We're now posting our Promise Press publications online! Catch up on what's been happening at the Alliance:
Summer Promise Press Abstracts
ALLIANCE MORE THAN DOUBLES PROMISE FELLOW CORPS
When young people return to school this fall, 190 AmeriCorps Promise Fellows statewide will support their endeavors — a more than 100 percent expansion over the Alliance’s previous Corps size of 80.
In Memory of Ann K. Johnson
Minnesota Alliance With Youth will be creating a memorial scholarship in honor of long-time supporter and board member Ann Johnson.
Youth Voice Becomes Law in Minnesota
This May, the Minnesota Youth Council made state history. Minnesota youth now have an official voice in legislation that affects them directly, thanks to passage of the Minnesota Youth Council Committee Bill — part of the education finance omnibus bill.
Promise Fellow Spotlight: Liz Marchant
For Promise Fellow Liz Marchant, serving with Winona County 4-H, establishing the infrastructure for volunteer programs in her hometown was the surprising step she needed between a graduate program in microbiology in Omaha and vet school at the University of Minnesota.
Spotlight on Promise Fellow Alum Kelly Timian and Minnesota Youth Council Member Denisia Parker
Promise Fellow alum Kelly Timian and Minnesota Youth Council member Denisia Parker have been a dynamic duo since 2011, Timian’s Corps year at Augsburg Fairview Academy in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis where they first met. Their ongoing partnership illustrates the enduring power of the Promise Fellow experience.
Spotlight on Duluth: First GradMinnesota Community
When Paula Reed, President of United Way Duluth, talks about being a “GradMinnesota” community committed to addressing the achievement gap by 2020, she highlights the uniqueness of the agency’s role — not only as a funder, but also as a convener and collaborator.
2013 Red Wagon Awards
In May, five groups of young people and 10 individual youth received Red Wagon Awards presented by Lt. Governor Prettner Solon recognizing their outstanding civic engagement and service, exemplary leadership, and academic success.
Global Youth Service Day
In April, more than 2,000 people celebrated Global Youth Service Day at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., engaging in on-site service projects, dancing to the sounds of Hmong, Aztec, Ecuadorian, and modern music, and celebrating the contributions of young people.
Winter Promise Press Abstracts
ALLIANCE GROWTH SPURS COLLECTIVE IMPACT
A subtle shift in the Minnesota Alliance With Youth’s identity happened over the summer: It became an independent 501©3 nonprofit — no longer the stepchild of the Duluth Public School district.
Shared Position Addresses Nutritional Needs
With only 14 percent of all Minnesotans who qualify for nutritional assistance receiving it, nutrition educator Ilhan Omar sees the challenges ahead in increasing outreach and creating a sustainable program.
Minnesota Youth Council Kicks Off Policy and Philanthropy Initiatives
MYC members are in the midst of advocating for legislation to support the MYC. A recent retreat gathered most of the 65 members, youth and adult, who represent Minnesota’s eight congressional districts.
Promise Fellow Spotlight: Tom Thao
For Promise Fellow Tom Thao, working with students at Prairie Seeds Academy in the northwestern suburb of Brooklyn Park is directly linked to his long-term goal of working in urban and regional planning.
Minnesota Youth Council Spotlight: Chang Moua
Chang Moua, a senior at Prairie Seeds Academy, jumped at the chance to be one of the 72 new members of the Minnesota Youth Council this fall.
New Alliance Policy Director Receives Massachusetts Award
The new Director of Engagement and Policy at the Alliance, Kori Redepenning, is also the recent recipient of the 2012 Red Wagon Award, the highest award given by the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship. The award recognizes an individual who embodies its mission of serving youth by supporting the development of emerging leaders, acting as a role model, and training and advocating for young people.
Alumni Spotlight: Samantha MacDonald
For Promise Fellow alumna Samantha MacDonald, “matriculation” out of the program has meant staying in the same place, but in a revised role — a possibility she hadn't foreseen when she became a Promise Fellow more than three years ago.
Community Spotlight: Hastings Partnership Supports Middle School Students
Hastings, like many mid-size Minnesota towns bordering Wisconsin, may not look like a community suffering from achievement or opportunity gaps. Well-preserved historic buildings line main street, natural beauty abounds, and the population appears homogeneous.
Promise Fellow Attends United Nations Conference
In early Feb., Alliance Promise Fellow Ashley Barnes helped represent the interests of young people at an annual United Nations convening of the Commission for Social Development in New York City. Designed as a forum for discussing issues of economic development, the gathering also included youth delegates from Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Ireland, Romania, Sri Lanka, and South Korea.
Alliance Promotes Global Youth Service Day at Lady Gaga Pre-Concert Resource Fair
Alliance Promise Fellow Lindsey Smith and Minnesota Youth Council member Jackie Hudor represented the Alliance and Youth Service America at Lady Gaga’s pre-concert resource fair – the “Born Brave Bus Tour,” at the Xcel Energy Center Feb. 6. As Gaga tours the country, she hosts these events as an initiative of her Born This Way Foundation, featuring resources to help young people build kinder, safer, braver communities.
