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Contact:
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Jeff Hale, 277-2915
Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915 |
October 24, 2001
UNM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION/APS AWARDED $3 MILLION TO EXPAND PROGRAMS IN HISTORIC
NEIGHBORHOODS
The University of New Mexico, in conjunction with Albuquerque Public Schools,
along with community and city support, has been awarded a three-year grant of
more than $3 million from the United States Department of Education to expand
literacy-based after-school and summer programs in 10 of Albuquerque's historic
neighborhoods.
The UNM portion of the grant is $750,000.
Michael Morris of the UNM College of Education (COE), graduate assistant Sam
Howarth, and Teresa Sierra of the UNM Southwest Hispanic Research Institute
coauthored the grant proposal for the Albuquerque Community/School Project (ACSP).
Former director of APS Title I, Dr. Jaime Tamez, has been appointed project
director.
Approximately 2,500 local children ages 5-14 will be served.
"The project will implement significant literacy-based learning opportunities
for children and youth that could result in reduced drug use and violence in
the community and help students meet or exceed state and local standards in
core academic subjects including reading, mathematics and science," Morris
said.
"I was delighted to learn that this important project received funding,"
said UNM-COE Dean Viola E. Florez. "The collaborative nature of this community-focused
program - combining students, parents, elementary schools, grass-roots organizations,
the business community and University - is at the core of the College of Education's
mission. I would also like to recognize the years of hard work that Michael
Morris has invested in this and other innovative UNM/community collaborations."
After-school and summer community learning centers will be established or strengthened
in seven elementary schools - East San Jose, Dolores Gonzales, Reginald Chavez,
Lowell, Eugene Field, Longfellow and Kirtland.
The benefiting neighborhoods are Kirtland, Kirtland Addition, East San Jose,
Wells Park, Saw Mill, Barelas, Santa Barbara, Martinez Town, South Broadway
and University Heights.
Based on needs, each learning center will draw resources from the ASCP Learning
Resources Network, a group of more than 20 community partners offering bilingual
learning experiences from art and cultural projects to media literacy, mediation
and conflict resolution skills, and support for children with special needs.
"The project is designed to ensure that the communities are involved in
the direction of programming," Howarth said.
Among the goals is to provide some 500 parents with access to English as a
Second Language programs, General Education Diploma (GED) instruction, technology
training, and programs that offer basic literacy skills, including reading aloud
techniques, family storytelling and other family literacy approaches.
"Caring adults will be hired from the very communities in which they will
serve.
Parents and neighbors will have access to these vital centers to take classes,
celebrate the work and experiences of their children and better learn how to
participate in and support their children's learning and success," Morris
said.
ACSP core supporting partners are APS, UNM College of Education and UNM Service
Corps, Historic Neighborhood Association, Department of Family and Community
Services/City of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Business Education Compact
(ABEC).
The learning centers will utilize space, talent and resources of community
centers, public libraries, museums, zoos and parks, theatre and performance
groups, arts centers and alliances, local muralists, environmental education
groups, nature centers and more.
The ACSP builds on a community-driven track record of successful extended learning
pilot projects and is one of the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century
Schools best practices initiatives.
The project partners will establish an infrastructure to sustain and expand the ACSP by the end of the grant period. A non-profit will be identified or developed to act as a permanent fiscal agent for the program.
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The University
of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981