In support of EE’s first fundraiser, discussions have also begun with the executive chef from ”The Famous” (Mr. Brian Sack) to provide the dining experience.  Additional details will be coming soon, including the all important date of the fundraiser.

Empowering Education wishes Katy well on her next venture and her future career!

Daniel Flanders, REAL Instructor

Empowering Education would like to welcome Daniel Flanders to the team! With the REAL class slated for implementation in Doherty High School in August 2010, EE put careful thought and consideration into the selection of the course instructor. With a belief that the success of the class is directly linked to the relationship students have with their instructor, EE felt it was critical to find an individual that had first hand experience with the philosophies of wilderness programs. Having worked as a senior field instructor at Second Nature Wilderness Program (EE’s strategic partner in developing REAL), Daniel has seen lives changed as a result of programs that integrate education with wilderness program philosophies. 

Daniel graduated from Georgia Southern University with a M.S. in Clinical Psychology. He spent six years teaching and guiding various outdoor activities while completing his undergraduate/graduate education. During his practicum, Daniel counseled and coordinated disability accommodations for students at Savannah College of Art & Design. He went on to work with teens as a senior instructor for Second Nature Wilderness Program. It was at Second Nature that he gained the expertise needed to successfully incorporate proven principles into active, often challenging environments. He believes that the addition of an experiential or ‘journey’ element allows for more meaningful, constructive outcomes for the individual student. 

Daniel will be relocating to Colorado Springs from Dublin, GA in May and will serve not only as the REAL course co-instructor at Doherty but will support EE in research, grant writing, and statistical data analysis as the course progresses. Partnering with a Doherty staff member in co-teaching the REAL class, Daniel will help to guide an understanding of the principals that are the foundation of REAL’s social emotional skill building process. 

Welcome Daniel!  We are so glad you are here!

March 11, 2010: The Colorado Springs Business Journal (CSBJ) hosted it’s annual Rising Star’s banquet and awards ceremony and EE President, Katy Houston, was honored to be recognized. The award recognizes business leaders under 40 who have made significant contributions to their chosen industries and community.

As someone new to the nonprofit world, Houston found the event to be a valuable networking opportunity for Empowering Education and was eager to share the mission of the organization with other young business leaders while learning about exciting programs in the Pikes Peak region. Humbled and grateful for the nomination that came from EE co-founder, Andy Wilfong,  Houston hopes the Rising Star designation will open many doors of opportunity for EE and start buzz in the Colorado Springs community about the REAL course curriculum!

The REAL course materials will be available for public review at the D11 administration offices March 3rd through March 17th.  This marks the third step in the path towards final approval and implementation at Doherty High School in August 2010.

Following the public’s review of REAL, it will be submitted to the D11 Board of Education as a non-action item on the agenda for their meeting on April 7th.  And….mark your calendars…..the FINAL date for step 4 of this exciting process will be…..drumroll, please……April 21st! On this date, REAL will added to the Board’s action items and the approval vote will be taken!!!

After a review by the district’s curriculum committee, the package will be available for public review between March 3rd through March 17th.  Once that process is complete, the REAL curriculum will be presented to the D11 school board for review beginning April 7, 2010. 

Empowering Education will give its final presentation to the board on April 21, 2010 requesting permission to give the REAL curriculum to D11 high schools, with Doherty High School first on the list for implementation.

The delivery of this package marked a milestone for Empowering Education. It was collaboration of many hours of research, writing, editing, and printing production on behalf of many thoughtful people who volunteered their personal time in support of the mission of Empowering Education. We are incredibly grateful to each of you who donated your time to help make REAL a reality.

Going forward, EE is meeting with the District to discuss potential partnerships in applying for federal and state grants that will be accessible to programs that support Social Emotional learning. Now that the curriculum is complete, EE will focus its efforts on fundraising, grant writing, and new and innovative ways to grow the program. 

EE has registered as part of Pepsi’s new Refresh Everything project which will provide grants of up to $250,000 for organizations that have fresh, new ideas for positive impact in the areas of: health, arts & culture, food & shelter, the environment, education, and in local neighborhoods. The program will allow the public to vote on each project and donate based on the organization that garners the most votes.

Make sure to look for Empowering Education/REAL between 4/1-4/30 and VOTE!!!!

(Don’t worry, we will remind you  again )

Link to Pepsi’s Refresh Everything Project: www.Refresheverything.com