| Miranda Restovic
Director
504.620.2486
Shantrell Adams Associate Director 504.620.2625 adams@leh.orgHolly Bell
Assistant Director/ Mahalia Jackson Center Project Coordinator
504.620.2627
bell@leh.org Christopher Robert Program Assistant 504.620.2639 504.620.2480
sartisky@leh.org |
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PRIME TIME Receives $50,000 Entergy Grant | |
 The LEH is pleased to announce a new $50,000 philanthropic partnership with the New Orleans-based Entergy Charitable Foundation. The donation will underwrite an expansion of the LEH's award-winning PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program across the Greater New Orleans area throughout 2011 and 2012. A total of ten Entergy-funded PRIME TIME programs will expand the capacity to reach approximately 400 6 to10 year-old students who are at risk for low literacy.
"This donation comes at a pivotal time in the evolution of education and family literacy in Greater New Orleans," said Miranda Restovic, director of the PRIME TIME program. "While the ongoing educational reform movement is certainly making positive strides, the lingering problem of intergenerational illiteracy and low literacy remains a systemic inhibitor of basic educational progress. We are extremely grateful to Jennifer Quezergue, Patty Riddlebarger, and everyone at the Entergy Charitable Foundation for assisting with PRIME TIME's program expansion in one of the highest need regions of our state." |
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2011 Award Event: The LEH and PRIME TIME Honor the Nebraska Humanities Council | |
 Each year, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities honors individuals and agencies that have made outstanding contributions to the study and understanding of the humanities. This year, the Public Humanities Program Award will be presented to Jane Hood (former executive director), Chris Sommerich (current executive director) and Erika Hamilton (director of literary programs) of the Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) for their role in expanding PRIME TIME's national impact.
From 2002 to 2010, the NHC has implemented PRIME TIME programming at an astounding rate. During that period, 71 highly successful programs have been completed throughout the state (this is the second highest number of programs in any state outside of Louisiana). In 2002, the NHC was awarded one of several NEH national expansion grants which provided funding and resources for the completion of one PRIME TIME program. In 2004, the NHC came on board as a self-funded affiliate. It is important to note that since receiving the initial funding for a single PRIME TIME program, the NHC has not received any subsequent national expansion grants from the LEH. Each of the 70 additional programs occurred as a result of the council's diligent fundraising efforts and overwhelming commitment to bringing high quality humanities programming to families in need. The NHC plans to complete 14 additional programs during 2011.
According to Erika Hamilton, director of literary programs and state project director for PRIME TIME at the NHC, "PRIME TIME has become a priority for the NHC because it addresses an important issue in our state -- the achievement gap in reading scores and graduation rates for Hispanics, African Americans and Native Americans. This program helps strengthen participants' interest and skills in reading, discussing and applying what happens in the books to what has happened or may happen in their own lives."
The LEH and PRIME TIME are honored to continue working with the Nebraska Humanities Council and wish to thank its supporters and partners for their commitment to literacy and the humanities on behalf of Nebraska's families.
This year's award ceremony is scheduled for April 2nd, 12:30 p.m. at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens on River Road in Darrow, LA. For tickets to the awards ceremony or additional information, contact Brian Boyles at the LEH, 504-620-2622 or boyles@leh.org.
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PRIME TIME and Connect2Educate Participate in 2011 Urban League Schools Expo | |
 On Saturday, March 12th the Urban League of Greater New Orleans hosted its 5th annual Schools Expo at the University of New Orleans, Lindy Boggs Conference Center. This event has become critical in creating equity in school choice while building a brighter future for all children. By providing a one-stop shop, parents learned about all school options in New Orleans. The goal of the Expo is to also provide families with information on resources available throughout the community which compliment and augment the Urban League's central aim: developing healthy, happy and intellectually accomplished children. The PRIME TIME staff participated by hosting a community resource booth, and shared details about PRIME TIME, its impact, and ongoing programs in the metro area with local parents in attendance.
The Connect2Educate Collaborative, of which PRIME TIME is a founding member, partnered with the Urban League to host a complimentary Breakfast Networking Event for the school and community resource providers who hosted booths at the Expo. All school and resource provider representatives were invited to enjoy hot coffee, juice, fresh fruit, and pastries while networking with other resource providers.
PRIME TIME and C2E are proud to have participated in this important community event, and we thank the Urban League of Greater New Orleans for its collaborative spirit and hard work on behalf of New Orleans' families. |
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Join Us at the 2011 American Library Association Conference in New Orleans | |
 The annual conference of the American Library Association is returning to New Orleans this year! "The world's largest and most dynamic library conference and exhibition" will take place at the Ernest M. Morial Convention Center, just blocks away from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and PRIME TIME headquarters in downtown New Orleans. Please visit the 2011 ALA conference website for additional details on the conference.
On Saturday, June 25th from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., PRIME TIME is scheduled to host a session entitled: "ABC's of Sustainable Partnerships: Affiliations Build Communities." Across the nation, libraries and humanities councils have partnered to fund public programming in libraries and schools. A variety of successful outreach models, including the award-winning PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program, will be showcased.
PRIME TIME Director Miranda Restovic will moderate as representatives from states including Louisiana, Georgia (Elaine Black, Georgia Public Library Service), and Michigan (Cynthia Dimitrijevic, Michigan Humanities Council) share their unique experiences with the PRIME TIME model. Also, panel members from the ALA Public Programs Office (Lainie Castle, Project Director), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (Dr. Thomas C. Phelps, Director of the Division of Public Programs) will share impressive results of collaborative efforts, including bilingual and multicultural programming. A recently released study titled: "Stemming the Tide of Intergenerational Illiteracy: A Ten-Year Impact Study of PRIME TIME Family Reading Time" will be presented.
Additionally, the LEH and PRIME TIME staff will host a reception for past, present, and future PRIME TIME team members attending the ALA conference. This will be a fun and informal gathering for the national PRIME TIME community. The reception will be hosted at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall and will feature New Orleans cuisine. Additional details will be announced soon.
Are YOU attending this year's ALA conference in New Orleans?!
We welcome opportunities to see old and new friends. Contact the PRIME TIME staff if you plan to be in New Orleans for the ALA conference. |
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2011 Louisiana Library Association Conference in Lafayette | |
 On Friday, March 18, PRIME TIME Associate Director Shantrell Adams will participate in a session at the 2011 Louisiana Library Association (LLA) Annual Conference in Lafayette. The session entitled: "Connecting Libraries and Communities: Try Your Luck with Grants and Resources from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities" will also feature Joyce Miller, editor of the recently launched encyclopedia of Louisiana history and culture, KnowLA; and Jim Segreto, director of the library-based reading and discussion program for adults, RELIC. This program will introduce participants to the LEH and the grants and programs that are available to public and school libraries in Louisiana. Visit http://www.llaonline.org/ne/lla_conference.php for details on the LLA conference.
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PRIME TIME Fall 2011 Louisiana Grant Applications Are Now Available! | |
Deadline: Friday, April 15, 2011
The PRIME TIME staff is now accepting applications for Fall 2011 programs in Louisiana. Public libraries, schools, community centers, and other public institutions are encouraged to apply.
PRIME TIME Family Reading Time is a unique humanities-focused and outcomes-based family literacy program. Created by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH) in 1991, the mission of PRIME TIME is to create the precondition for future learning among economically and educationally vulnerable families. PRIME TIME's methodology is proven to generate long-term improvements in student achievement by transforming families into individual and collective communities that continue to read and learn together long after the program ends.
Read more about PRIME TIME's impact on student achievement here.
Using state and private funds, PRIME TIME grants are awarded twice annually for Fall and Spring/Summer sessions. The deadline to apply for Fall 2011 is April 15th. Due to an extreme reduction in state funding, the number of awards available for Fall 2011 has been reduced. Eligible applications that are not approved for Fall 2011 will be considered for future terms upon reapplying when/if additional funding becomes available. Eligible organizations will be kept up-to-date on the status of their PRIME TIME grant applications.
Click here to access a PRIME TIME grant application. Or, for more information about PRIME TIME please download our program brochure, or contact Miranda Restovic at 504.620.2486. |
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July 2011 PRIME TIME Training Workshop |
 The PRIME TIME Training Workshop is scheduled for the weekend of July 16 - 17. Consultants and trainees from several states are expected to join the PRIME TIME staff for two days of intense instruction and practice based on the PRIME TIME methodology.
The workshop will be hosted at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans. As always, it promises to be an enlightening and exciting experience. Please contact Shantrell Adams with questions regarding upcoming training opportunities. |
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