Strive, an educational partnership within the Greater Cincinnati region, has become a model of progress for urban cities in need of reform across the nation.
Strive was co-founded in 2006 as a result of a collaboration between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky businesses, non-profit organizations, public school superintendents and presidents of local universities, including Nancy Zimpher, University of Cincinnati president.
Larry Johnson, UC’s dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, is the appointed chair of the Operations Committee for Strive, as well as a leading force in the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Steering Committee (USU).
USU is a coalition of public universities across the United States that is dedicated to bettering the communities that surround their institutions.
Johnson said he is looking forward to the future, especially since the two organizations are collaborating.
“We’re building momentum and beginning to make a difference,” Johnson said.
Strive and USU received funding from a private foundation that will allow the Strive model to be adapted in five cities after a competitive grant process.
According to Marianne Kunnen-Jones, special assistant for UC’s communication department, the partnership is currently working with 11 undisclosed USU members.
A major part of Strive’s success is a result of the Student Success Networks – teams of individuals coming from different organizations and regional areas to focus on a single aspect of the partnership.
The focus of these networks spans from mentoring to early childhood education and
college access.
Each network is responsible for creating an action plan, which is a compilation of evidence pertaining to their team’s success in the community and a recommendation for future steps. Only three networks have entered the Stage Two Endorsement, although all are still striving to reach that goal.
The most recent endorsement was granted to the Cincinnati College Access Alliance in
July 2008.
Sherri Lung, the communication manager for Strive, operates from the KnowledgeWorks Foundation and said there have been two generous grants for further development in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Strive has received grants totaling nearly $1 million from the Ohio Partners for Continued Learning and the Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation.
Strive has allocated those funds for Cincinnati Public School curriculum improvements – reinforcing communication between partnered schools, universities and organizations and creating a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)-based high school.
Hughes Center, 2515 Clifton Ave., is currently under physical renovation.
When the high school reopens for the 2009-10 school year, there will be a shift in academics.
According to Lung, the fade-in of STEM curriculum will begin in the ninth grade, and “will take four years to get to [academic] capacity.”
The Hughes Center transition is meant to compliment William H. Taft Elementary, a STEM-based elementary school. Class levels at the school range from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Taft Elementary has implemented a STEM curriculum for the 2008-09 school year.
“The Hughes Center is close to the Teacher’s College of UC,” Lung said. “It will make campus learning more accessible.”
Strive is making tremendous headway, but Lung believes that there is still room for improvement and further progression. Strive looks to the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation as a “model for more effective school-business partnership,” according to Lung. Strive has also found influence locally from the Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky.
“They don’t have any schools on the waiting list for a partnership,” Lung said. “That’s what we’re working to achieve.”
Strive was co-founded in 2006 as a result of a collaboration between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky businesses, non-profit organizations, public school superintendents and presidents of local universities, including Nancy Zimpher, University of Cincinnati president.
Larry Johnson, UC’s dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, is the appointed chair of the Operations Committee for Strive, as well as a leading force in the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities Steering Committee (USU).
USU is a coalition of public universities across the United States that is dedicated to bettering the communities that surround their institutions.
Johnson said he is looking forward to the future, especially since the two organizations are collaborating.
“We’re building momentum and beginning to make a difference,” Johnson said.
Strive and USU received funding from a private foundation that will allow the Strive model to be adapted in five cities after a competitive grant process.
According to Marianne Kunnen-Jones, special assistant for UC’s communication department, the partnership is currently working with 11 undisclosed USU members.
A major part of Strive’s success is a result of the Student Success Networks – teams of individuals coming from different organizations and regional areas to focus on a single aspect of the partnership.
The focus of these networks spans from mentoring to early childhood education and
college access.
Each network is responsible for creating an action plan, which is a compilation of evidence pertaining to their team’s success in the community and a recommendation for future steps. Only three networks have entered the Stage Two Endorsement, although all are still striving to reach that goal.
The most recent endorsement was granted to the Cincinnati College Access Alliance in
July 2008.
Sherri Lung, the communication manager for Strive, operates from the KnowledgeWorks Foundation and said there have been two generous grants for further development in the Greater Cincinnati region.
Strive has received grants totaling nearly $1 million from the Ohio Partners for Continued Learning and the Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation.
Strive has allocated those funds for Cincinnati Public School curriculum improvements – reinforcing communication between partnered schools, universities and organizations and creating a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)-based high school.
Hughes Center, 2515 Clifton Ave., is currently under physical renovation.
When the high school reopens for the 2009-10 school year, there will be a shift in academics.
According to Lung, the fade-in of STEM curriculum will begin in the ninth grade, and “will take four years to get to [academic] capacity.”
The Hughes Center transition is meant to compliment William H. Taft Elementary, a STEM-based elementary school. Class levels at the school range from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. Taft Elementary has implemented a STEM curriculum for the 2008-09 school year.
“The Hughes Center is close to the Teacher’s College of UC,” Lung said. “It will make campus learning more accessible.”
Strive is making tremendous headway, but Lung believes that there is still room for improvement and further progression. Strive looks to the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation as a “model for more effective school-business partnership,” according to Lung. Strive has also found influence locally from the Education Alliance of Northern Kentucky.
“They don’t have any schools on the waiting list for a partnership,” Lung said. “That’s what we’re working to achieve.”
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