South Allegheny's TFIM team visits Guardian Industries

Guardian Industries employees pose for a photo with visitors from South Allegheny High School
Guardian Industries, which will serve as one of more than a dozen employer host sites during The Consortium’s annual Student Leadership Conference for The Future Is Mine (TFIM), gave South Allegheny High School’s TFIM team a sneak preview. Students toured Guardian’s Floreffe plant January 18th, learning about the company’s history, how automotive window glass is made and what kinds of job opportunities the industry offers.
Student teams begin yearlong documentary projects as part of
Hear Me 101

Students at Clairton City High School discuss possible topics for a documentary they’ll produce as part of Hear Me 101
The Consortium, Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab, Pittsburgh Filmmakers and The Western Pennsylvania Writing Project are hosting a seminar Dec. 3 where teams of students from four high schools will learn skills needed for the documentary filmmaking projects they’re undertaking as part of Hear Me 101. To learn more about this intensive application of the Hear Me initiative, click here.
A dozen projects selected
for Great Idea Grants
Our Regional Review Committee selected 12 winners from 34 applications in The Consortium’s latest round of Great Idea Grants. Together, their proposals drew $31,142 in funding, bringing awards since the program began 24 years ago to more than $1.48 million. To read more about the winning projects, click here.
13th annual Journey to Learn brings professional development to 1,500 educators

A full day of programming for teachers in visual and performing arts was just among the highlights of this year’s Journey to Learn
More than 1,500 educators joined in The Consortium for Public Education’s annual Journey to Learn this year. The region-wide in-service day gives professionals a chance to get outside of their own schools to learn best practices employed by peers in other districts. To read some highlights from the day, click here.
Click here for the Journey to Learn 2011 participant evaluation.
Click here for the Journey to Learn 2011 facilitator evaluation.
Forum teams explore student advisories
As part of an ongoing focus on personalizing education, teams participating in The Consortium for Public Education’s Forum for Collaborative Leadership discussed how regular advisory relationships with a teacher can help students take ownership of their educational journeys. To learn more, click here.
MHS Hall of Fame
Seven more high-achieving alumni were chosen to join the McKeesport High School Hall of Fame when the MHS Alumni & Friends Association marked its annual Alumni Recognition Night. Click here to learn about the nominees and their accomplishments.
Documentary project empowers students; builds civic engagement

Several teams take a break following a presentation in the Bedford Hope Center’s Audio Video studio
A Student Documentary Project that The Consortium for Public Education began piloting in April is showing how inquiry-based learning can help engage youth with civic issues. To learn more about it, click here.
Great Idea Grants bring innovative learning methods to life

A Great Idea Grant at Jefferson Elementary School introduced art students to photography that they now use to document other learning, including these nature observations
Outreach to promote kindergarten readiness among children in housing projects in West Mifflin Area School District and photography projects that support elementary students in cross-curricular learning in West Jefferson Hills School District are just two of the innovations emerging from recently awarded Great Idea Grants. To learn more about them and others, click here.
The Consortium takes Hear Me to districts across the region

Two TFIM team members from Brownsville Area High School display examples of picture stories during the Hear Me! project they led at Cox-Donahey Elementary School
The Hear Me project, launched last year by Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab to capture the ideas and stories of youth across the region, has proven a perfect fit with many of The Consortium for Public Education's programs as well as a means of advancing an important goal: helping ensure that student voices are part of the conversation shaping education, whether to address academic performance or social and emotional learning.
As a lead partner to CMU, we've been working to help districts participating in our programs find creative ways not only to weave Hear Me into classroom lessons, but also to learn what they can from students to improve their schools. For a rundown of ways that schools recently have used this compelling opportunity, both to teach and learn, click here.
Pathways pilot piques curiosity about health careers

Health releated career opportunities written on hospital scrubs hang in the hallway at McKeesport Area High School
Freshmen at schools participating in the Pathways to Health Careers pilot program have had their curiosity piqued about opportunities in the region’s largest economic sector. To learn how our student-led teams and advisors are capturing attention among ninth graders and how they plan to follow up, click here.
Books drive learning.
Plan a book drive soon!
Nearly nine years ago, The Consortium for Public Education kicked off a 10-year campaign to put 1-million children’s books into the hands of kids who need them. With your help, we’re hoping to reach that goal by the end of next year. Hundreds of book drives hosted by schools, civic clubs, businesses and others already have helped collect more than 900,000 new and gently used children’s books. If your organization wants a public service project, please consider a book drive.
For information about hosting a book drive and printable posters, click here.
After your books are collected, The Consortium works to distribute them to needy families in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and more than 300 food pantries throughout the region.
Join TFIM's Newest Network!
Please take a moment to join TFIM's newest network
that will keep you updated on all things TFIM! Please encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up as well.