Michael Whitfield, Jr.’s Story

“If I can battle day school, night school, a job and a daughter…you all can do it.  Keep pushing.”

Rico Kinney’s Story

“Having a close brush with death isn’t easy…I would like to thank my mom for letting me see the light.”

Tyler Goodger’s Story

“It was really hard being away from my mother.”

Mario Brooks’ Story

School: “Mario demonstrated growth in community and vocational involvement.  As a student that has an intellectual disability, Mario displayed great character when presented with life’s challenges.”

Shavionne Smith’s Story

“I thank my mom for helping me…”

For all the untold stories visit http://www.youtube.com/tellkwamebrown.

“When you hear these students’ stories, you think to yourself, they can do anything,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “There’s nothing that can hold them back when they put their minds to it.  The students, parents, and educators should be proud of the amazing achievements they’ve made.  I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about these bright young stars in the future.”

Each year, Councilmember Kwame Brown invites all District high schools to nominate a student for the award.  This year, the following students were nominated by their schools and received the award (Alphabetical order by school):

Benjamin Banneker: Raphael Woldeab
Caesar Chavez: Elton Wright
Caesar Chavez: Shavionne Smith
Calvin Coolidge: Angel Jones
Cardozo: Isaiah Aladejobi
Duke Ellington: Lois Wilkerson
Eastern: Tyree Boney
Edison Friendship Collegiate Academy: Torrie Davis
IDEA: Alana Shields
Kamit Institute: Adrian Hall
Luke C. Moore: Cornell Harris
Mamie D. Lee: Mario Brooks
Maya Angelou PCS: Raheem Hannah
McKinley Technology: George Blanks
Roosevelt: Rico Kinney
School Without Walls: Michelle Burris
SEED PCS: Tyler Goodger
Spingarn: Denard Duncan
Thurgood Marshall: Parris Robertson
Transition Academy: Dontate Robey
Washington Math, Science and Technology: Michael Whitfield, Jr.
Young America Works: Phyllis Stoddard

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

On Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:30 p.m., join At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown for the 4th Annual Most Improved Student Awards.  Each year, Councilmember Kwame Brown extends invitations to public high school principals and teachers in the District to nominate seniors who have shown significant academic and personal improvement.

“These are students who, like me, weren’t at the top,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “Through determination and perseverance, they’ve shown that anyone can be an achiever.  It’s an honor to recognize these students whose stories will inspire the next graduating class.”

One student, Adrian Hall from the Kamit Institute for Magnificent Achievers, is receiving the Most Improved Student Award.  She came to the Kamit Institute with a low grade point average in the 10th grade but managed to raise it to a remarkable 2.9.  She was a participant on the college tour and was accepted to Benedict College, where she plans to attend in the fall.  Over 200 high District students have been accepted to college since the program began in 2008.

Event Details

WHAT: Most Improved Student Awards
WHERE: 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW—John A. Wilson Building, Rm. 412
WHEN: Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

To RSVP for the awards, complete the following form:

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

This week, At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown had the honor of speaking at several high school graduations before hundreds of inspiring students.  Graduates performed songs, elaborate dances and showcased their talents to celebrate the close of one chapter in their lives and the beginning of the next.  Councilmember Kwame Brown gave out the first of many Most Improved Students Awards in advance of next week’s presentation ceremony.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of the students, family members and teachers who overcame all the obstacles leading up to this day,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “Success begins in high school and these achievers have proven that nothing will stand in their way.  I can’t wait to see what they can do next.”

Many of the graduates participated in this year’s College Round-Up tour to Tarboro, North Carolina where a record breaking number of District students got into college.  One student from the Kamit Institute for Magnificent Achievers, Adrian Hall, received the Most Improved Student Award.  Councilmember Kwame Brown recounted the story of how she came to the Kamit Institute with a low grade point average in the 10th grade but managed to raise it to a remarkable 2.9.  She was a participant on the college tour and was accepted to Benedict College, where she plans to attend in the fall.  Over 200 high District students have been accepted to college since the program began in 2008.

Councilmember Kwame Brown also spoke to graduates at Wilson High School, SunRise Academy, and Carlos Rosario Public Charter School.  Next week, he will host the 4th Annual Most Improved Student Awards and is inviting the community to come support the students.

WHAT: Most Improved Student Awards
WHERE: 1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW—John A. Wilson Building, Rm. 412
WHEN: Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

To RSVP for the awards, please go to the following link:

http://www.thewedistrict.com/most-improved-student-awards-2010/

“This is a pivotal moment for our students and education reform,” said Councilmember Kwame Brown.  “Teachers have shown that they are willing to make sacrifices in an effort to improve the quality of education in the District.  I look forward to supporting the measure when it comes before the Council for a vote.”

For more information or to interview Councilmember Kwame Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

“I want to congratulate the parents and students who fought to revitalize their school and had a dream to turn an uninviting asphalt parking lot into a beautiful playground. They are the heroes of school reform.” said Councilmember Brown who is a parent with two children in DC Public Schools.  “There was a time when the Wilson Building was in better shape than our schools and there’s no excuse for that.  This playground, and others like it, represents a new chapter in education.”

In 2005, Councilmember Brown joined Chairman Vincent Gray and then Councilmember Fenty as co-introducer of the School Modernization Financing Act, which later became law.  What started as a simple idea eventually became the foundation for a long-term effort to rebuild our schools.  School facilities are now undergoing major renovations because of the funding that was provided for in the law.

The Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization, led by Allen Lew, is responsible for overseeing school revitalization.  Parents and community members are strongly encouraged to get involved in the process by attending public meetings with School Improvement Teams (SIT).  A list of meetings can be found by visiting the following website:

Upcoming Meetings/Events
http://opefm.dc.gov/updates.html

For more information or to interview Councilmember Brown, please contact Press Secretary Michael Price at 202-445-4510 or mprice@dccouncil.us.

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The Holland & Knight Dream Scholarship Essay Contest is a writing contest for high school juniors and seniors enrolled in public schools in Atlanta, Georgia, Miami, Florida and Washington, DC.

The contest is designed to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to encourage students and leaders of today and tomorrow to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy, their dreams and their strategies for achieving those dreams.

Click here for more information on the contest, including the writing prompt, entry form, and all contest rules.

“And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow,
I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up
and live out the true meaning of its creed:
‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”
Martin Luther King
“I Have a Dream” Speech

About the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation: Established as a 501(c)(3) public charity in 1996, the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation manages and coordinates charitable giving for the firm. Funded through contributions from the firm, Holland & Knight attorneys and staff, as well as external sources, the foundation underwrites several important programs that support education. www.foundation.hklaw.com

Please visit the original post at http://dream.hklaw.com/index.asp.

In 2009, Ballou Senior High School student Clayton Armstrong was selected as the first recipient of the Foundation’s scholarship.  The scholarship, administered by the DC College Success Foundation (www.dccollegesuccessfoundation.org), will provide one deserving student in either the District of Columbia or Prince George’s County, MD with a college scholarship that will be disbursed in $5,000 increments annually.  The DC College Success Foundation has established a strong working scholarship model that places scholarship recipients in a mentoring program that requires the student to work with a mentor during the student’s freshman year to help ensure success.

High school seniors attending either a District of Columbia Public School or Prince George’s County Public School may apply for the scholarship by visiting https://apply.collegesuccessfoundation.org/dc/.

To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, the student must:

• Be committed to earning a bachelor’s degree
• Have a 2.75 GPA or better
• Commit to participate in a program to support retention in college
• Be eligible for a college Pell Grant
• Have filed a FAFSA, if eligible
• Be planning to enroll or to actually be enrolled full-time as a college student, 12 credits or the equivalent for the semester
• Have participated in interscholastic athletics during high school
• Have demonstrated an active and willing participation in community service throughout high school

The deadline for students to apply for this college scholarship is April 9.

Please note that the video officially starts at about 25 seconds.  If you are having trouble viewing the video hit the refresh button in the lower lefthand corner of the video or simply refresh your screen and hit the play button again.  The video is best viewed with high-speed internet.

At-Large Councilmember Kwame R. Brown hosted a financial aid workshop where guest speakers detailed how DC students can obtain funding to pursue their college education.  The event was also a precursor to the College Round-Up trip, an annual free bus trip to Tarboro, North Carolina, where DC students were offered on-the-spot acceptance to historically black universities.  The goal of the workshop was to educate students on how to apply for aid from the DC Government (DC OneApp) and the Federal Government (FAFSA).  Watch this great video and share the link with students and parents who could use the information.

For those that were unable to attend the workshop, there are online resources that can help you understand these applications for aid.  For more information about using and submitting the DC OneApp, go here.  For more information about using and submitting the FAFSA, go here.

We’d also like to extend our thanks to the fantastic guest speakers, Anwan ‘Big G’ Glover, of HBO’s The Wire and the Backyard Band and Herbert Tillery–Executive Director of DC College Success Foundation and Ken Howard from the Office of the State Superintendent for Education.

For those interested in attending next year’s College Round-Up, you can register to receive more information.