JRCPA -National 2008 Finalists announced by JRCPF

The following three finalists have been selected as examples of best practices in campus community partnerhip programs. The winner will be announced and the award will be presented by President & Mrs.Carter at the Corporation for National & Community Service’s 2008 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. The award winning partners (college and community) will divide $20,000; two runner-up partnerships will each divide $10,000.

In alphabetical order:

Oregon: The Community Watershed Stewardship Program from Oregon (112 community-based organizations in greater Portland, with Portland State University) has led over 27,000 community volunteers donating a quarter million hours to install 80,000 plants and restore 50 acres of watershed along two miles of river. Individual projects have been led and supported by 700 students working as part of class projects, resulting in two master's theses and three research articles.

Georgia: The Computer Assisted Debate project from Georgia (Four community-based organizations and agencies in Atlanta, with Emory University) has reduced disciplinary actions by 50% among participating Atlanta high school students who learn to resolve disputes with words, not violence. Participants attend school on average 11 more days a year now and show a 25% increase in literacy measures. Emory students receive regular academic credit for their work and, with community volunteers, teach forensics and serve as judges for the contests.

California: The Tutor Connection Project (Two community-based agencies and a national foundation, with California State University, San Marcos) is closing the achievement gap for foster children in San Diego. In six years, 1,250 student teachers have increased reading scores significantly for 69% of 1,500 foster children and increased standard scores in at least one subject for over 80% of these uniquely vulnerable students. The long term potential will be realized as a large number of teachers enter the profession with direct prior experience the skills needed to help foster children succeed.