In this week’s roundup of news affecting women and girls in our community: We wonder what Dr. King might say about the high rate of poverty among women and girls in the DC area. The top five findings of 2011 from the Institute of Women’s Policy Research. The impact of Pre-K on the achievement gap. Is it time for a poverty revolution? Plus, a young, aspiring scientist is headed for a national competition as her family deals with homelessness.
— Ahead of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Women’s Foundation President Nicky Goren visits the MLK Memorial and reflects on what Dr. King would think about more than 200,000 women and girls living in poverty in the DC region.
— The Women’s Foundation is inviting supporters to join us and volunteer at A Wider Circle on MLK Day. Click here for details.
— The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) — a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner — has posted a list of their top five findings of 2011. Topics on the list include how women have fared during the economic recovery, the unmet child care needs of student parents and how much paid sick days would save taxpayers.
— East of the River Magazine explores the innovative work of AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School. The article also takes a look at the impact a quality Pre-K education can have on the achievement gap. AppleTree is a Women’s Foundation Grantee Partner.
— “In the fight against poverty, it’s time for a revolution,” David Bornstein writes in a commentary on The New York Times website. Bornstein calls for re-defining poverty, restructuring how social services are handled, and focusing on collaborative, long-term solutions.
— Here’s your feel great story of the week: a 17-year-old Long Island high school student whose family had to move into a homeless shelter a year ago is a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search competition. Samantha Garvey says she doesn’t have the best home life, but she hopes that she made her parents proud by being one of just 300 students nationwide to participate in the semifinals of the competition. You can watch her story here:
