2012-01-30T14:46:43-05:00 Zend_Feed_Writer http://www.foundationforocps.org 2012-01-25T00:00:00-05:00 2012-01-30T14:46:43-05:00 http://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/7 Press Release   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Cindy Williams – 407-317-3261 or cynthia.williams2@ocps.net   ORLANDO, FL (January 23, 2012) – With all the pomp and circumstance of the NBA finals, the Orlando Magic Youth Fund (OMYF), a fund of the McCormick Foundation, presented the Foundation for OCPS with $50,000 to support literacy programs in Orange County Public Schools.   This investment will help the Foundation implement supplemental reading programs targeting many of the district’s lowest performing students. The goal is to help improve student literacy through reading at critical points along the educational pathway as identified by professional educators.   "Strong literacy skills provide the foundation for all other learning,” says Cindy Williams, executive director of the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools. "This gift will help elevate literacy in Orange County and impact hundreds, if not thousands, of Orange County’s struggling readers.”   "It is a pleasure to support the Foundation for OCPS and see how children are impacted through the Read2Succeed program and other innovative new efforts. The Orlando Magic Youth Foundation is committed to raising dollars for education and it is these programs that are truly changing the lives of our children in Central Florida. For the third year in a row, the Foundation for OCPS has received a grant and is part of the 2012 OMYF All-Star Team,” says Betsey Bell, executive director of the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.   About the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Established in 1987, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, Inc. is a non-profit organization that develops and focuses community resources to make a meaningful difference in the success of Orange County Public School students and teachers. The organization serves the 10th largest public school system in the nation, supporting more than 180,000 students, approximately 13,000 teachers and 182 schools in the county. For more information, visit www.foundationforocps.org or call 407-317-3261.   # # # 2012-01-24T00:00:00-05:00 2012-01-30T14:23:33-05:00 http://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/6 News Release   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Cindy Williams – 407-317-3261 or cynthia.williams2@ocps.net   ORLANDO, FL (January 25, 2012) – The Universal Orlando Foundation is funding a pilot Middle School Morning Book Club at Howard, Legacy and Westridge middle schools to encourage "pleasure” reading.   Middle school students start their school days around 9:30 a.m., although students start arriving at schools as early as 7:30. The program will run an hour before school starts once or twice a week and will be guided by a facilitator.   Engaging students in enjoyable reading activities during this unstructured time will strengthen their literacy skills, foster positive relationships with adults and other participants, and build the social nature of reading. Students will discuss responses, share insights and learn from the interpretations of other readers.   Each club will operate slightly different. Some will separate girls and boys into different groups, some will use e-readers, some will incorporate a parent involvement component. All will focus on building the joy of reading.   "Strong literacy skills provide the foundation for success in all learning areas including science and math,” says Cynthia Williams, executive director of the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools. "It’s critical to have strong community partners like the Universal Orlando Foundation to help elevate student literacy through programs like Middle School Morning Book Clubs.”   About the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Established in 1987, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, Inc. is a non-profit organization that develops and focuses community resources to make a meaningful difference in the success of Orange County Public School students and teachers. The organization serves the 10th largest public school system in the nation, supporting more than 180,000 students, approximately 13,000 teachers and 182 schools in the county. For more information, visit www.foundationforocps.org or call 407-317-3261.   # # # 2012-01-18T00:00:00-05:00 2012-01-30T10:13:12-05:00 http://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/3 Volunteers are needed to work with 2nd grade students who are struggling readers.  Mentors meet with a pair of students one hour a week.  Training is provided along with materials for the Six Minute Solution curriculum.  Click below for more information and to register.   Read2Succeed 2012-01-03T00:00:00-05:00 2012-01-17T15:43:48-05:00 http://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/5 News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Cindy Williams – 407-317-3261 or cynthia.williams2@ocps.net Mary Chance – 352-338-0250 or marychance@cfef.net   ORLANDO, FL (January 3, 2012) – Fifty-five students at Edgewater High School will have the opportunity to learn and apply STEM skills beyond the classroom through an Innovation Generation grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions Inc. The Motorola Solutions Foundation provided $50,000 to challenge Florida’s district-wide local education foundations to inspire students through projects designed to help them solve real-world problems in science, math, technology and engineering (STEM) areas this school year through a grant to the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations(CFEF).   The Foundation for OCPS’s project was one of 11 chosen to receive $4,750 through a competitive judging process where 20 proposed projects were reviewed and scored by a panel of STEM industry professionals through CFEF.   Edgewater High School Students enrolled in a Computer Animation and Robotics course will work in teams to build Lego Mindstorm Robots that will complete advanced tasks while incorporating sounds and expressions. Students will learn how computer animators bring life to robots and the real-world applications robotics has in business. Students also will benefit from the expertise of an industry professional from Dynamic Animation Systems who will guide and mentors the teams during weekly visits.   "The future of American innovation depends on a diverse pipeline of critical thinkers who are well versed in STEM principles,” said Matt Blakely, director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. "Through the Innovation Generation program, we are thrilled to partner with programs like CFEF and their member education foundations in Florida to provide students and teachers with the necessary tools to explore their STEM interests and pursue innovation.”   About the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools Established in 1987, the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, Inc. is a non-profit organization that develops and focuses community resources to make a meaningful difference in the success of Orange County Public School students and teachers. The organization serves the 10th largest public school system in the nation, supporting more than 180,000 students, approximately 13,000 teachers and 182 schools in the county. For more information, visit www.foundationforocps.org or call 407-317-3261.   About the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) CFEF is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, CFEF seeks to advance student achievement in Florida by increasing private sector investment and involvement in public education. CFEF now has 55 member foundations with 1,100 business and community leaders serving as volunteer board members. Collectively, they raise $40 Million annually to support students, teachers and schools through a variety of programs. CFEF has provided more than $20 Million to local education foundations since 2002 through various private and public sector partnerships, including the State of Florida School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program.   # # #