing processes with a goal of producing rigorous research publications on issues in urban education. Recently, the UETT was asked to poll their group about what they view as the top 5 issues in urban education in in the Southeast at this moment. Instead of five, 6 key issues came back (see column to right). These issues will be the focus of an ongoing Community Call series spearheaded by the UETT that will highlight their research, reflections, interviews with university professors and community members, and multimedia creative pieces on these issues.

Recent publications from UETT members Goss, A. C. (2013). Five vignettes: Stories of teacher advocacy and parental

involvement. The Qualitative Report, 18, 1-18.

UETT’S TOP 6 ISSUES IN URBAN EDUCATION 1. Poverty 2. Over emphasis on standardized testing 3. Lack of culturally relevant pedagogy and curriculum that fosters critical thinking 4. Privatization of public education

King, J. E., Akua, C., & Russell, L. (2014). Liberating urban education for human

freedom. In H. R. Milner & K. Lomotey (Eds.), Handbook for research on urban

education (pp. 52-107). New York, NY: Routledge.

5. Lack of collective community agenda among those the school serves

King, J. E., Goss, A. C., and McArthur, S. (in press). Recovering history and

the “Parent Piece” for cultural well-being and belonging. In J. E. King & E.

Swartz (Eds.), Re-Membering History in Student and Teacher Learning: An Afrocentric

Culturally-Informed-Praxis. New York: Routledge.

6. Decline of veteran master teachers WHAT DO YOU THINK? Post your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter

STAY INFORMED

facebook.com/ crimcenter

ABOUT THE CRIM CENTER Founded in 1996, the Alonzo A. Crim Center is an interdisciplinary hub that works to ensure that no person is alienated from or by education within urban communities.

We are a place in which a community of believers are able to come in order to support one another's educational needs and endeavors. Each year, the Center delivers programming and support services to over +10,000 adults and children at a cost of about $100.00 per person/child per year.

Through partnerships, donations and support we are proud to offer programs that benefit our school communities.

Volunteerism allows us to offer over 38,000 volunteer hours to the community each year.

@AlonzoACrimCUEE

@AlonzoACrimCUEE

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Of course, we would love for you to volunteer in any of our research and service efforts. Join us today and become a part of our "Community of Believers."

UPCOMING EVENTS SOURCES CONFEREN

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April 19, 2014 8-5 pm @ GSU College of Education Building (30 Pryor St, Atlanta 30303)

Free and open to the public!

Visit our website for more information: crim.education.gsu.e

Interested in supporting our work? Contact Community Outreach Specialist, Dana E. Salter at dsalter@gsu.edu or 404. 413. 8072.

Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence: crim.education.gsu.edu

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COMMUNITYCALL March 2014

9th Annual SOURCES OF URBAN EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE CONFERENCE Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia April 19, 2014 Keynote Speaker Professor Alfred "Coach" Powell Founder, President &CEO of the Human Motivation Council and Human Motivation Circle

COMMUNITYCALL 30 PRYOR ST. SE, SUITE 350 ATLANTA, GA 30303

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