Monday, November 2, 2009

November 2009 Program Progress

Listed below is a summary of finance, recruitment, program, public relations, and logistic activities that have recently occurred on the project.

a. continued marketing of program, products and services
b. confirmed conference reunion site
c. sent finance documents to treasurer
d. processed invoices
e. continued technical assistance to 3 organizations
f. compiled and distributed teleconference minutes
g. continued reunion conference planning
h. hired, trained additional staff
i. met with Associated Builders and Contractors
j. continued Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) application process
k. signed memorandum of understanding with grant writer
l. provided update via phone to board members
m. compiled 99 volunteer hours
n. attended McKenzie School Board meeting
o. confirmed uniforms, curriculum, transportation, records system, payroll,space planning
p. distributed flyers and postcards
q. appeared on Good Morning West Tennessee
r. confirmed Parker outreach to elected officials
s. planned marketing strategy with Younger
t. updated website
u. conducted Lights on Afterschool Celebration
v. recorded service to 51 citizens
w. attended 21st CCLC meeting in Lebanon, TN

Mayor Winchester Presents Proclamation to TEAMS Institute

McKenzie, TN – A steady stream of children, parents, business and community leaders recorded their support for afterschool on October 29th during the Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide event to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs.

Excitement filled the air as the Honorable Walter Winchester, Mayor of McKenzie, Tennessee and a frequent TEAMS volunteer highlighted the benefits of afterschool and the need for continued volunteer and financial support of the TEAMS Institute of McKenzie, an afterschool program that offers educational and life-skill building activities for children and youth.

DJ Reggie filled the building with a diversity of music to create a festive atmosphere. “This house is awesome. This is a great place to do my homework and have fun”, stated student Stephen as he toured the building. Alexis Lane, student at McKenzie High School served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the formal ceremony. She stated, “This afterschool program exposed me to leadership opportunities that launched my service as a Student council officer at McKenzie Middle School and my continued academic success at McKenzie High School.”

The crowd moved to the music provided by the Jamaica Me Happy Steel Drum Percussion Ensemble from the University of Tennessee at Martin, under the direction of Dr. Julie Hill. Evelyn Parker, TEAMS Institute Program Board Co-chair shared the success stories of afterschool in Carroll County stating that over 90% of participants expressed satisfaction with the program and provided jobs for citizens of the community. Members of the audience reinforced her statistics through personal testimony of the positive impact of afterschool in Carroll County through an increase in grades to self confidence.

Mayor Winchester presented a proclamation from the City of McKenzie to Director Sheila Williams, declaring October 29 “Lights On Afterschool Day”. At the conclusion of the program, young children reached for the succulent organic fruit sculptures, salads, natural free range sliders, wings and burrito entrees catered by Joanna Allen, TEAMS staff person.

Open to children and youth ages six to eighteen, students who attend the TEAMS Institute participate in classes concerning Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Medicine and Science (TEAMS).

Funding for the Institute is provided by the State of Tennessee’s 21st Century Learning Center, a group that awards grants to organizations that provide academic enrichment activities designed to help students meet state and local standards. The TEAMS Institute, which was founded in 2008, was recently awarded a three-year grant from the 21st Century Learning Center to continue providing life-changing opportunities for the youth of Carroll County.

To register your child for afterschool at the TEAMS Institute, visit teamsinstitute.org or call the center at 731.352.3377, after 3 pm Monday through Thursday.




Tuesday, October 13, 2009

TEAMS Institute Headquarters

We are excited about our new location at Bells Store Road. We are currently housing our programs in this structure with six rooms and three restrooms. The support amenities include a kitchen with stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, and a laundry area with washer/dryer. Our six rooms will serve as "studios of excellence" utilizing high quality equipment. Our new facility will allows us to continue to provide an atmosphere of creativity, empowerment and education while serving our community.

Celebrate Afterschool Programming with the TEAMS Institute October 29

McKenzie, TN – Children, parents, business and community leaders will join on October 29th to participate in Lights On Afterschool, a nationwide event to celebrate the importance of afterschool programs. Hosted by the TEAMS Institute of McKenzie, an afterschool program that offers educational and life-skill building activities for children, the event will emphasize the importance of keeping the lights on and the doors open for afterschool programs across America.

In collaboration with the McKenzie Special School District and the Afterschool Alliance, the TEAMS Institute has chosen to hold the event to shed light on the growing problem of funding being cut for afterschool programs around the country. Tight budgets are forcing many programs to cut back or even close their doors, leaving the 14.3 million children without afterschool care either home alone or out on the streets where they can be exposed to crime or engage in dangerous behaviors.

“We know that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their children spend their afternoons,” said Evelyn Parker, TEAMS Institute Program Board Co-Chair. “The Lights On Afterschool program celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend the TEAMS Institute afterschool program.”

Open to children between the ages of six and eighteen, students who attend the TEAMS Institute participate in classes concerning Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Medicine and Science (TEAMS).

Children attending the Institute have learned valuable life skills that help them in all aspects of their lives. They gain the confidence they need to excel socially and academically. The children who attend the Institute are performing better in the classroom and are learning how to give back to their community.

“The TEAMS Institute afterschool program permits students who need extra attention and assistance to keep up with their peers by having the opportunity to receive this help. The program also provides a place for students to safely remain until they are united with their working parents or guardians. I fully endorse the TEAMS Institute in McKenzie,” stated Walter Winchester, the Mayor of McKenzie and a frequent TEAMS Institute volunteer.

Being held at 135 Bells Store Road, the events planned for the Lights On Afterschool rally include a tour of the Institute, games, music and a question and answer period with local leaders and state representatives.

Funding for the Institute is provided by the State of Tennessee’s 21st Century Learning Center, a group that awards grants to organizations that provide academic enrichment activities designed to help students meet state and local standards. The TEAMS Institute, which was founded in 2008, was recently awarded a three-year grant from the 21st Century Learning Center to continue providing life-changing opportunities for the youth of Carroll County.

To learn more about the Lights On Afterschool rally or the TEAMS Institute, visit teamsinstitute.org or call the center at 731.352.3377.




Sunday, October 11, 2009

Our Children and Math Studies

One of the goals of the TEAMS Institute is to encourage all of our children to excel in math and science. Please view below the PBS program To The Contrary that discusses a new study that finds girls and boys are equals in math. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVlyJi5hwhA&feature=related.

New Staff Member Joins TEAMS in October

Join us in welcoming our new team member Joanna Allen to the TEAMS Institute. Ms. Allen is a recent graduate with degrees in M.A.T. Edu and the M.B.A. She will be serving as our youth facilitator.

September 2009 Program Progress

Supporter of the TEAMS Institute, listed below is a summary of finance, recruitment, program, public relations, and logistic activities that have recently occurred on the project.

a. launched 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grant
b. solicited additional staff
c. continued marketing of program, products and services
d. short listed conference reunion site
e. sent finance documents to treasurer
f. processed invoices
g. continued technical assistance to 3 organizations
h. compiled and distributed teleconference minutes
i. updated Giving Matters profile
j. replied to IRS inquiry
k. renewed Northwest Tennessee Council on Children and Youth (NWTCCY) membership
l. continued Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) application process
m. created collaboration with grant writer
n. provided update via phone to board members
o. compiled 99 volunteer hours

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Why We Exist

The link below is a great resource for more information on the genesis of the TEAMS concept.
Career Voyages In Demand Magazine:
This issue highlights careers in Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM).
http://www.careervoyages.gov/pdf/indemandmagazine-stem.pdf

21st CCLC Summer Institute

Below is a synopsis of a recent conference hosted by one of our major funders.

The 21st CCLC program represents more than 1 billion dollars of federal investment in academic enrichment for children, particularly those students that attend high-poverty, low-performing schools. The 2009 Summer Institute met its primary objective to provide its participants with a professional development opportunity that will assist them in the design and implementation of high-quality afterschool programs for America's children.
Sylvia E. Lyles, Ph.D
Program Director
Academic Improvement Programs Group.


The Summer Institute kicked off with an all-day Management Preconference Session for State Coordinators and 21st CCLC Program Directors. Day two included a panel discussion and community forum where infusing service learning activities in 21st CCLC programs was discussed. During the general session, Elizabeth Warner, Chair, IES, U.S. Department of Education, Robert Granger, President of the William T. Grant Foundation, Fred Doolittle, Vice President of MDRC and Robert Stonehill, Chief Program Officer at Learning Point Associates, spoke to a crowd of over 2200 afterschool professionals on Expanded Program Knowledge through Research. Afterwards, Black Violin and ReadNex Poetry Squad, reminded us of the 21st CCLC mission through the power of the spoken word and music.

The day culminated with a wonderful networking reception, emceed by Felicia Watson, Director of the NY 21st CCLC Statewide TAC where seven 2009 Afterschool Student Ambassadors were named. Coordinator and organizer of the student ambassador piece, Monique McDowell of the Bronx, NY, worked with the Department of Education, students and their families for weeks leading up to the Summer Institute. The Department of Education will track the students for 1 year and will solicit their ideas and feedback on improvements to the program. The student ambassadors represented California, Kansas, Montana, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Texas. Congratulations!

Day three began with a discussion on inclusion: "Where Everyone Belongs". Experts, such as Keith Jones, President of SoulTouchin' Experience in Somerville, MA; Viviana Hernandez, Program Specialist at Primetime Program in San Diego, CA; and, Mary Shea, Project Consultant with Kids Included Together in San Diego, CA. stressed the importance on including ALL children in afterschool. Establishing and Sustaining Effective Partnerships with the Community and Public Sector was the topic of a panel headed by Lisa K. Proctor of the JCPenney Afterschool Fund in Plano, Texas.The Summer Institute culminated with a panel discussion on The Future of Early Childhood Education with experts from the Department of Education of Washington, DC; Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN; the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta in Atlanta, GA; Topeka Public Schools of Topeka, KS; and, The Center for Teacher Education at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.

According to Sylvia E. Lyles, all conference/presentation materials were very intentional to show where the Department of Education is heading. Service learning, research, inclusion, partnerships/collaboration and early childhood were the salient topics throughout the conference.

July Program Progress

Greetings Friends of the TEAMS Institute. Listed below is a summary of finance, recruitment, program, public relations, and logistic activities that have recently occurred on the project.

a. conducted memorial service for longtime supporter
b. review hotel proposals for conference
c. attended 3 ONE Group training sessions
d. compiled and distributed meeting minutes
e. provided updates via phone to board members
f. attended 21st Century Community Learning Center conference
g. received grant award from the Department of Education
h. compiled 567 volunteer hours for May and June

In Memoriam: Nathaniel Turhan Williams

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our dear brother and avid program supporter Nathaniel Turhan Williams.  Nathaniel Turhan Williams joined the circle of the ancestors on June 10, 2009 after a brief illness at the age of 52. Memorial services were held on June 16 in Nashville, Tennessee and June 17 in Bethel Springs, Tennessee.

Nathaniel Turhan Williams affectionately known as “Nate” and “Tyrone” by his friends, was a gifted man of the spirit who was a carpenter, certified welder, visual artist, vocalist, athlete, and lover of people. He was fun-loving, compassionate, courteous, and made friends easily. He never met a stranger and was a loving son, brother, father, uncle, grandfather, and cousin.

His legacy of care, concern, and compassion for his fellow human beings will be continued in the efforts of the TEAMS Institute. Send your memorial donations to NAPAS at Youthbuild TEAMS Institute, 135 Bells Store Road, McKenzie, TN 38201.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

May 2009 Volunteer Meter

Due to the generous time and talent of our friends and supporters, we have logged more than 600 volunteer hours to date for 2009. Keep up the good work toward the mission of TEAMS.

TEAMS Institute Expanding Impact in West Tennessee

McKenzie, TN – “Achieving academic and social success through leadership development, career, employment, college and vocational training opportunities.” This is the mission and goal of the TEAMS Institute located in McKenzie, Tennessee. By offering educational and life-skill building activities to at-risk youth, the TEAMS Institute is making a difference in the lives of many. Open to children between the ages of five and eighteen, students attending the Institute participate in classes concerning Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Medicine and Science (TEAMS).

Many children attending the Institute have learned valuable life skills that help them in all aspects of their lives. They gain the confidence they need to excel socially and academically. The children who attend the Institute are performing better in the classroom and are learning how to give back to their community.

“The TEAMS Institute after school program permits students who need extra attention and assistance to keep up with their peers by having the opportunity to receive this help. The program also provides a place for students to safely remain until they are united with their working parents or guardians. I fully endorse the TEAMS Institute in McKenzie,” stated Walter Winchester, the Mayor of McKenzie and a frequent TEAMS Institute volunteer.

As a result of the successful impact the TEAMS Institute is having in Carroll County, the minds behind the Institute are in the process of starting a chapter of YouthBuild. YouthBuild is a nationwide organization that allows low-income young people to work toward their GED or high school diploma while learning job skills, which lead to a pre-apprentice certification. The skills taught will range from construction and manufacturing to teaching and tutoring. Most YouthBuild chapters participate in the construction of affordable housing for homeless or low-income people. While learning valuable skills, participants are also exposed to positive examples of leadership and service to others.

Seventy-six percent of YouthBuild participants nationwide have gone on to be placed in jobs or participate in post-secondary educational courses. Carroll County’s chapter has hopes of achieving or even exceeding that statistic through the support and commitment of area residents.

Area youth that are interested in either the TEAMS Institute or the YouthBuild program can find applications at teamsinstitute.org or by calling the center at 731.415.2588.

To help these organizations continue to make a difference, private donations and volunteers are always needed. Volunteer and donation information can be found at teamsinstitute.org. In addition to traditional fundraising activities, the sponsors of the TEAMS Institute and YouthBuild also sell collections of ethnic clip art for use in publications and advertisements and MiEssence cosmetic and bodycare products. For more details, visit twinataa.com/svpub2.html or luscious.mionegroup.com.

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May 2009 Program Progress

Greetings Friends of the TEAMS Institute. Listed below is a summary of finance, recruitment, program, public relations, and logistic activities that have recently occurred on the project.

a. submitted four proposals for funding

b. set up new FREE conference call account.

c. began evaluation and planning of NAPAS Reunion host

d. forwarded blog link to Minister P. Cooper

e. attended 3 ONE Group product sale teleconferences

f. attended one YouthBuild teleconference

g. compiled and distributed meeting minutes

h. forwarded attendance software information to D. Williams

i. updated Collaboration Group on submission of grants

j. recruited new board member Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Williams and Associates, Mr. Williams (no relation to S. Williams) expertise Federal, State, Local Government Funding, Grants and Contracts

k. circulated press release announcing student registration on-line

l. discussed audit strategy with accountant at Vanderbilt University

m. replied to IRS employee question

n. provided updates via phone to board members

o. recommended TEAMS Institute as non-profit to be sponsored by ONE Group

p. attended NIA Meeting

q. met with A. James to discuss non-profit planning assistance

r. met with R. Johnson to discuss non-profit planning assistance

s. met with potential ONE Group Representative

Also view the recent blog additions for History of Collaborators and Affiliations with the TEAMS Institute.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

April Meeting

Mark your calendar for our next teleconference update scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 7:30 pm CST.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

March Melody

"I do think it's not asking too much for you to engage those among you who are visionary and remove from your life whose who offer you depression, despair and disrespect."
Nikki Giovanni

This is the first post of our progress on the rhythm of the TEAMS Institute. We will publish this update every other month for your information.
Completed action items are as follows:

* requested $1.1 million in funding to date in 2009
* continued development of YouthBuild
* attended Child Advocacy Days sponsored by the Tennessee Commission On Children and Youth
* convened meeting about Learn and Serve partners
* met with Senator Lowe Finney
* expanded insurance coverage
* created addition to logo
*distributed request for conference host
* registered with TechSoup Stock
* attended NYLC conference hosted by Volunteer Tennessee
*purchased Giftworks
*reviewed marketing plan from Younger Associates
* forwarded timesheet template to board members