October 2015
Together for Tomorrow Team Goes to Washington!
On Thursday, September 10 educators and community partners from around the country joined together with special international representatives for the Fifth Annual President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge Gathering at Howard University in Washington, DC.
The event featured a variety of guest speakers and breakout sessions that reflected the important interfaith and community service progress that is occurring across the country. Participants were able to learn and take part in important discussions about how to continue making progress and addressing challenges.
A team of Together for Tomorrow representatives from Downey and the Harrisburg School District, Harrisburg community, and Messiah College led a session discussing what is meant by community engagement and the ways in which it is happening. The session featured a film developed by Northern Ireland filmmaker Paul Moorehead, “Ticking the Box,” which discusses community engagement through the perspective of Together for Tomorrow and Downey School.
A panel that also included Mr. Moorehead discussed the implications of the film while involving audience members in a vibrant conversation. The session represented an important opportunity for the Together for Tomorrow team to share the progress we have made over the course of the past two years!
In addition to the breakout session, the event featured presentations from Rev. Brenda Girton-Mitchell who serves as the Director of the Center for Faith-based and neighborhood Partnerships with the U.S. Department of Education and Melissa Rogers, the Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Participants then were able to watch a special video presentation from President Obama who discussed the important work of interfaith and community service efforts taking place around the country.
Eboo Patel, the founder and President of the Interfaith Youth Core message about respect for people’s diverse religious and non-religious identities, mutually inspiring relationships between people of different backgrounds, and common action for the common good sparked a lively and productive dialogue among participants. Other special guests included Bill Basl and Paul Monteiro, Co-Directors of AmeriCorps VISTA and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge serves as an annual opportunity to bring together educators and community members to learn and share ideas and celebrate the powerful impact of service and interfaith engagement happening in communities across the country.
PACC*VISTA Fall Workshop
On September 17, Pennsylvania Campus Compact hosted a Fall Workshop event for all PACC* VISTAs from colleges around Pennsylvania.
The gathering brought together nearly 25 AmeriCorps VISTAs and their host site supervisors for an exciting and packed day of professional development activities. The VISTAs and host site supervisors learned more about the central goals of VISTA, community capacity building and long-term sustainability, and leadership assessment.
Finally, the day offered VISTAs and supervisors the opportunity to learn about other PACC* VISTA projects happening across the state and discuss similar challenges and opportunities.
Pennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC) is an organization which offers statewide support for member institutions who sustain an environment, culture, and infrastructure for student civic and community engagement and campus/community partnerships.
As one of the three oldest state Campus Compacts which were established in 1988, PACC has grown to 64 institutional members representing community college, private/liberal art colleges, PASSHE schools, and the Penn State System. For more information, please visit http://www.paccompact.org/
Action Teams Update
Although September brings the formal end of summer and warm weather, it also means the Downey Action Teams have started meeting for the 2015-2016 School Year!
The action teams focusing on Academic Improvement, Socio-Emotional 21st Century Life Skills, and Culture of Leadership have all been busy making progress on initiatives that support student attendance, positive behavior, course completion, college accessibility, and employability.
Some upcoming Action Team Events this year will include Leadership Day, MLK Day, and Downey Days.
Downey School Open House
Teachers, staff members, community members, and families gathered for Downey School Open House in September! Families were able to meet teachers while learning more about ways to get involved at Downey. The event represents a great opportunity to bring the entire Downey community together. Thank you to everyone involved!
Upcoming Events
Career Morning Wednesday, October 21 9:00AM -11:00AM
Downey’s student leaders will have the opportunity to learn about future careers at Downey’s Career Morning!
Students will receive information about career fields, hear interesting stories from our community partners about how they became interested in their career fields, and personalize the importance of their education in reaching their goals. The event helps students understand and visualize the many career opportunities available to them while connecting our community with Downey School.
If you are interested in participating, please contact School Counselor Dawn Kaloz at 717-703-1561 or email dkaloz@hbgsd.us.
Be sure to check out our next blog postings for pictures from this exciting event!
Incentive Day October 29
Do You Want to Learn More?
“Like” our Facebook page for constant updates
and pictures!
www.facebook.com/tft.downey.messiah
School District website
http://www.hbgsd.k12.pa.us
Agape Center at Messiah College website
http://www.messiah.edu/info/21015/agap%C3%A9_center
We are always open and listening to suggestions for new ways to connect you with information.
Any questions or comments please contact: Andy Dessel, Together for Tomorrow Coordinator at: tftcoord@messiah.edu