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Wells Fargo Commits Another $300,000 to
Help Oregon School Districts in 1998
Wells Fargo and the Oregon De­
partment of education (ODE) are
teaming up again in 1998 to help
school districts throughout the state
improv c the quality of their instruc­
tion and. ultimately, the math and
science skills of ( )regon’s students.
I he Wells Fargo Foundation has
again committed $300,000 to a pool
ol funds. ()regon school districts that
need financial support to implement
math anil science programs this year
will be encouraged to apply for a
grant from the funds pool. The foun­
dation and the ODE will distribute
information about the grants to school
districts and will jointly review each
application.
I am excited about the prospect
ot working with Wells Fargo for an­
other year," said Norma Paulus, state
superintendent ofpublic instruction.
"Ih is generous support will again
help Oregon schools address a criti­
cal need.”
I he amount that ultimately will be
giv en will depend on the number and
quality of the applications received.
I ast year, in what was the largest
financial commitment Wells Fargo
ever made to Kindergarten through
Grade 12 education, the foundation
also reserved $300,000 lor a similar
pool. Seventeen school districts
throughout Oregon took advantage
P assad o re, who o v ersees the
ol the funds, receiving grants that
bank’s branches in Oregon.
totaled $278,279 to improve their
Through its C haritable C on­
students’ math skills.
tributions Program, W ells Fargo
The funds this year will be avail­
seeks to invest in the com m uni­
able to school districts throughout
ties in which it does business. A
the state where Wells Fargo has
m a jo r fo c u s o f th e b a n k ’s
offices
g ra n t-
to sup-
m a k ­
p o r t
i n g is
t h e
pre-kin-
ODE’s
d
e rg a r-
/
im ple­
t e n
menta­
th ro u g h
tion o f
1 2 th
t h e
g ra d e
new
educa­
m a th
tion.
a n d
“ W e
s c i -
b e lie v e
encestandards forchildren in Kin­
that the future o f our com m unity
dergarten through Grade 12. Wells
rests in the hands o f our youth,"
Fargo is the only corporate spon­
said Passadore, who also volun­
sor o f this program, designed to
teers as a board m em ber o f the
raise the level ot both instruction
Portland Public Schools Foun­
and children’s knowledge o f the
dation. “ It is up to all o f us to
subject.
m ake sure our children have the
“Our hope is to provide partial
educational opportunities they
funding for every request that
need in order to grow into our
meets the criteria and w e’re urg­
com m unity leaders o f to m o r­
ing school districts to subm it
row .”
their applications before the Sept.
More information about the grants
30 deadline, ’ said Wells Fargo
program can be obtained by calling
executive vice • president
- George
----- .iviijuiinii
ui Uiv
Joyce
Benjamin at the Oregon De-
diploma
N e w P ro g ra m A im e d a t B la c k Y ouths
I C
I U E ’ P
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Bv P
P A
A I I L
SH
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With constant stories o f low test
scores and high dropout rates, na­
tional statistics on black educational
achievement paint a bleak picture for
many.
But a new program sponsored by
the National Urban I.eague and cel­
ebrated in an inner-city Washington
church Saturday seeks to makegood
grades and volunteerism the norm
among black youngsters.
We need to create peer groups
for ouryoung people where achieve­
ment matters and achievement is
cool,"said I lugh Price, Urban I.eague
president as he inducted 25 Wash-
ington-area youth into the inaugural
class of the Ihurgood Marshall
Achievers Society.
More than 2,000 youths, ranging
in age from 5 to 17, were admitted to
the society in 32 cities nationwide
Saturday.
In Washington, retired Gen. Colin
Powell, former chairman ofthem ili-
tarv Joint Chiefs o f Staff, implored
.
___
the class of 25 youths to press for
excellence and not to allow negative
peer pressure deter them.
“There is nothing in this society
you can’t have,” Powell said in the
packed Metropolitan BaptistChurch.
“ There is no job you can’t have or
profession you can’t excel in. But
you are going to have to work for it.”
The achievers society is part of
the Campaign for African-American
Achievement, a coalition of black
community organizations that has
come together to raise the academic
performance of black youths.
"We have seen so much progress
in the 50 years since I was coming
up,” Powell said. “But it will all be
irrelevant if we can’t bring up this
new generation of youngsters to be­
lieve in themselves.”
Powell said the effort dove­
tails with his chairm anship o f
A m erica’s Promise, the volun­
teer organization he chairs to
benefit the n ation’s 15 million
jit-ris k youth. The group, born
out o f the P resident’s Summit
tor A m erica’s Future last year in
Philadelphia, is celebrating its
first anniversary.
"We wanted to make sure this
wasn’t just a media event,” Powell
said. “We wanted to tap into the
nation’s consciousness, and the first
year has been pretty good.”
Some have criticized last year’s
volunteerism summit as little more
than a media event with little lasting
effect. But Powell said the fruits of
the Philadelphia gathering have ben­
efited thousands o f Am ericans
through expanded mentoring, youth
employment and church programs.
For example, he said, the U.S.
Chamber of Commerce expanded its
program for youth employment to
cover more than 3 million young
people.
“To naysayers, I say stop
naysaying,” Powell said. “Wehaven’t
turned the whole country around yet,
but we are on the way to something
big.”
hen begin planting 1,000 flowers.
It s partnership between Provi­
dence Portland Medical Center and
Laurelhurst Elementary School or
what is refered to as PALS (Provi­
dence and Laurelhurst School). The
partnership formed last year and has
created a number of opportunities to
provide hands on learning for the
students and many opportunities for
the hospital as well.
Providence Health System part­
ners with a number of schools in its
service area. The PALS program is
expanding to include Fernwood
Middle School in 1998
Colorado Kids Save Pennies,
Free Sudan Slaves
Fifth-graders at a Denver school
were so moved by a news story on
modern-day slavery in Sudan that
they raised $200 to buy freedom for
two Sudanese slaves.
Ashley Holmes said, “Even the
boys were crying" when the class
saw the story about a freed 13-year-
old Dinka girl seeing her mother for
the first time in seven years.
T he S u d a n e se g irl, A kuac
M along, was kidnapped at age 6
and enslaved by an Arab living
in the northern reaches o f the
girl s hom eland. The images cre­
ated by the story inspired the
class to do som ething.
With guidance from teacher Bar­
bara Vogel, the Highline Commu­
nity School students stuffed coins
and dollars in a jar until they had
$200. enough to buy freedom for two
slaves.
They plan to send the money to
Christian Solidarity International, a
Swiss-based humanitarian group that
recently bought freedom for Akuac
and 13 1 other Sudanese slaves.
I he class has also sent letters to
Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and
other elected officials to express
their dismay over the existence of
slavery, and urge them to help put
a stop to it.
FM
Homegrown JAZZ
Saturday 4 -5 p.m.
Features the music of local musicians,
interviews and live music
from the studio.
In the coming weeks, host Mary Burlingame
will be interviewing folks like...
Rebecca Kilgore, Glen Moore and
Gary Hobbs.
COMM UNITY COLLEGE * GRESHAM
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NORTHWEST—
CHILDRENS
THEATER and
— SCHOOL
1819 NW Everett ■ Portland, OR 97209
in the NW Neighborhood Cultural Center
Elect Paul
McCoy
Providence and Laurelhurst School
partnership leads to dirty assignment
The gardens of Providence Port
land medical Center become the
classroom as 90 students from
I aurelhurst Elementary School
transfer book knowledge to hands
on experience. The assignment:
I earn the Latin names of common,
outdoor plants, design a garden and
You Can Now
Find Ils On The
Web!
partment of Education at 503/ 378-
3573, ext. 532.
Wells Fargo committed in 1996 to
donating a total of $300 million dur­
ing a l()-year period to deserving
community organizations in the 10
states in which it does business. As of
Dec. 31,1997, the company had do­
nated more than $40 million.
Wells Fargo & Co. is the nation’s
1 Oth largest banking company based
on assets at Dec. 31,1997. Its North­
west Division includes branches
throughout Oregon.
Multnomah County
Commissioner • District 2
Proven Experience ▲ Trusted Leadership
Paul McCoy has lived in District 2 all his life — raising a family, running a
business, and serving his community. His work in the Oregon State Legislature
and Portland City Hall gives him the valuable experience needed to better serve
Multnomah County. Paul McCoy has taken a leadership role in helping many
organizations that support North and Northeast Portland neigborhoods.
P aul M cCoy is e n d o r s e d by: State Treasurer
Paul McCoy will:
• Encourage the creation of
new jobs and local businesses.
• Provide teens with alternatives
to street life, gangs and drugs.
• Work to increase affordable
housing.
• Ensure the County delivers
quality medical care and
combats domestic abuse and
child neglect.
• Work to bring hope and shelter
to homeless adults and teens.
• Listen to people’s ideas and
concerns.
Authorized and paid for by Friends of Paul McCoy
Jim Hili, State Rep. Mike Fahey, State Rep. Dan
Gardner, State Sen. Thomas Wilde, State Sen. Cliff
Trow, State Sen. Joan Dukes, M etro Com. Ed
W ashington, S k a n n e r Publisher Bernie Foster,
P o rtla n d O bserver Editor Charles Washington,
Lucious Hicks, Raleigh Lewis, Rev. Rozell Gilmore,
Henry Scott, Mel Harris, Mike Rumpakis, Bart
Jankans, Rev. Victor Brown, Leon Smith, Greg Smith,
Tom Booth, Baruti Artharee, Tom Moyer, Gail Shibley,
Michael Fitz, Harry Lonsdale, Reman Bagley, Tom
Stubblefield, C arpenters Union, Local 247; Pile
Drivers & Shipwrights, Local 2416; and Eastside
Democrats.
Vote Paul McCoy
on May 19th