| Miranda Restovic
Co-Director
504.620.2486
Shantrell Adams
Associate Director
504.620.2625
adams@leh.org
Holly 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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| Mahalia Jackson Center Hosts its First
PRIME TIME Program | |
 In March 2010, the LEH and PRIME TIME formally joined the Early Childhood & Family Learning Foundation (ECFLF) by committing to deliver a year-long project which includes several initiatives based on the PRIME TIME methodology at the Mahalia Jackson Center (MJC) in Central City, New Orleans.
Holly Bell, PRIME TIME assistant director and MJC coordinator, will implement this multilayered project beginning with a traditional 6 week PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program that starts on October 12 and ends on November 16. Currently, over 40 families have enrolled to participate in the program which will feature Dr. Bobbie Stevenson as scholar and Donald Lewis as storyteller.
In addition to the PRIME TIME Family Reading Time program, Holly will also provide on-going parent/child literacy support via monthly PRIME TIME book clubs and professional development and classroom support via PRIME TIME teacher workshops for Central City elementary schools.
With the goal of enrolling every Central City child in the MJC early education program, the foundation has partnered with vital institutions to provide much-needed services to entire families within the community. Such services include job training, health care, child care, and a public library, as well as arts and humanities programming which includes PRIME TIME Family Reading Time. The LEH is pleased to have a presence at this ground-breaking community center. According to Holly Bell, "The Mahlia Jackson Center is an ambitious and dynamic undertaking, and a wonderful model for collaborative programming. The response of the community for the PRIME TIME program has been tremendous. This is a win-win partnership that can only result in a positive experience for all the parties involved."
The Mahalia Jackson Center opened this year on May 15th and is located at 2405 Jackson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113. Click here to learn more about the Center and the Early Childhood & Family Learning Foundation. Contact Holly Bell for more additional details on PRIME TIME at MJC. |
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PRIME TIME Final Reports Are Now Online! | |
 We are pleased to announce that some PRIME TIME reports and forms have been updated and placed online to enhance data collection. Starting with the Fall 2010 session, we request that all team members from Louisiana and NEH national expansion grant sites complete and submit the following reports online:
Program Coordinator Final Report,
Community Organizer Final Report,
Preschool Coordinator Final Report,
Scholar and Storyteller Final Report,
Site Visit Evaluation Form for state project directors.
Attached, you will find PDF versions of the forms for your review. The PDF's do not include answer choices, however. Please save a copy of the applicable final report to your hard drive for use as a note-taking guide during your program. The actual reports and forms as well as the PDF samples can be accessed by visiting the PRIME TIME webpage at http://www.leh.org/html/primetime.html. Paper versions of these final reports are no longer accepted. Please submit your final report online, taking note of the helpful hints below!
Some helpful hints when filling out your online final report:
- The report must be completed in a single sitting.
- You cannot start, save incomplete entries, and return to the report at a later date.
- Please view the sample PDF of the reports below for guidance on what type of information you will be asked to provide.
- We recommend completing narrative questions in a Word file as you may copy and paste your answers into the online final report.
Important Note:
Team members from self-funded (affiliate) states and sites should continue using the paper reports and forms in the site support manual, project directors' resource guide, and resource disk unless otherwise notified by their state's project director. Participant Entry and Exit Surveys, 90 Day Follow Up Survey, Library Commercial Survey, State Project Director's Final Report and any other forms not mentioned above will remain in paper format and should be mailed, or faxed in upon completion of the program. The protocol for these forms will remain the same as previously used.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation through this critical transition. Please contact a PRIME TIME staff person at anytime with questions or concerns regarding reports and forms. Also, call or email Shantrell Adams with technical questions regarding the online forms (adams@leh.org or 504-620-2625). Thank you. |
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Partner Spotlight:
Nebraska Humanities Council |
 The Nebraska Humanities Council (NHC) is a major PRIME TIME affiliate agency and is among the most active partner states. From 2002 to 2009 the NHC hosted 56 programs throughout Nebraska. The NHC has scheduled 14 additional programs taking place during 2010 with another 14 programs expected in 2011. According to Erika Hamilton, senior program officer 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."
In 2002, the LEH awarded the NHC one of several NEH national expansion grants which provided funding and resources for the completion of 1 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 55 additional programs were the result of the council's diligent fundraising efforts and overwhelming commitment to bringing high quality humanities programming to families in need.
The NHC continues to expand its PRIME TIME infrastructure, including ways for previously trained coordinators, storytellers and discussion leaders to engage in conversation about challenges, best practices and successes. In 2009, the NHC implemented a guest evaluator program in which coordinators, storytellers and discussion leaders who have participated in a statewide or national training workshop and have organized or facilitated at least three PRIME TIME series, are invited to attend a site visit with Erika Hamilton to offer suggestions and accolades to the PRIME TIME team. This has proven successful in not only offering new suggestions to the team that's being visited, but also offers new ideas and perspectives to the guest evaluator.
Two training workshops have been offered in Nebraska: the national training in January 2006 and a statewide training in August 2007. In 2011, the NHC will host a statewide "Idea Exchange" for experienced Nebraska PRIME TIME coordinators, storytellers and discussion leaders. According to Hamilton, "it's important to make sure every new PRIME TIME team member is properly trained to maintain the quality of the program, but it's also important to provide opportunities for trained and experienced PRIME TIME team members to network, share ideas, and come back refreshed and excited about the program all over again."
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. |
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Don't Miss the 2010 Connect2Educate Event,
Saturday, September 25! |  Talk with School Community Resource Providers,
Pick up a copy of the 2010 C2E Notebook
Enter to Win $500 for Your School!
New Orleans area public school professionals (teachers, board members, school leadership and others) are invited to participate in the C2E Collaborative Connect2Educate Event, on Saturday, September 25, 12:45 - 2:30 PM, at the Mahalia Jackson Early Childhood & Family Learning Center in Central City.
The Connect2Educate Event will spotlight organizations that offer resources to Orleans Parish public schools and child care centers. Representatives from 30+ local organizations will be there eager to talk to you about providing programs for your school. Whether it's arts programming, tutoring, sports or an exciting field trip opportunity available for your school, you won't want to miss this event! Plus, all attendees will receive a goody bag containing the 2010 Connect2Educate Notebook, a community resource guide and empowerment tool for public schools.
Win $500 for your school: The schools or child care centers with the most attendees at the C2E event (teachers, board members, school leadership and other education professionals working at the facility) will win $500 for their school! The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the C2E event.
Want to know what organizations will be attending the C2E event? Check out www.connect2educate.org for updates and information on the variety of available programs!
The C2E event is excited to be a part of "ONE STEP," a day-long educational event for all New Orleans children, families and individuals. ONE STEP is sponsored by four strategic partners, Orleans Public Education Network (OPEN),Connect2Educate (C2E) Collaborative, Early Childhood & Family Learning Foundation (ECFLF), and Central City Renaissance Alliance (CCRA) . The C2E collaborative encourages you to participate in the other components of One Step, the schedule of which is listed below for your convenience.
8:00-11:00am: Dryades Street YMCA: The day will begin with a Community Summit to Craft a Common Vision for Public Education, the kick-off of OPEN'S 7-month campaign toconvene the community in a respectful community-wide dialogue to craft this vision.
11:00am: Music-led Parade to Mahalia Jackson Early Childhood & Family Learning Center. As the Summit concludes, a brass band will lead attendees and various schools and community organizations down Jackson Avenue to community partner Mahalia Jackson Center where they will be welcomed to the afternoon's events, including the C2E Event from 12:45-2:30 PM.
12:45-3:00pm: In addition to the Connect2Educate Event, all New Orleans children and families are invited to a day of fun at Mahalia Jackson Center's Family Day, where the Center's 15 onsite service providers, including Central City Renaissance Alliance, will offer family-friendly activities, prizes for individuals and schools, refreshments, entertainment, and more. Mahalia Jackson Center's partners work together to meet the needs expressed by Central City residents themselves, making Mahalia Jackson Center a convenient, welcoming "one stop shop" for these holistic health needs of local children, their families, and neighbors.
LINK TO EVENT FLIER:
http://www.connect2educate.org/images/summit10flyer.gif |
| PRIME TIME Travels the State for the
11th Annual LALAMP Tour |
 The Louisiana Library & Media Professionals (LALAMP) group will host their annual tour September 13-17, 2010. PRIME TIME staff will join other exhibitors to meet librarians from around the state and to survey these professionals about their programming needs. Approximately 50% of PRIME TIME programs are implemented in schools.
The LALAMP group was created 10 years ago to provide Louisiana librarians with opportunities to continue their professional development, and to offer additional resources through exhibits and workshops. The dates, sites, and attending PRIME TIME staff members for LALAMP 2010 are listed below. Details about the locations and programs are available at www.lalamp.org.
Monday, September 13 - Ruston area (Dianne Brady)
Tuesday, September 14 - Alexandria area (Faye Flanagan)
Wednesday, September 15 - Lake Charles area (Holly Bell)
Thursday, September 16 - New Orleans area (Chris Robért and Shantrell Adams)
Friday, September 17 - Baton Rouge area (Holly Bell) |
| The Programming Librarian Blog Reports on PRIME TIME's ALA Session |
 Rini Hughes, a student at Pratt Institute in New York and guest blogger for the American Library Association's (ALA) Programming Librarian website, attended the PRIME TIME information session at the 2010 ALA Conference in Washington, D.C. In an entry summarizing the session, Ms. Hughes highlights PRIME TIME's history and success in instilling a love and appreciation of reading among families that are the most difficult for libraries to reach. Read Rini's article from the Programming Librarian website full entry.
Programming Librarian is an online resource center for all things related to presenting cultural programs for all types and sizes of libraries. The site includes two main sections: the library and the blog.
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PRIME TIME National Training Workshop UPDATE |
 PRIME TIME's national training workshop was held from July 23rd - 25th. Approximately 130 participants from Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Michigan joined the PRIME TIME staff, trainers, and partner organizations for a weekend of intense preparation for 2010 - 2001 programs.
Many participants attended to train for their roles in the 2010 - 2011 National Expansion grant which is being funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and conducted in partnership with the American Library Association (ALA).
PRIME TIME's current national expansion project is based on a new series entitled Common Ground. Using children's literature that spans various cultures, geographies, and languages in conjunction with humanities themes such as individuality, kinship, and tradition, implementing team members will engage diverse audiences throughout the nation in readings and conversations on the American experience.
Participants spent the weekend at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall (LEH headquarters) in New Orleans learning the details of PRIME TIME's history, philosophy, and program implementation model from PRIME TIME pioneers and veteran team members. Included among almost 2 dozen distinguished trainers were: Danielle Shapiro, senior program officer with the NEH Division of Public Programs, Angela Thullen, program officer of communications with the ALA Public Programs Office, and Dr. Robert Becker, professor emeritus of history, Louisiana State University and author of "Agamemnon Among the Bunnies" (PRIME TIME's definitive essay).
The training workshop was an exciting and enlightening event. We thank our funders, partners, trainers, and all participants for a wonderful weekend. Please contact Shantrell Adams for more information or with any questions regarding upcoming training opportunities. |
| PRIME TIME Grant Applications
Are Now Being Accepted! |  The PRIME TIME staff is now accepting applications for future programs in Louisiana. The deadline to apply for Spring 2011 is October 31st. Libraries, schools, community centers, and other public institutions are encouraged to apply.
Using state funds, PRIME TIME grants are awarded twice annually to fill Fall and Spring/Summer sessions. Due to an extreme reduction in state funding for PRIME TIME, the number of awards available for Spring 2011 programming has been reduced. Eligible applicants that are not approved for Spring 2011 will be asked to re-apply for future terms or when additional funding becomes available. All applicants will be kept up-to-date on the status of their request for a PRIME TIME grant.
Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted. Click here to access the online grant application. For more information about PRIME TIME please download our program brochure, or contact Miranda Restovic or Shantrell Adams. |
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