ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 27, 2012 /NEWS.GNOM.ES-iReach/ — Ideas in Action with Jim Glassman, the nationally distributed public television series on ideas and their consequences announces its first ‘Special Report.’ This broadcast event is presented as part of American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, a national public media initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to help communities across America address the high school dropout crisis.
It is a co-production of Grace Creek Media and the George W. Bush Institute.
“Every year, one million of our nation’s young people make the life altering decision to drop out of school resulting in severe consequences for their future and our country,” said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of CPB. ”Through the ‘American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen’ initiative, America’s public radio and television stations – locally owned and operated – are engaging local non-profit partners, business leaders, parents and teachers to help young people stay on the path to a high school diploma.”
“The nation’s dropout crisis is not just a story of statistics,” said host Jim Glassman. “We’ve taken a unique look at the successful strategies around the country that can be modeled in other schools.”
The first episode of this two-part report begins airing Friday January 27, 2012 (local times and days vary) and examines the vital role middle schools play in reducing the dropout rate. The program profiles local success stories.
Part Two, which begins airing the following week on February 3, looks at the importance of principals and school administrators in overall student achievement. According to Dewey Hensley of Kentucky‘s Department of Education, “Having strong leadership inside our schools is critical. These leaders make the weather in the building. They help change belief systems. They make it so each child in the building counts.”
Local schools highlighted in the programs are:
- Thomas C. Marsh Middle School, Dallas, TX
- H. L. Harshman Magnet Middle School, Indianapolis, IN
- Robert O. Gibson Middle School, Las Vegas, NV
- Leslie County High School, Hyden, KY
Leading experts on the dropout crisis featured in the programs include:
- Dr. Robert Balfanz, the co-director of Everyone Graduates Center and research scientist at the Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University
- Governor Bob Wise, President of the Alliance for Excellent Schools
- Lindan Hill, Dean of the Marian University School of Education
- Michael Yudin, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.
Ambassador James K. Glassman is the Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute, the public policy arm of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Ideas in Action with Jim Glassman airs on public television stations across the country. Viewers should consult their local listings for times, or can visit the www.ideasinactiontv.com website to watch the programs or check local availability.
Ideas in Action with Jim Glassman is a co-production of Grace Creek Media and the George W. Bush Institute. Funding for these programs is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through the American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen.
ABOUT GRACE CREEK MEDIA (www.gracecreek.com)
Grace Creek Media, Inc. is an independent production and distribution company based in Annapolis, MD that specializes in the development, production and distribution of documentaries, series and educational television programming.
ABOUT THE GEORGE W. BUSH INSTITUTE (www.georgewbushinstitute.com)
The George W. Bush Institute is an independent, nonpartisan think tank engaged in policy, research, and action guided by the principles of freedom, opportunity, responsibility, and compassion. Working with philanthropic-minded individuals, social entrepreneurs, other non-profit private institutions, businesses, and international and domestic government agencies, the Bush Institute’s goal is to transform ideas into action, producing results that can be tested, proven, and replicated in the real world.
ABOUT “AMERICAN GRADUATE: LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN” (www.americangraduate.org)
The public media initiative, American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, is helping communities across America identify and implement solutions to address the high school dropout crisis. Supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting(CPB),the multi-year campaign is designed to raise awareness and dialogue through national and local multiplatform programming. Targeting communities with highest dropout rates, the initiative also increases local engagement and action through collaborations and partnerships, and increases student engagement through teacher professional development and classroom curricula. Public radio and television stations – locally owned and operated – reach 99% of the country over the air, have built models for successful intervention in early learning, and have deep connections in the communities they serve. Nearly 300 partnerships have been formed locally through American Graduate and CPB is partnering withAmerica’s Promise Alliance and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Visit American Graduate on Facebook, Twitter, or AmericanGraduate.org.
ABOUT CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (www.cpb.org)
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,300 locally-owned and -operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.
Press Contact: Christina Mazzanti – christina.mazzanti@gracecreek.com
Media Contact: Christina Mazzanti of Grace Creek Media, 410-280-8528, christina.mazzanti@gracecreek.com
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SOURCE Grace Creek Media