October 11, 2011
Dear Friend:
We are excited to share with you the new strategic direction of the Stupski Foundation. Steadfast in our mission of expanding life options for children of color and poverty, our new strategy calls students to the forefront of change. We see students and teachers leading a learning revolution that reinvents American education. As we have learned from our partners at the community level, it has already begun!
The vision of youth-led change is becoming a vibrant reality in places like Cincinnati, Ohio, where students are applying science know-how in real-world business partnerships, and in Manchester, New Hampshire, where fresh opportunities to experience learning have ignited youths’ passion for a wide array of careers. Educators are pioneering new models of learning by tapping into the most underutilized yet fundamental resource in the education system today: the energy and talents of young people.
We have learned over our 15 years of work that students struggling against daunting odds can learn to a much higher level, if the spark of inquiry is lit. Young people of color and poverty will be in the vanguard of the learning revolution, with pioneering teachers and administrators as their essential allies. Today, far too many of these promising students lack not only the supports they need but a vital connection to learning, so they tune out or drop out, with devastating effects on their future. Empowering them will reconnect them to learning and offer them a pathway out of poverty.
To help all young people succeed, technology will play a vital supporting role. A Kentucky high school student puts it best: “Our generation is about technology. We learn better with technology. It will motivate us.” Tech-friendly learning environments will enable youth to grow their skills from the basics to deeper skills such as collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking. We know that technology is a portal to self-directed learning by youth—let’s unlock it.
The learning revolution will spread from the ground up, taking root in schools and classrooms around the country. Beginning in 2011, we have partnered with sites known as the Learning Labs. By connecting students with opportunities to drive their own learning, the Labs will demonstrate how empowering students can improve their achievement. Pioneering students, teachers and administrators will connect, learn from each other and share their breakthroughs, linking together in a powerful network enhanced by technology. Several Learning Labs are located in the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Innovation Lab Network, and our overall effort is aligned with CCSSO’s Partnership for Next Generation Learning. This will help us ensure that lessons that emerge from the Learning Labs are shared across states and catalyze important changes in policy.
Together, we can reinvent American education and expand life opportunities for all youth. We are setting out on a bold new path, and we hope you will join us.
Warmest regards,
