May 23, 2011
"Camelback High School has won the 2010-2011 Lead and Inspire Award from Arizona State University's Office of Education partnerships..."
Get to Know The Be Kind People Project
The Be Kind People Project is a 501(c)(3) organization with mission to reach teachers across America with an intentional gesture of kindness and to inspire kindness in kindergarten through sixth grade students with their BEE Kind Kid Pledge and instructional aids. The project's two goals are: 1) to honor those who are integral to the fabric of our communities: teachers, and 2) to inspire kindness in those who are the future of our communities: students. Currently, the Be Kind People Project has been prioritizing their work in Title 1 schools where Teach For America corps members and alumni are teaching.
The organization inspires kindness in kids in many ways. They've distributed over 500,000 kindness pledge cards to students in Phoenix, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. Their yearly essay contest collects hundreds of entries on the topic "How a Minute of Kindness Can Change a Day." They announced the winners of the contest this past February and recognized students, their classes, and their entire schools with various prizes and awards. They also put on "It's Cool 2 B Kind" assemblies at schools in Phoenix, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. Close to 30 assemblies have happened during the 2011-2012 school year.
To honor teachers, the organization distributes teacher appreciation gifts. So far, 20,000 teachers have been thanked and recognized in Phoenix, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. They also award prizes and gifts to the teachers whose students win the essay contest, and make thanking teachers one of the primary purposes of the assemblies they lead at various schools.
Region Timeline
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San Xavier Del Bac Mission School, the first school in Arizona, is founded just south of Tucson. Although no longer in its original structure, the school is still in operation today.
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P.K. Safford, the "Father of Arizona Schools," founds the public school system in Arizona. The first public school opens in Phoenix in 1872.
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The three big state universities are founded: University of Arizona and Arizona State University in 1885, and Northern Arizona University in 1899. At the time of its founding, ASU was a 33-student teachers college in a four room building on 20 acres of farmland. Today, it is a sprawling university that houses the largest teachers college in the nation.
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The Arizona State Legislature passes the charter school law. By 2007, Arizona is ranked as having the fourth strongest charter law in the nation.
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Arizona passes Proposition 203 to become an English-only instruction state. Under the proposition, Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs become required instruction for English language learners and all teachers must be certified in SEI by 2006.
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Governor Napolitano establishes the P20 Council, which later becomes the Arizona Ready Council.
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Teach For America alumni take on leadership roles in the advocacy organizations Expect More Arizona and Stand For Children, at a high performing charter school in a high needs area, and as superintendent of Coconino County School District.
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Arizona receives $25 million in funds from the third round of Race to the Top.
Overheard
Beyond sharing an ethnic background, I think it was even more powerful that my students and I come from the same neighborhood. I looked like my kids and spoke Spanish like my kids, and I think I really served as a role model because I graduated from college and was pursuing a master's degree.
Phoenix Corps 2008
Press
April 16, 2011
"Today, many students in our state, particularly those in low-income communities, don't have the opportunity to attain an excellent education..."
March 27, 2011
Meet Amanda Badali, a Teach For America corps member working at Imagine Prep.
