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The Background - The Philadelphia High School for
Girls (GHS) has a 168-year history as a public, college preparatory
school. The heritage of GHS is founded in tradition, for academically
talented young women drawn from the diversity of the City of Philadelphia,
PA.
The Need - A recent visit to the school
(September 2016) assessed a need for professional support in staffing,
management and resources for the school’s library. Due to a lack of
funding, the school has been without a professional librarian since 2013.
The Solution - Members of GHS Class of 210 (1966) are coming together on a Task Force to engage fellow alumnae, students, faculty, staff and friends in modeling a world class 21st Century library asset at their alma mater.
The project will engage caring adults, as well as youth and young adults (ages 7-24). It is not enough, however, to identify short-term resources to simply re-open the GHS library. The project must identify a long-term strategy of sustainability for future generations. It is also critical that the project creates a replicable and scalable model for other schools throughout the nation that are struggling with the same challenges.
The Preliminary Research - The Philadelphia Inquirer reported the School District of Philadelphia had 176 certified librarians in 1992, but by 2011 there were only 65. And, after devastating budget cuts, many school libraries were forced to close.
The American Library
Association (ALA), the voice of America’s libraries, is the oldest, largest and
most influential library association in the world. It has approximately
56,000 members and represents all types of libraries. According to the
ALA study published in 2015 on the State of America’s
Libraries, academic
library expenditures for salaries and wages accounted for 55.4% of the total
expenditures on average.
On an average, salaries and
wages constituted 74.1% of total library expenditures for associate degree–granting
institutions, 51.4% for baccalaureate, 52.3% for comprehensive schools, and
43.8% for doctoral/research institutions. According to the study, the
average salary in 2012-2013 for academic librarians was $53,000.”
The Proposed Partnership
Resources
21st Century Library Project - This project will require a project manager and diverse human resources: librarians, educators, computer and data systems analysts, hardware and software gurus, information and communication experts, social media specialists, accountants, finance and development officers, research/grant writers, legal counsel, philanthropists, students, faculty, staff, alumnae and friends to facilitate. Geographic location is not an issue for any project participant who can devote at least one hour per week in a teleconference video meeting. The project will, however, require some team members who live, work or worship in the tristate area, PA-DE-NJ, to spend some time at the GHS library. Team leaders must have high speed Internet, a computer or laptop with a camera, a working email and Linked-In profile. Project development is by the Class of 210 but all classes are invited to participate. CLICK HERE TO JOIN US!
The Team Leaders:
** Engaged in project team
leader training on collaboration platform.
The Alumnae Association of the Philadelphia High School for Girls - The mission of the Association shall be to perpetuate the ideals and promote the welfare of the Philadelphia High School for Girls, to further and protect the interests of the Association and its members, to cultivate fellowship and helpfulness among them and to advance in every way all efforts looking to the enlargement and enhancement of opportunities for women. Engaging the association in the 21st Century Library Project would help to identify members who are ready, willing and able to enhance the lives of current GHS students by their involvement in their lives and this project.
The Drexel College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) includes the following graduate programs that could prove extremely beneficial to the GHS Library Project:
·
Master of Science in
Library and Information Science (MSLIS) -- American Library Association-accredited
program is ranked 10th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
·
Master of Science in
Computer Science (MSCS) --
Designed to provide breadth of understanding in the core topics of computer
science.
·
Master of Science in
Information Systems (MSIS) --
Designed for professionals serious about broadening their knowledge in
information systems and technology.
The Drexel Women in Computing Society (WiCS) recently won a seed-funding grant from Google.org and the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT). WiCS plans to use the grant to enrich and expand their mentorship program.
The NCWIT Student Seed Fund, sponsored by Google.org, offers an opportunity to create or expand ACM-W chapters on college and university campuses. As a U.S Academic Alliance member, the College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is one of 200 distinguished colleges and universities charged with implementing institutional change in higher education. Funded programs have included technology-related learning and advancement opportunities, including programming workshops, peer mentoring and support, professional training, after-school programs and more.
The Drexel Cooperative Education Program offers employers a host of advantages, including: an unlimited resource of motivated and skilled future professionals; six-month employment cycles that provide flexible scheduling options; and the opportunity to tap into the Greater Philadelphia region's most qualified job candidates before they join the work force. Co-op employers are coordinated through the Steinbright Career Development Center's Employer Resources page.
Youth Achievers USA Institute (YouthUSA) YouthUSA qualifies economic beneficiaries through its proprietary capacity building program, THE ANNUAL YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS. The program is accessible online: www.YouthUSA.net. A priority objective for each adult supporter of this project is to qualify a minimum of one youth beneficiary (ages 7-24) by April 15, 2017. YouthUSA will create at least three $1,000 Fellowships for GHS students pursuing undergraduate degrees at Drexel CCI.
Existing Drexel – YouthUSA Relationship - Youth Achievers USA Institute (YouthUSA), a national 501c3 public charity, promotes economic security through Positive Youth Development. Stephanie A. Walker Stradford, Chair and CEO, is a graduate of The Philadelphia High School for Girls (Class of 210). Mrs. Stradford also serves as the sole trustee for the Evelyn Walker Armstrong Estate and Living Trust. The late Evelyn Walker Armstrong (1927-2015) served as a board member of YouthUSA. A lifelong philanthropist and accomplished information scientist, Armstrong earned her Master’s Degree in library science from Drexel’s College of Information Science and Technology (now CCI) in 1956. In addition to founding The J.D. and Laurena Walker Fund of Youth Achievers USA Institute, Armstrong was a longtime and generous supporter of Drexel University. Evelyn Walker Armstrong also served as an adjunct faculty member, a visiting lecturer, president of the Alumni Association, member of the Advisory Committee on Accreditation, and on the College’s Advisory Council.
In 2001, she established the Evelyn Walker Armstrong Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a minority library and information science master's student on the basic of academic merit and financial aid. In 1992, she was inducted to the University’s hall of fame, known as the The Drexel 100. Armstrong also left an endowed scholarship to the School of Pharmacy, Howard University (D.C.). She was employed by MERCK Company, Inc. for 42 years and served as Director of Library Sciences. She is most noted for opening MERCK libraries in England and Canada.
The Conclusion – ALL INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT AND RELATED TO THIS PROJECT IS PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL! It is the intent of this Draft Executive Summary to interest and confirm project partners. There are enormous benefits to collaborating on this project:
·
Students
at The Philadelphia High School for Girls (GHS) have an opportunity for a
first-class 21st Century library.
·
The
partnering university can become the lead grantee on a national model for high
schools challenged by a loss in library funding and/or the need to upgrade.
·
GHS
and other high schools who use this model might become “feeder institutions”
for the partnering university. This initiative may increase their
freshman and/or graduate school enrollment.
·
Past
and current recipients of The Evelyn Walker Armstrong Endowed Scholarship at
Drexel CCI are provided with a unique “Learn-2-Earn” opportunity with YouthUSA
and GHS.
·
Participating
partners will be recognized within this project, future marketing materials,
and during the dedication at the “new” GHS 21st Century Library.
ACTION - Our friends may now sign up for this
Community Engagement initiative as a project partner. If you know that
your nonprofit organization, corporation or foundation has an interest, you can
register indicating your affiliation under Relationship. This
registration provides the team leaders with a gauge of our capacity and capabilities
via your Linked-In profile. It does not permanently commit your
organization or group, which will be done later through a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU). If your Relationship category is not listed, please
click Friend of YouthUSA. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.
YouthUSA will sponsor, schedule
and host on-line LIVE MEETINGS to engage alumnae, current students,
professionals and partners in sustained and substantive project planning.
Participants will need a computer or laptop with a web camera connected
to high speed Internet. Notification of meetings will be provided via
Linked-In messages to registered project partners only. All meetings will
be held in The Evelyn Walker Armstrong Virtual Library, an on-line meeting
place supported by On-Demand Project Management.
TENTATIVE LIVE PROJECT MEETING AGENDA
2016
October 1-30: Identify the problem or need; Research and write the Executive Summary; Share Executive Summary with GHS principal; Social media outreach to identify team leaders; Assess potential resources and partners; Project approval by GHS principal; Outreach to potential partners; Confirm conference call date with team leaders; Convene conference call meeting; Begin online technical assistance for team leaders.
November 1-15: Share Executive Summary with team leaders; Continue team leader technical assistance; Host initial online virtual meeting for team leaders; Online Q&A; Team leaders select area of management specialty for project involvement; Team leader assignments.
December 1-15: Team leader assessments and reports; Create 2017 calendar and assignments.
2017
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
The AMWS Educational Channel is one of seven program assets of the national 501c3 public charity, Youth Achievers USA Institute. The channel reports on leadership opportunities for YouthUSA beneficiaries, supporting adults and qualifying partners. Programming for this channel is the responsibility of a qualifying Asset Manager of YouthUSA. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate measurable value to the YouthUSA corporate mission. A transparent, non-discriminatory selection process begins with an applicant’s written vision for this channel. Please post your brief 3-5 sentence vision statement as a comment to this page.
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