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Call on a Partner at Large!

American Red Cross
Contact: Sharon Lyons	Phone: 706-323-5614

	The American Red Cross has developed youth programs (Master of Disaster K-5; Ready-to-go lesson plans training for integrating disaster preparedness and safety instruction into standard academic classes).
	Provides training (CPR, First Aide, Emergency Response Training, Swimming/Lifegaurd Training, Sports Safety Training etc.) for the community.
	Due to the trying times and the threat of terrorism, the local Red Cross would like to initiate this program into the schools with the use of volunteers and school personnel. These programs could readily be tied into the local schools' Disaster Plan that is already in place and enhance the local schools' response if there is a terrorist attack or natural disaster.

Atmos Energy Corporation
Contact: Joel Ames	Phone: 706-576-2906

	Provide natural gas safety tips, scratch-and-sniff brochures, "Smell Gas-Act Fast" campaign, promotional pencils, pens, whistles, etc
	"Motorcycles for Reading" reward parades. Truck Day with backhoe, trencher, hand-held meter reading equipment and "Betsy" truck, jackhammer demonstrations.

Barnes and Noble
Contact: Jennifer Sparks	Phone: 706-653-7880

	Fundraising for your school: In need of more books than your school budget allows? The Barnes & Noble Bookfair Program can help. We provide schools with an opportunity to earn up to 25% of the proceeds from in-store purchases made during a designated time period. It's easier than in-school bookfairs, lets you showcase your school through in-store events, and invites the community to support your fundraising efforts. We can even provide a "wish list" table inviting bookfair participants to purchase and donate books back to your school or classroom.
	In-Store Class Field Trips: Kids love to visit Barnes & Noble for a personalized store tour. Options include a storytime, scavenger hunt or "Red Dot" music appreciation lesson!
	Institutional Discount Program: Your school can receive personalized ordering assistance and save up to 25% on book purchases by opening a Barnes & Noble Institutional Account. If your school is not enrolled in this convenient and cost-saving program, we'd be happy to follow up with the appropriate contact person.
	Educator Discount Card: To Educators of grades PreK-12 Barnes & Noble offers 20% off the publishers list price on titles for classroom use* You can apply for an Educator Discount Card at any Barnes & Noble store - simply present your valid school ID, state registration or pay stub. A valid Drivers License or state ID must be presented each time you use your card.
	Educator Appreciation: To honor our PreK-12 grade educators, Barnes & Noble offers a 25% discount on classroom purchases during several weeks during the year. We also host an annual Educator Reception where local teachers and school librarians are invited to hear presentations on new book titles and trends in educational publishing. Information about Barnes & Noble services, discounts and programs are distributed during the event, as are free giveaways, curriculum handouts and refreshments.
	Summer Reading Program: Barnes & Noble encourages summer reading by providing children in grades 1-6 the opportunity to earn free books by reading eight books and turning in a completed journal sheet. Be sure to ask for your free activity kit and journals.
	Required Reading Lists: Help us help your students find the required reading titles you assign. Fax or email us your title lists and we'll make sure to have plenty of extra copies on hand.
	If you can think of any additional ways we can work together, feel free to give me a call.

Columbus Area Cultural Educators C.A.C.E.
Members and the Resources They Provide are as Follows:

C.A.C.E. Member: Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System
Contact: Patty Chamberlain	Phone: 706-243-2697

The following section displays the RiverCenter's ArtsReach Educational Events for 2006-2007 Season. Click on the link to download
RiverCenter's ArtsReach Educational Events for 2006-2007 Season. (41 KB PDF)

RiverCenter's ArtsReach Educational Events

2006-2007 Season

Friday, February 16, 2007 - 10:30am to 11:30am - Ages 7 -14

Schoolday Matinee - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Theatreworks USA translates C.S. Lewis' wondrous tale of the land of Narnia in this musical production.

Thursday, April 12, 2007 - 10:30am to 11:30am - Ages 5 and up

Schoolday Matinee - The Russian American Kids Circus

This artistic children's circus is like no other with performers no older than 16 and as young as 6. Produced by veterans of the world famous Moscow Circus, this spectacular production is an inspiring show for all!

For further information please contact: Jim Rutland at 706/653-7993 or jrutland@rivercenter.org

Special Events 2006-2007

Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System

January-March 2007

Shakespeare Series

A three month series on Shakespeare; his life, writings, language techniques, and how the 21 st century still models his style will be presented at the Columbus Public Library. This series will be led by CSU professors Patrick McHenry and Susan Georgecink, and Columbus lawyer, Stephen Hyles. This free event will be presented on the 3rd Tuesday's at 7:00 pm at the library. The program will focus on staging, patronage, and language.

January -May 2007

Worldviews!

A new series of educational, inspiring and enlightening topics centered around personal and global worldviews. What makes up our worldviews? How do we foster them? How do we change our ideals? Do we honor those with different viewpoints? Each month a new topic will be presented and open discussion and questions and answers will be a part of these evenings.

7:00-8:30 pm

September-December 2007:

A continuation of the Worldviews series

June and July 2007

Aflac Vacation Reading Program for Children and Teens

All branches of the Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System participate in this fun, activity and performer filled time of reading.

January-December

Movies @ your Library

The library offers free, weekly showings of Documentaries, New Releases, Classics, Teens, Children's, and Festival Films.

Mostly Monday nights at 6:30 pm. Check with Columbus Public Library for details

January -May

2 nd Sunday Serenades

We present musical performances at the library each month highlighting different artists. This monthly event is sponsored by the Muscogee County Friends of Libraries.

2 nd Sundays

3:00 pm

Auditorium of the Columbus Public Library

January-December

Georgia Writers Association Columbus Group

This local chapter of the Georgia Writer's Association meets in the Columbus Public Library and invites all writers to join. Each month there is sharing of stories in progress, helpful critiques and opportunities to learn and improve skills.

4 th Saturdays 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

January -December

Teen Writers Workshop

Not your usual teen writer's workshop. Teens are asked to bring paper, pen or pencil and their imagination!

2 nd Thursday

6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Columbus Public Library

January -December

Ongoing children's story times and activities at all branches.

Ongoing Teen activities at all branches.

For more information please contact: Patty Chamberlain, Library Program Manager, Chattahoochee Valley Regional Library System, 706-243-2697, pchamberlain@cvrls.net or the library website: www.thecolumbuslibrary.org

Historic Westville

Education Programs

September 2006 - May 2007

Year Round

Self-Guided Tour

Still available for teachers is our self-guided tour. Receive a brief orientation then take your students through our nineteenth century town using our newly designed visitor's guide. Tour through the village asking questions and receiving information from our costumed interpreters located throughout the village. Students will tour in groups of 15 and each group must be accompanied by an adult.

Georgia Performance Standards: SSKE1, SS4H6, S4P3, SS8E1

Time: Allow two hours

Cost per student: $4.00

Number of students: Open

Year Round

Mock Trial: Guilty or Not Guilty

Student will participate in a court case based on a real case of unpaid debt that happened in Stewart County in the mid nineteenth century. The original case found it way to the Georgia Supreme Court. Students will role play, as judge, lawyers, defendants, jurors and witnesses. The teacher will be supplied with a pre-visit packet containing, roles, character descriptions, and trial scrip. The scrip may be expanded to include 30 participants. Additional classrooms may participate as observers of the trial. A museum staff person will be present to facilitate the program on site. The program will take place in the historic wooden Chattahoochee County courthouse at Westville. Students will leave with a better understanding of the American legal system.

Georgia Performance Standards: SS4CG4, ELA4R1, ELA4LSV1, SS5CG1, ELA5R1, SSCG4, SSCG22

Time: 2hours

Cost Per Student: $ 6.00

Number of Students: 30

September 06- May 07

King Cotton: Westville's Animal Powered Gin Complex

This program will trace the history and significance of cotton production in West Georgia during the 1850's. The economy of southwest Georgia was based primarily on the production and sale of cotton. The cotton produced here was sold to international markets and ended up in fabrics around the world. Participants will learn how cotton was planted, harvested, ginned and baled. They will experience first hand how to de-seed cotton bolls and will produce a small bail of cotton to take back to the classroom. In addition, participants will card cotton and learn the basics of weaving cloth. The program will be held at Westville's gin complex, one of the few remaining working animal powered gin and bailing press in the country.

Georgia Performance Standards: SS3E1, SS4E1, SS4H6, S4P3, SS5H1, SS8H6, SS8H5, SS8E1, SS8E2

Time: 2 hour program

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

September- December 07

The Art of Necessity: Daily Life and Crafts

This program will trace the history and significance of settling the frontier of West Georgia . Participants will work to sustain the family, completing daily task. The program will focus on the harvest chores and winter preparation such as shucking corn, staking hay, food preservation, making candles, cooking lye soap, stacking and loading wood, clothes washing and simple cooking. Participants will bake and eat biscuits and take home their hand made candles.

Georgia Performance Standards: SSKH3, SSKE1, SSKE4, S1L1, S3P1, SS4H6, S5P2

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

January 07- May 07 and September 07- May 08

The Three R's

Come to the Westville Academy , our one room schoolhouse, where students will experience school in the mid-nineteenth century. Participants will work with school text from the period, learning not only the three R's but geography, government and current events. Handbooks, slate boards and slate pencils will be handed out for use in class. Popular period games will also be introduced during a brief recess.

Georgia Performance Standards: SS1H1, SS1G3, ELAKW1, SS2H1, SS3G1, SS4H6, SS4H7, SS4CG1, ELA5R1, ELA5LSV1, SS8H6

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

January 07- May 07 and September 07- May 08

The Academy

Teachers who would like to conduct there own class with developed 1850 curriculum supplied by Westville, in our historic one room school, may attend free. Students and teachers are required to supply period dress and offer a two hour educational demonstration for other Westville visitors. Slates, slate pencils and McGuffey's Readers will be provided for use in our classroom.

Time: 2 hours

Cost: Free Admission (Students and Teachers only)

Number of Students: 30

January 07- May 07 and September 07- May 08

1850 Trades

Students will work with our tradesmen, the potter, woodworker and blacksmith, learning the history, significance and skills of these craftsmen and their value to the community in the 1850's. Routine chores of the past will be experienced by students through hands-on activities as they explore the artistry of daily life.

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

January- May 07 and September 07- May 08

Patterns and Patches: Quilting in 1850

In the 1850's quilting was primarily a woman's art. Quilts were used to warm the family and decorate the home. Participants will learn the history of quilting, the character of quilts and quilt block patterns in the mid-nineteenth century and the role quilts played in the lives of women. Students will learn to cut and piece a basic learner's, nine patch block. They will quilt their block with batting and backing.

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

December 2007

Spirit of the Season: German, Scottish and English Christmas Customs

Explore the varied cultural heritages of southwest Georgia in the celebration of Christmas. Participants will experience the heart of the season assisting with the final preparation for the holiday. Learn about the first Christmas tree in Stewart County , the Scottish custom of first footing and explore the celebration of Christmas in the unique atmosphere of our town.

Georgia Performance Standards: SSKH1, SSKG1, SS6G8

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

January 07- May 07

The Art of Necessity: Daily Life and Crafts

This program will trace the history and significance of settling the frontier of West Georgia . Participants will work to sustain the family, completing daily task. The program will focus on activities to prepare for the new year such as preparing and planting gardens, making candles, simple cooking, stacking and loading wood, stuffing mattresses, cooking lye soap, washing clothes and other spring cleaning.

Georgia Performance Standards: SSKH3, SSKE1, SSKE4, S1L1, S3P1, SS4H6, S5P2

Time: 2 hours

Cost per student: $6.00

Number of Students: 30

For further information please contact us at 229-838-6310 or email director@westville.org .
The Columbus Museum

February 22, 2007, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

University Night

University Students

Reception with entertainment and refreshments during this open house for University students.

March 8, 2007, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Youth Art Month Reception

Middle School Students

Muscogee County School District Middle Schools exhibit students' artwork in the Barbara Golden Pound Gallery.

March 2, 2007

SLAM Workshop

High School Students

Selected high school students attend a full day workshop with noted poet Alice Lovelace, focusing on the Museum's permanent collection.

March 21 and 22, 2007, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.

Gallery Tales

Elementary School Students

Students listen to lively tales about the Civil War, including selected stories from the exhibit, A Life in Letters: Colonel Robert A. Hardaway in the Civil War and the New South .

March 29, 2007, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Art Speaks: The Columbus Museum 6 th Annual Poetry Slam

High School Students

Join the Columbus Museum for the 6 th Annual Poetry Slam, where three students from each participating high school will perform their poem before an audience and panel of judges for cash prizes.

June 4 through 8, 2007

Georgia Children at Work and Play Professional Learning Unit

This five-day class addresses how to use the Georgia Children at Work and Play tour in the classroom. Participants visit Port Columbus, Historic Columbus Foundation, Columbus Museum , Columbus Library and Columbus State University . The $50 fee includes admission, supplies, speaker fees, and lunch all five days.

For more information please contact Nicola Sarn , School and Educator Services Coordinator, at (706) 748-2652, ext. 41, or nsarn@columbusmuseum.com .

The Columbus Museum , Historic Columbus Foundation and

the Port Columbus Civil War Naval Museum

Georgia Children at Work and Play: A History of the Chattahoochee River Valley
For 2 nd , 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th Grades

The Columbus Museum , Historic Columbus Foundation and the Port Columbus Civil War Naval Museum have created a unique, interdisciplinary program that integrates history, art and language arts in the study of the historical objects and events in the Chattahoochee Valley . Students visit three sites to hone their abilities to observe, infer and classify-skills essential to both artists and historians. To schedule this tour p lease call the Columbus Museum 's Education Department at 706.748.2562, ext. 39, or email tours@columbusmuseum.com . A notice of two weeks is required for guided tours. Please have ready:
1. Your group's name, mailing address and phone number.
2. Your choice of ideal dates and times (tours can be scheduled on Tuesdays or Thursdays; please have three options in mind).
3. The age of the students or the average age of the adults.
4. The size of your group (maximum limit of 60 per tour).

Columbus State University

Rankin Arts Center - Continuing Education

1004 Broadway, 2 nd floor

Columbus , GA 31901

Susan Wirt, Director-706.569.2871: Main Continuing Education Office-706.568.2023

http://rankinarts.colstate.edu

The Rankin Arts Center is the downtown venue for Columbus State University 's Continuing Education. The Rankin Serves as a focal point for the arts community in the Uptown area by offering classes in visual, performing, and cultural arts.

C.A.C.E. Member: Historic Columbus Foundation
Contact: Ben Salata	Phone: 706-322-0756

	Patricia Jackson Howard Scholarship offered to graduating seniors.
	Hands on History Camp and Day Camps. (3rd and 4th Grade Students)
	"Our Town" books provided to elementary schools.
	"Heritage Tours" books offered elementary through middle schools. In-school field trips - provides hands-on activities for local and regional history standards.
	Children at Work and Play - collaborative program with Columbus Museum and Port Columbus.
	Young Historians Organization - provides high school students the opportunity to work as historians, while gaining knowledge of the history of Columbus. These projects also allow students to practice skills in various fields including production, political science, journalism, communications and advertising.
	Volunteer Opportunities - We use volunteers for our summer programs, allowing high school students to understand the importance of community participation.
	Newspapers in Education - collaborating with Columbus Museum and Port Columbus to create newspaper insert and staff development program.
	Will offer enrichment and demonstration to faculty on how to effectively use our resources in the classroom.

C.A.C.E. Member: Port Columbus National Civil War Naval Museum
Contact: Matthew Young	Phone: 706-324-7334

	Will provide guest speakers on Civil War and Navy related topics to any level Social Studies class.
	Donate teacher resource books to every elementary and middle school that would like to add them to their library.
	Provide internships for 11th and 12th graders at the Museum allowing them to earn "community service" hours.
	Currently working with Historic Columbus Foundation and the Columbus Museum to develop a continuing education course for MCSD teachers to be taught in the winter.

Columbus Bank and Trust Company
Contact: MaryLynn Grubb	Phone: 706-644-3659

	Provide financial education to grades K-12. Topics such as: "What is a Bank?" "What is a Check?" "Buying a Car" "Buying a House" "Getting the Credit You Deserve" and "A Penny Saved is a Dollar Earned."
	Provide seminars on careers in banking to grades K-2
	Provide financial seminars, "Money Matters", to faculty and staff.

Columbus Gourmet
Contact: Brad Arnholt	Phone: 706-687-0161

The Partners In Education Program is proud to announce a philanthropic venture with Columbus gourmet, Inc. The gourmet food company, headquartered in Columbus, will adorn packaging of its specialty pecan products with the Partners In Education logo and information about the PIE initiatives. A significant percentage of gross sales of those pecans will be sued to support the education initiatives of Partners In Education.
Columbus Gourmet is committed to help each and every school raise the funds necessary to support their PIE program. It's as easy as 1-2-3-! Contact Brad Arnholt, Sales Manger at 706-687-0161 for more details about the fabulous fundraising program.

Columbus Sports Council
Contact: Janice Davis	Phone: 706-660-1996

KIDS IN MOTION
Come out and play ... Get on your work out gear! The kick off event is September 9th! The kids will be participating in the standing long jump, 50-yard dash, shuttle run, and sit-ups! Kids will receive a ribbon for each event completed and a t-shirt if they complete all four! If they complete the optional 1.5 mile walk, the kids will receive a pedometer! Come cheer on the kids from your partnering school! This is a fun way to establish relationships and to encourage our youth.

This 9-week program offers elementary school-aged child an opportunity to learn the importance of physical fitness, good nutrition and healthy lifestyles through an exciting and fun approach to every day life.

The finale will be held on November 17th prior to the Cottonmouths game at the Civic Center. All kids who have completed 24 hours of physical activity will receive a medal and t-shirt!

Columbus State University
Contact: Sharon Jamison or Kathy Carlisle	Phone: 706-568-2437

	Provide CSU expert list - enables students to learn more about the subject matter by an expert in the field.
	Provide CSU expert list - Faculty/staff will come to your classroom and discuss topics within their respected fields of study.
	Provide CSU expert list - Enables the teacher to make the subject matter more interesting to the students by having a CSU faculty/staff visit the class.

Doctors Hospital
Contact: Aisha Herriot	Phone: 706-494-4298

	Healthcare Day Program
	Provide guest speakers to health occupation classes.
	Field Trips to the Hospital
	Establish volunteer program to assist Juniors with obtaining volunteer credits as well as exposure to health occupation careers.
	Work with high school and middle school counselors to provide information on health careers and education requirements.
	Job shadowing for students in health occupations classes.

Georgia Department of Labor
Contact: Mikell Fryer	Phone: 706-649-7423

Provide resume writing and interview skills workshops to area schools to present and promote career opportunities.

H&R Block
Contact: Sonja Giles	Phone: 706-317-4846

	Teaching students the impact of taxes on earnings and how tax and financial planning all through Life can mitigate tax burden.
	Understanding tax and financial planning correlates to the real world application of math.
	Teach the potential of careers in tax planning, financial planning, mortgage banking and tax preparation both as a main career or a part-time career. Provide work/study employment in customer service area.
	Helping faculty understand tax planning can save them money short-term and help them plan for college, retirement and quality of life long term.

Junior Achievement of Georgia Inc.- Columbus District
Contact: Michelle Nelson-Hawkins	Phone: 706-568-1407

	What is Junior Achievement?
	Junior Achievement (JA) is a nonprofit economics education organization that provides programs for students in grades K-12. Volunteers from local businesses and the community go into area classrooms to share their experiences with students using a curriculum provided by JA. The volunteers serve as role models, helping students develop life skills and encouraging an understanding of today's economy.
	What's in it for me?
	Our programs are fun and interactive; moreover, they are aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards in social studies, reading, math and writing. (Please visit www.georgia.ja.org for our alignment documents) In addition, our volunteers add a fresh perspective through sharing their own career experiences, thereby reinforcing the JA curriculum and fostering excitement in students.
	What do I need to do?
	Go through an optional brief orientation online at www.georgia.ja.org.
	Meet with your volunteer for a planning meeting at your school
	Provide an enthusiastic and supportive classroom environment for the volunteer.
	Provide feedback to the volunteer and to Junior Achievement.
	Can I pick my own volunteer for the Junior Achievement program?
	Absolutely! Many teachers have great success using friends, relatives, or parents as volunteers in their classroom.
	How often will the volunteer visit my classroom?
	Your volunteer will visit your class 5 times for elementary, 6-8 for middle, and 6-10 for high, spending 45 minutes for the lesson during each visit.
	What materials will the volunteer use in my classroom?
	Junior Achievement will provide all materials needed to the volunteers. Included are step-by-step lesson plans and activity materials. The program is free to schools.
	What is the next step?
	Fill out the registration form included in this packet, contact Michelle Nelson-Hawkins or Tsitsi Johnson at JA of Georgia-Columbus district at (706) 568-1407, or go to www.georgia.ja.org to register your class online.

Keep Columbus Beautiful
Contact: Nicole Bray	Phone: 706-653-4008

	Waste In Place - KCB Commissioners and volunteers visit various classrooms to conduct lessons on litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, composting, waste-to-energy, storm water and landfills for students K-6th grade.
	"The Magic of Recycling" - This is a 40-minute, live presentation for students (gradesK-4) which combines educational points with fast-paced fun. The audience learns while being entertained with comedy, magic, surprises, and plenty of audience participation.
	Arbor Day Celebrations - The Keep Columbus Beautiful and Columbus Consolidated Government storm water Division and Mead Westvaco provide free trees to every school that conducts an Arbor Day Ceremony. Students create poems, plant trees, and hold ceremonies to celebrate Arbor Day. The faculty, through ceremonies, encourages students to care more about trees.
	Help the Hooch - Students participate in this statewide event which targets all waterways, streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. The mission of the vent is to create an awareness of and involvement in preservation of Georgia's water resources. Our community responds to this challenge during the second weekend in October with more than 11,000 volunteers (mostly from area schools). Students who participate in the annual project will ultimately realize the importance of our environment.
	Volunteer Opportunities - Keep Columbus Beautiful extends to youth and adults the opportunity to use their technical skills to help with the operation of our organization. Students gain community hours while attaining work skills that are needed in today's workforce. Along with general office duties, students help in the process of preparing for our annual projects.

Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
Contact: John Adams	Phone: 706-649-6360

When your school or business faces a crisis, contact the Pastoral Institute for a Trauma Response Team to respond and support your group. Career Day Programs, PTA speakers and experts in the area of mental health and counseling will be made available, when possible. Also offered, a limited amount of "Mental Health" printed materials.

Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
Contact: Cathy Phillips	Phone: 706-687-1240 ext.8070

	SHRM will provide members for the High School Certification Process.
	The SHRM Speakers Bureau provides guest speakers on topics relating to workforce readiness, resume writing skills, interviewing tips and techniques, work ethics, completing job applications and communication skills.
	SHRM members will provide job shadow opportunities.

The Literacy Alliance
Contact: Barbara Moushan columbusreads@earthlink.net	Phone: 706-323-2831

	The Literary Alliance Pre-K program, Kindergarten Readiness, matches volunteers with seriously at risk Pre-K students at selected schools. These volunteers are trained to read with these children in order to increase their vocabulary and create the desire to learn to read.
	The Literacy Alliance delivers The Dictionary Project to area third-graders. The goal of this presentation is to generate excitement in the children about their future and give them a tool to use to achieve their dreams.
	We serve Adult Ed by assisting with outreach and PR.

Tidwell Cancer Foundation
Contact: Lori Brown	Phone: 706-507-0123

The Tidwell Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Jack and Mrs. Eve Tidwell. The vision of the foundation is to make a lasting difference in the community by educating elementary children about the benefits of living tobacco-free. Our program not only addresses living a tobacco-free lifestyles with local third grade students, we incorporate local high school S.A.D.D. students (Students Against Destructive Decisions), the nation's dominant peer-to-peer youth education and prevention organization, to perform interactive skits in which the elementary students are able to participate. Before and after each skit is performed, the elementary school teachers and counselors administer a pre and post test to track each student's understanding of the subject matter.

To enhance this understanding, the Tidwell Cancer Foundation staff asks the students to use dictionaries that have been provided to all local third grade students by the Tidwell Cancer Foundation and the Literacy Alliance to define keywords related to tobacco and character behavior. Once the exciting game has been completed, the skits created by the S.A.D.D. chapters, with assistance of Tidwell Cancer Foundation staff; cover information that empowers children to make healthy tobacco-free lifestyle decisions in a high-energy format. As a follow up to the skits, the S.A.D.D. students and Tidwell Cancer Foundation staff then answer questions that the third grade students and school staff may have pertaining to tobacco and the prevention of cancer. During this portion of the program, the third grade students are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings about tobacco products and their choice to live tobacco-free lifestyles.

We distribute our twelve-page activities booklet to the third grade teachers directly after our program and encourage them to utilize them as part of the Too Good For Drugs Curriculum that is already set in place for third graders. The booklets include informative facts, as well as activities the children can use to reinforce the information gleaned from both the text of the booklet and our presentations. All schools are offered the expertise of the Tidwell Cancer Foundation staff and our local Medical Alliance Volunteers in assisting teaching the booklet, as interaction of this type reinforces the message to make healthy lifestyle decisions pertaining to tobacco.

This past year we assessed each third grader's knowledge about tobacco before and after each performance with a pretest and post-test. The average student's score increased by 30.7 percent. The tests were based on the TTK curriculum that we taught to our high school volunteers and required them to use in their skits. The test scores prove that we were successful teachers this year.

The principles of the TTK Program are based on six character traits; trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. We use these six pillars of character when teaching the above stated program.

Our program is located in the Columbus, Georgia. In the upcoming school year, we have been asked to expand our program into the 12 surrounding school districts in both Georgia and Alabama, most of which are rural communities. Studies show 24.4 percent of Alabama and 17.2 percent of Georgia high school students smoke by the age of 18. In addition, studies show the combined total of 712,000 Alabama and Georgia children are exposed to second hand smoke daily.

Over the coming year, we intend to expand on the system already set in place. The Muscogee County School District has agreed to administer our pretests and posttests through their highly organized system. This innovation will save our program time and energy and inform us about students' knowledge of tobacco use. Testing the students' testing through the school systems will allow us better tracking of student progress. We intend to retest the students every other year until they graduate to gauge their knowledge about tobacco and to discover if they are using tobacco products. This tracking will be key to determining if we have prevented tobacco use in our community.

We will also continue to use surveys and interviews with teachers, counselors, principals, and students (both high school and elementary) to determine how our program is affecting youth empowerment, knowledge of students about tobacco and service learning, the usefulness of our program, and attitudes towards others in the community. The surveys and interviews will be key in determining a majority of our short and medium-term goals.

We at the foundation feel very strongly about the impact we are having on our community and have received results and feedback to support our feelings.

Pal List

Career Connections

Career Connections is a regional speaker's bureau whose goal is to deliver a uniform and consistent message to students that their choices and behavior in school have a direct impact on their future work habits. It will assist students in understanding the connection between what is expected at school and what will be expected at work.

The Career Connections Speaker Bureau represents regional volunteer experts who can speak on a wide variety of topics in their respective fields. The speakers are categorized into areas of expertise based on the Georgia Department of Education's 16 Career Clusters fields plus a General category for educators needing a general not specific career speaker.

Please review the Instructional Guide for Administrators prior to the Career Connection speakers scheduled date.

Upon completion of the speaker's discussion, please complete the Speaker Evaluation to ensure we can continue to provide you with a useful scheduling site and beneficial speakers.

For more information on Career Connections contact:

Janeen Tucker at 706-327-1566, extension 23 or Dana Whaley at 706-596-7005

Let Career Connections help you provide additional teaching resources for you!

Click here to visit the website.

Columbus Technical College

Columbus Technical College Programs offered include 7 associate degree, 23 diploma, and 41 technical certificates of credit. A unit of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.

Columbus Technical College website

Columbus Technical College Computer training website

Columbus State University

Columbus State University is a four-year institution and a member of the University System of Georgia Institution.

Click here to visit the website

Fundraising

Partners In Education has produced a cookbook that includes fun recipes like Cheesy Snakes and Caterpillars, Purple Cow Shakes and Skewered Sesame Seed Chicken. There are recipes from all food categories, even a "rainy day fun" section for children.

They sell for $15 each. Schools or organizations will receive $7.50 from every cookbook they sell.

View Cookbook order form (1 MB PDF)

Columbus Gourmet

Columbus Gourmet, specializes in premier gourmet specialty foods manufacturing, sales and distribution for retail, foodservice and wholesale markets.

Click here to visit the website

RiverCenter for the Performing Arts

Located in the heart of historic uptown Columbus, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts is the centerpiece of the city's new arts and entertainment district

Click here to visit the website

View Events for the 2006-2007 Season (72 KB PDF)

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