Dan Rather Encourages Innovation for Texas Education with the Help of Local Nonprofit’s Expertise

DALLAS - Aug. 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Veteran journalist, and native Texan Dan Rather, along with his grandson Martin have announced a $10,000 award to any student, teacher, or administrator who can provide the most innovative idea on how to improve Texas education. The award is called the Rather Prize, and the winner will present their idea at the 2016 SXSW EDU Conference next March.

The beauty behind the award is that the Rathers are looking for ideas from people “from the ground up.” They want to hear what people in the field are experiencing everyday, not necessarily from those who are higher up in the education arena.

When Hondo Robertson, host of “Impact Texas” a public affairs program broadcast, heard weekly on the Cumulus family of stations in Dallas/Fort Worth, needed local educational statistics and measurements that would help his audience see what a great need there is to improve Texas education, he called the local chapters of Communities In Schools. Dr. Judith Allen-Bazemore, President & CEO of Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region (CISDR), and Lindsay Garner, Vice President & Chief Development Officer of Communities In Schools Greater Tarrant County (CISGTC) sat down with Dan, Martin, and Hondo to discuss the role that Communities In Schools plays in improving education in Texas, and the new trends that they see emerging. Hondo opened the show by playing a short video on Communities In Schools that ended with a quote from a CIS Site Coordinator:

“I hear people say that we can’t change every kid…but I think that we can.”

He then read a sampling of Rather’s long list of credentials, from covering the assassination of John F. Kennedy to his over 40 years with CBS News. But Mr. Rather wasn’t there to discuss his illustrious career, instead he focused on his humble beginnings, and how growing up in Texas helped shape him into the man he is today.

“I owe so much to my own schooling in Texas,” Rather said. “I remember the name of every teacher I had in elementary school, and Miss Simmons, who was an inspirational leader of the school. Among the things I remember is, poverty was all around. Hunger was a fact of life for many of the students that I went to school with. Some came to school with no lunch at all.”

Rather has stayed dedicated to education in the state of Texas, and pointed out that Texas ranks 39th nationally in education and has earned a grade of C- in an annual comparison by Education Week. Dan’s plea to all Texans:

“We’re better than this.”

CISDR’s Dr. Allen-Bazemore noted that while hunger is still an issue that affects education, CIS must take a look at any and all issues facing students today. She specifically targeted modern communication trends that can have an alienating effect on vulnerable students.

“We find that students are not connecting to each other, she said. “ In this time of technology and electronics, students don’t know how to have a conversation with someone face-to-face. Instead it’s easier to put something on Kik or Twitter or Facebook. They’re not able to connect, and when you find a child unable to connect to people, they don’t want to go to school.”

CISGTC’s Lindsey Garner talked about the importance of working with students as they grow up.

“For Communities In Schools, I will say it is ideal for us if we can be placed strategically within a feeder pattern, so we can get to these kids when they are at the pre-K, kindergarten and elementary school level, and then be able to take them from that level right into middle school and continue on.”

Just last year both area chapters served over 9,000 students separately, with a one-on-one, comprehensive approach to see their students through to graduation. Over 90% of students in their CIS programs stayed in school, and those that were eligible, graduated.

Rather expressed his sincere admiration for the program, and its outstanding results here in North Texas. “It’s an honor to be here,” he said before signing off, “and again, I want to give my salute to these wonderful women and those who work with them on the Communities In Schools project. It’s impossible to overstate my respect and admiration for what you’re doing.”

For additional information about Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region, Inc. and its role in educational reform initiatives, please refer to the organization website at http://www.cisdallas.org. Visit CIS National at www.communitiesinschools.org to find other Communities In Schools locations.