NEW YORK, May 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, thousands of students from more than 100 schools across the country are celebrating Better World Day by presenting learning projects and engaging in acts of service that demonstrate the effectiveness of the EL Education model for public school: a place where children become great scholars and active citizens with the capacity to make a positive impact.
Better World Day is the culmination of rigorous year-long learning happening in thousands of EL Education schools and an opportunity to see the authentic changes that determined students can have on the world around them when given the academic tools and social opportunities to become active contributors to a better world. This annual national event showcases rigorous learning that contributes to a better world and features elementary, middle, and high school students.
“In a rapidly-changing world, thousands of students, educators, and community members are coming together to make real change in their communities, taking on issues that are important to their families, and delivering lasting improvement and value,” said Ron Berger, Senior Advisor at EL Education. “For more than 30 years, EL Education has been proud to support students as they put their academic learning to use to build stronger, healthier communities. We organize Better World Day because we know that kids have the power to contribute: not just in college and in their careers, but today, as students.”
Here are examples of efforts around the country:
- Students in Alpharetta, Ga., leveraging their math, English language arts, and leadership skills to develop tangible solutions to support the unhoused.
- Students in Madison, Wis., applying their knowledge of literacy to promote early reading by creating literacy kits to honor the memory of a beloved teacher.
- Students in Brooklyn, in New York City bringing together community members and elected officials to create a public art project addressing the intersection of climate change and systemic racism.
- Students in Baltimore working side-by-side with community members to produce a documentary about diverse perspectives on surviving and thriving in their home city.
- Students in Denver urging legislators to protect pollinators and partnering with a farm to create pollinator-friendly gardens on school grounds as part of a weeks-long effort combining environmentalism and activism.
- Students in Oakland, Calif., participating in an intergenerational event focused on storytelling.
In addition to the in-person communal activities at schools across the country, EL Education students will host an online Better World Day Community Circle at noon EDT on Friday, May 5. This virtual event is student-led, service-centered, and open to the public. Guests can register to attend at ELEducation.org/BetterWorldDay.
EL Education is also announcing the recipients of three media grants for $2,000 each to EL Education schools or districts that will co-create mini-documentaries about their 2023 Better World Day projects. This year’s recipients are: Amana Academy in Alpharetta, Ga.; Elvehjem Elementary School in Madison, Wis.; and EnCompass Academy Elementary School in Oakland, Calif. The Better World Day documentaries will be screened at the EL Education National Conference in Denver from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.
The projects and presentations on Better World Day are models of the kind of learning happening in hundreds of EL Education schools every day: where character development and scholarship are inextricably linked and equally important to achievement. The EL Education model is based on the science of learning and development, decades of research showing that student achievement flourishes when schools nurture social, emotional, cognitive, and academic growth together.
Studies show that EL Education students outperform their peers at the district and state on standardized tests and measures of character. For details on Better World Day projects and more on the media grantee winners, go to https://eleducation.org/news-and-events/better-world-day.
About EL Education
EL Education is a national nonprofit partnering with K-12 educators to transform public schools and districts into hubs of opportunity for all students to achieve excellent equitable outcomes. EL Education is guided by a vision of education equity embracing the genius in every child and by a reimagined definition of student achievement. EL Education offers research-proven resources and practices, including the acclaimed EL Education K-8 Language Arts curriculum, Core Practices, and aligned professional learning. EL Education was founded in 1991 and currently serves 440,000 students in diverse communities across the country. Learn more at ELeducation.org.
Kimberly Hefling EL Education kimberly.hefling@gmmb.com
