Learning Inc. News

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Learning Inc. Students Enjoy Great Success at Youthworks and
Ready by 21 Programs

HH7 July 2011

Learning Inc. has sixteen students participating in the Mayor's Summer YouthWorks Program. Broadway Services is employing one of our students over the summer as an extension of the Ready by 21 program and as part of YouthWorks. Broadway has a new HR director and he spoke with the student yesterday and told him what a good job he was doing, how much he hoped the Ready by 21 program would continue because he’d like him to keep working next year AND also said he will have a job for him when he graduates!

The good news continued yesterday afternoon when a student who was in our Ready by 21 program during the year and is now in the summer YouthWorks program came by in his “chef’s” jacket (see picture below). He worked at Café Hon in the spring and is working with them this summer too. He came by to show us what he had made - a professionally packed take-out egg salad sandwich with chips- and to tell us how good he’s been doing and how much he likes it!

Both of these students are at Learning Inc. because they weren’t succeeding in their regular schools. They are succeeding at Learning Inc. and the Ready by 21 program helped them learn that actions do indeed have consequences and they are so proud of themselves!!!

Thank you to the funders who made this program possible!

Heartwarming Thoughts on Learning Inc. Experience from a Summer Intern

HH7 July 2011

There is so much to say about my experience at learning inc. I have gotten to see it at all ends. You welcomed Phaye and I with open arms in the fall. You allowed me to grow an excellent bond with you and your staff, which I hope continues. The passion and desires that each member of your staff has for their students is inspiring. As you stated on Tuesday, it is difficult to deal with students with their individual situations, but you and the staff have showed me that there are people in the world who want to make a difference and are willing to sacrifice to make that change. I have so much respect for every one of you because of the work you do.

I have been the TA, the volunteer and the intern. Each experience I have had at learning inc has been life changing, whether it is working one on one with the students or doing paperwork to make sure that everything is on track. it is truly an experience I will always cherish and value. You have taught me so much about the educational system and how much it needs to change. Have you ever seen the movie Waiting for Superman? You must watch it if you haven't. Changed my view of the American Educational system forever.

Again, I thank you so much for the opportunity. If you or your staff need anything, research, books, anything, don't hesitate to email or call.

As a college student I have a lot at my disposal and even if I am not there I am always available to help. Sincerely Marina

 

New School Year Starts With Learning Inc. Student Orientation Program: W.I.S.E. (Welcomed and Initiated Students Excel)

HH 4 September 2010

Learning Inc. students went to Meals on Wheels for 2 days and really helped and earned service learning hours in the process; we also took them kayaking, they played dodge ball, had a reflection period at the end of each day, arts activities were built in etc.

This week some of the activities are going to be building bridges from newspapers, building towers from drinking straws and a gender specific overnight camping trip to Genesee Valley.

Current and Former Learning Inc. Students Enjoy Ball Game From Sky Box

HH1 June 2010

Auburn Bell from Legg Mason ARRANGED FOR SOME OF OUR CURRENT AND FORMER STUDENTS to have the sky box for one of the evening ball games – coming from the left to the right – the 1st 2 young men just graduated from high school on Saturday and were LI students 2 and 3 years ago. Next student is a current LI student, next one was with us for 2 years and is now in a BCPSS high school and is being successful and the last student is a current LI student!

Christopher B. Elser Memorial Fund Awards Grants and Praise to Learning Inc.

HH1 May 2010

The news below is taken directly from the CBE website and is followed by an excerpt from an email recieved from the fund to Learning Inc. Executive Director, Judy Friedman.

"The CBE Fund is proud to announce that since our inception in 2006 we have distributed $30,000 in the form of two grants to Baltimore based Charity Learning Inc. Learning Inc. is a non profit organization whose mission is to re-engage Baltimore City at-risk adolescents in the process of education and to provide them with academic and life skills so that they may grow into caring and responsible adults with economic opportunity. It is our greatest hope that by partnering with this respected organization we can make a difference in the lives of young people who might otherwise become engaged in acts of violence or crime."

"Judy,

I just wanted to thank you again for taking the time to meet with myself, Patrick and Cory this past Friday afternoon. It was really a treat for us to get to meet you and see the Learning Inc. space. It really seems that what you are all doing is an absolute necessity for these kids, and we couldn't be prouder that our donation to you is assisting in such a worthy endeavor. Thank you again for welcoming us with open arms, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Learning Inc in the future."

 

Learning Inc. Welcomes Auburn Bell as New Board Member

HH21 April 2010

Learning Inc. is very pleased to announce the appointment of Auburn Bell to our Board of Directors.

Auburn has worked at Legg Mason for seven years in several capacities with increasingly broader responsibilities. Currently, Auburn oversees several aspects of the firm’s global marketing efforts including: market research/intelligence, strategic marketing initiatives for the Firm’s affiliates as well as periodic special projects for the Chairman/CEO. Most recently, Auburn has also led the development of the Legg Mason Global Equities Group as well as the re-branding of the global / emerging market equity firms within the group.

Prior to his current role at LM, Auburn served as a senior marketing person in the Private Client Marketing Group within the Legg Mason Wood Walker brokerage subsidiary. While there, Auburn spearheaded two key initiatives which included re-branding the brokerage unit and conducting a strategic assessment of the retirement income market and potential opportunities for the firm.

Prior to arriving at Legg Mason, Auburn held senior market research, strategic planning and client service roles at two of Baltimore’s largest advertising agencies. During these tenures, his client experience included: Marriott Hotels & Resorts, US Airways, McCormick & Company, Six Flags Entertainment, Citigroup and Black & Decker.

Auburn received his B.S. in Business from High Point University and a M.S. in Business from the Johns Hopkins University. Outside of LM, he currently serves on the Johns Hopkins University / Carey Business School Dean’s Strategic Advisory Board and coaches both of his daughters’ soccer teams. Auburn resides in Towson just north of Baltimore with his wife, Nancy, and two daughters.

Students Participate in Field Trip to Morgan State with Learning Inc Volunteer

HH18 March 2010

One of our volunteers took some of our students on a field trip Thursday to Morgan State University: Below is the summary.

"We attended the Martin Luther King, Jr - Malcolm X Convocation There was a panel of three professors two from political science and one from communications discussing President Obama's first year in office. We visited the James Lewis Museum located in our Murphy Fine Arts Theater. James Lewis was director of the museum and a professor at Morgan before his passing. He collected many artifacts from his travels to Africa. His family donated artifacts he obtained from Nigeria, Algeria, and Ghana West Africa. At the entrance of the museum there is a bust of James Lewis as well as a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. that Professor Lewis sculpted.

We had lunch at the student center.

We attended the studio of the School of Architecture where six classes were working on projects to design row homes for two types of families; one was a working couple with no children and the other would be for a couple with children. Some focal points of concern were windows and lighting to possibly include skylights, staircases, and entrances. Some students were working on computers so we were able to see visually the levels of the homes and some students sketched their homes to include sheets that show each level of the homes. Some of the MSU students stopped to explain what they did and what their specific focal points were and why."

Our Learning Inc. students went away with a lot of information regarding how important it is first to act appropriately as well as seeing the rewards in sticking to goals and fulfilling the accomplishments of making it to college. And our most valued volunteer was Charlotte Stewart St. Pierre.

On a lighter note they went ape looking at the many beautiful young ladies on the campus.

Learning Inc Board Chair of Development honored as Local Hero

HH22 October 2009

Barbara Kornblatt, (immediate past chair of the Learning Inc. board and current chair of the development and capital campaign committee) is being honored by Bank of America as a “LOCAL HERO” – last year we nominated her for the 2009 LOCAL HERO Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Award and she has WON!!!

This award celebrates the people in our community who make a Baltimore better for all of us.

Learning Inc Executive Director to graduate from Weinberg Fellows Program

HH29 September 2009

Judy Friedman, Learning Inc's executive diector will graduate from the Weinberg Fellows Program on October 9, 2009, at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center. Friedman has completed the year long program, which comprises of four intensive live-in retreats and is a leadership development program for executive directors of agencies serving disadvantaged Maryland residents. It provides hands-on, practical, interactive sessions focused on key elements of nonprofit management; exploration of issues important to agency leaders; the chance to meet and form long-term relationships with peers, and opportunities to identify and connect to a rich network of other helpful resources.

Students enjoy new WISE program activities

HH27 September 2009

New at Learning Inc this school year is the WISE program. The program is a more structured attempt to acquaint students new to Learning Inc. to us, to each other and to the way we do things. The staff designed activities to promote fun, trust, leadership etc. For a photo gallery of the activities please click here.