The Children’s Voice SPEAKI NG OUT AN D DRIVI NG CHANG E FOR CHILDRE N
Summer ‘10
an update from
Upcoming Events Mark your calendars for the following events:
July 14th: The Future of Dallas’ Children This inaugural conference will explore trends and emerging issues affecting Dallas’ children.
August 3rd: The Future of Houston’s Children
CHILDREN AT RISK will engage participants in a thought-provoking conference focused on current trends for children in Houston.
August 10th: Legal History of Children CLE Beginning with Hammurabi’s’ code, Dr. Christopher Greeley will present the fascinating evolution of childrelated laws.
August 12th: 2nd Annual Faith Summit
In partnership, CHILDREN AT RISK will engage the faith community through prayer and advocacy while kicking off the 2010 Week of Prayer for Our Children and Youth.
August 15-21: 2010 Week of Prayer for Our Children and Youth
SAVE THE DATE! October 14th: Accolades Luncheon Led by Chairs Mr. and Mrs. Craig Cordola of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, CHILDREN AT RISK will host its annual Accolades luncheon to honor outstanding Houstonians for their work on behalf of children. We will also reveal the newest 20102012 edition of Growing Up in Houston.
Texas Public School Rankings:
How Do Our Schools Measure Up? For the much anticipated release of its 5th Annual Public School Rankings, CHILDREN AT RISK spent the month of April in a whirlwind traveling across Texas to reveal our state’s best—and worst— public schools to curious educators, parents, and students. Through strong partnerships with the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Express-News, Austin American Statesman, and The Texas Tribune— as well as four successful press conferences across the state—CHILDREN AT RISK raised significant awareness on the successes and failures of local schools as well as the best practices of these found at the top of the list. From Dallas to Houston, CHILDREN AT RISK has been welcomed happily into a top school in each city—including School of Science and Engineer ing in Dallas and DeBakey High School for Health Professions in Houston—and witnessed the true talent and passion of the leaders of our state’s finest schools. Indeed, in Houston, we can boast some of the best schools in the state. DeBakey, Carnegie Vanguard, and Kerr High Schools (Houston’s 1, 2, and 3) are among the top ten high schools in Texas. At the middle and elementary levels, HISD’s Energized for Excellence Middle, Lanier Middle, T. H. Rogers School, and Barbara Bush Elementary also deserve considerable recognition, ranking among the ten best in the state. By looking at the top ranked schools, we can readily observe successful models of public education in our own backyard. As we looked at this year’s best schools across the state, certain commonalities became clear: high expectations for all students, more time on task, smaller learning communities, and exceptional teachers with missionary zeal. These themes carry across many of Texas’ top schools, and can be illustrated by some campuses we know well.
At DeBakey High School for Health Professions, high expectations are set for students early on, with all students required to take a rigorous curriculum which includes AP Calculus, and with students soaring above and beyond expectations. Continued on page 4.
CHILDREN AT RISK is looking for Friends to help expand our reach and advocacy for Texas youth! The Friends of Our Children program is a year-long membership that is available for a donation of $100 dollars or $10 a month. Perks include: discounted or free tickets to special events, an opportunity to travel to Austin to advocate for Texas youth, a special evening reception for Friends, and a monthly e-newsletter. To learn more, call 713-869-7740 or go to www.childrenatrisk.org/friend !