DENVER, July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Education Commission of the States (ECS) and the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) are pleased to announce the recipients of the Service-Learning Schools of Success Award. Ten schools were selected based on their support of five elements critical to the successful, school-based integration of service-learning -- shown to lead to greater student achievement and success: vision and leadership, curriculum and assessment, professional development, community-school partnerships and continuous improvement.

Selected schools include: Malcolm Shabazz City High School, Madison, WI; Raymond School, Franksville, WI; Montpelier High School, Montpelier, VT; Greendale Middle School, Greendale, WI; Liberty High School, Louisville, KY; Park Forest Elementary School, State College, PA; DuPont Manual High School, Louisville, KY; Waterford High School, Waterford, CT; Grant's Lick Elementary School, Alexandria, KY; and Patriot Academy, Madison, AL..

"We're pleased to partner with NCLC in recognizing these schools which demonstrate quality service-learning practice" said Kathy Payne, State Farm senior director of Education Leadership.

Each school will receive an award of $10,000 over two years to expand and deepen existing service-learning initiatives, and build greater capacity within their district. In return, schools will be asked to test and learn from leadership strategies that integrate and sustain quality service-learning for all students to succeed in school and in their communities.

This initiative is supported with a grant from the State Farm Companies Foundation, building on NCLC efforts over eight years to support, encourage and reward sustainability of quality service-learning. State Farm(R) and NCLC share the goal of enhancing the knowledge, skills and will of education policymakers and leaders to increase state and district policies reflecting the components of quality service-learning.

"While there are many fine examples of school-based service-learning programs in the country, these 10 stood out and were selected because of their expertise in integrating and sustaining service-learning in school settings," notes ECS' NCLC Executive Director JoAnn Henderson. "We look forward to gleaning their best practices and promoting those lessons with other districts and key policymakers."

Later this fall, NCLC will convene key staff members from the ten schools in Denver. The objective will be to help schools more fully integrate, share and support service-learning policies. NCLC, with the ten schools, will create products that inform and encourage other states, districts and schools to incorporate service-learning.

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) is the only nationwide, nonpartisan interstate compact devoted to education. ECS helps governors, legislators, state education officials and others identify, develop and implement public policies to improve student learning at all levels. A nonprofit organization, ECS (www.ecs.org) was formed in 1965 and is located in Denver, Colorado.

State Farm Companies Foundation is a tax-exempt private foundation that was established in 1963 and is funded by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. State Farm Companies Foundation provides charitable support for K-12 public education initiatives that are national in scope in the areas of systemic improvement, service-learning, and teacher excellence. For more information about State Farm Companies Foundation, please visit www.statefarm.com/about/part_spos/part_spos.asp.

Education Commission of the States

Education Commission of the States

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