FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sally Dannov
Chairman, Board of Directors
20/20 Leadership
Sallyzd@aol.com
Kansas City Missouri Schools Earn Highest Prizes in 20/20 Leadership’s “Olympics” Competition
Student leaders from 3 area high schools, Lincoln Academy, Paseo Academy and Independence School
District’s William Chrisman High School took the Gold, Silver and Bronze prizes in a student led project competition called “20/20 Olympics”. “This project based learning approach to building a team, developing a marketing plan and executing a community wide project is a highly effective way to teach students to get outside their classroom and make a difference”, said Marilyn Alstrom, Executive Director of the metro wide non profit agency which develops “Leaders for a Lifetime” in 22 area high schools (ten school districts in
Jackson, Johnson and Wyandotte Counties.)
Alstrom further explains “We had student groups from 10 area high school groups present at Hallmark Cards this month. Area corporate partners Sprint, UMB and Independence Power and Light and Hallmark Cards judged the competition. “This is the culmination of our year of learning about personal choice, professional and workforce development and community service. Students have the tools and the confidence to go out into the world after high school and achieve their goals,” explains Dr. Ray Daniels, Program Development
Chair of 20/20 Leadership and former Kansas City Kansas Superintendent. Daniels was instrumental in developing the 20/20 Leadership program from a 1 year to a 2 year program for high school Juniors and
Seniors. Daniels also led the organization’s Program Committee to develop 20/20 Olympics and measure student satisfaction and outcomes.
The schools and winning projects are:
--Lincoln Academy: Operation Breakthrough
--Paseo Academy: Arts R Us Program
--William Chrisman: Special Education Musical
Lincoln Academy students chose to spend a day during their Spring Break with clients at Operation
Breakthrough while students from Paseo Academy are working to re-energize the Arts Curriculum at their school. Independence School District’s William Chrisman High School students want to bring back a school musical designed and executed specifically for their special education students. “The projects themselves are exciting and worthwhile, but it’s also the process of building and presenting a project that takes students to the next level and prepares them for the real world. It’s a powerful and exciting combination and a great way to get students involved in a very positive way,” says Mal Warrick of Hallmark Cards and former Board Chair of 20/20 Leadership.
Prizes are $500 for the Gold, $250 for the Silver and $100 for the Bronze and will be awarded at the upcoming
May 4 Honoring Ceremony, 5:45-7PM at the Kauffman Foundation. Monies will be applied toward their projects.
#
20/20 Leadership is a bi-state youth educational and development program and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission is to educate and expose students to community issues, develop personal and leadership skills, and build community-wide relationships. 20/20 Leadership creates a stronger work force and more involved community. Contact Sally Dannov, Chairman BOD, sallyzd@aol.com
or Marilyn Alstrom,
20/20 Leadership Executive Director, at mjalsrom@sunflower.com or visit www.2020leadership.org for more information.