FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nancy E. Schopf
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schopf@titletown.org
For Release January 24, 2008
Competition Showcases Successful Efforts by U.S. Cities and Towns to Help Young People Succeed
Green Bay, WI— America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One, today announced the Greater Green Bay Area has been named a winner of its 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The 100 Best competition recognizes the 100 outstanding communities across America—large and small, rural and urban—that are the best places for young people to live and grow up. More than 300 communities in all 50 states applied for the honor this year. The 100 winning communities span 37 states.
The Greater Green Bay Area is a 2008 100 Best winner because of the way residents have come together to help young people. This community work plan has allowed educators, businesspeople, and government officials, among others, to create a network that develops and maintains a system of programs and opportunities to help young people succeed. The Brown County Anti-Bullying Conference educates the community on school violence and anti-bullying, while a local business developed a school safety training video and guide to safe schools. In addition, the Green Bay Partners in Education partnership serves 10 school districts—urban, suburban, and rural—with an objective to assist all students in developing the skills and values necessary for successful transition from school to an eventual career and active community life.
“The prosperity of every community and this country depends on how well we care for our children and youth,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America’s Promise Alliance, “Although no place is perfect, when we have communities that make young people a priority and are working to make sure they stay in school and have all the resources necessary to lead healthy, productive lives, we must recognize them and by extension inspire other cities and towns to follow their lead.”
"At Capital One, we are committed to building stronger communities, one neighborhood at a time,” said Carolyn Berkowitz, Vice President of Community Affairs for Capital One. "That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Alliance on the 100 Best competition to recognize the tremendous work in communities across the country to create environments where children and families have boundless opportunities as well as the support systems necessary to champion their growth and encourage their success.”
The 100 Best competition was first held in 2005. (The Greater Green Bay Area was also a recipient in the inaugural year of the competition.) This year’s winners were selected by a distinguished panel that included some of the nation’s most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders such as: Gayle Manchin, first lady of West Virginia, United Way President Brian Gallagher, former Mayor of Denver and President of Webb Group International, Wellington Webb, Thomas Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Carol Coletta, president and CEO, CEOs for Cities, Christine James-
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Brown, president and CEO, the Child Welfare League of America, and Dr. Suzanne Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.
Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt will attend a reception for winning communities Thursday evening in Washingon, D.C., while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “It’s a great honor for America’s Promise to continue its recognition of the Greater Green Bay Area for our extraordinary level of collaboration among public and community agencies in supporting the healthy development of our children,” said Schmitt, adding “Nurturing healthy, safe, smart and happy kids is about the best investment we can make in the future of our city, state and nation, and I think this award speaks volumes for our community’s support.” Schmitt concluded, “We must remain motivated to make Green Bay the place that we all believe it can and should be for our young people. That’s our mission, to leave it better than we found it.”
All communities that completed entries in the 100 Best competition were required to submit detailed information to the Alliance on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises—resources identified by America’s Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others; to their young people. Applicants were also asked to describe how different sectors of their community come together to deliver the Five Promises and specific efforts and programs developed to ensure that their young people graduate from high school prepared for college and/or the workforce.
Organizations serving youth and children included in the Greater Green Bay Area application:
• Partners in Education linking school districts, post-secondary institutions, municipalities, and businesses from Ashwaubenon, Denmark, De Pere, Howard-Suamico, Luxemburg-Casco, Pulaski, Seymour, West De Pere, Wrightstown—referencing the following programs
o Partners in Education Executive Board
o Partners in Education Drug Alliance
o Partners in Education Attendance Task Force
o Brown County Teen Leadership
o Greater Green Bay Youth Leadership Council
o Partners in Education Youth Apprenticeship
o Parent Networks
o Career Education Programs
• Howard-Suamico Community of Promise – Youth Resource Council
• Brown County United Way
o Community Partnership for Children
o 2-1-1 Get Connected, Get Answers
• Phuture Phoenix of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
• Brown County Oral Health Partnership
• Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
• Start Smart/The Early Childhood Council
o The State of Brown County’s Children Report
• Brown County…
o Homeless & Housing Coalition
o Brown County Food & Hunger Network
o Department of Social Services
o Family Court Mediation Services
o Child Protection
o Economic Support Services
o Medical Assistance
o Foodshare
o Child Care Assistance
o Syble Hopp School
o PALS Program
o 4-H Program
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• Brown County Volunteer Center
• Big Brothers, Big Sisters
• Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay
• YMCA – Lights on Afterschool
• Salvation Army Family Center
• Child Mental Health Partnership
• Green Bay Mayor’s Neighborhood Resource Council
• Alternative School Programs
o CESA 7
o Phantom Knight School of Opportunity
o Chance for Change
o And more….
Student testimonials included:
• Rachael Perrault, Pulaski High School junior, Brown County Teen Leadership graduate, Partners in Education Executive Board member
• Melanie Czypinski, UW-Green Bay student, Brown County Teen Leadership graduate and Steering Board member
• Ashley Duckart, UW-Oshkosh student, Denmark High School graduate, PIE Youth Apprenticeship graduate
• Olivia Deschane, St. Mark Lutheran School 5th grade student
In addition to Mayor Schmitt attending an evening reception for local elected officials from winning communities on January 24 at The University Club, Washington DC, a larger community delegation will attend the National Forum & Celebration in Washington DC on September 22 & 23. In addition, each of the communities that applied for the 100 Best award will be eligible to apply for $300,000 in grants from the Alliance next month.
For more details about the 100 Best competition and to see a complete list of the 2008 winners, please visit www.americaspromise.org.
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About the America’s Promise Alliance
America’s Promise Alliance is the nation’s leader in forging a strong and effective partnership alliance comprised of corporations, nonprofit organizations, foundations, policymakers, advocacy and faith groups committed to ensuring that children receive the fundamental resources - the Five Promises – they need to lead successful, healthy and productive lives and build a stronger society. Building on the legacy of our founder General Colin Powell, the Alliance believes the success of our children is grounded in experiencing the Five Promises - caring adults; safe place; a healthy start; an effective education; and opportunities to help others - at home, in school and in the community. For more information on America’s Promise Alliance visit: www.americaspromise.org.
About Capital One
Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company, with 732 locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas and Louisiana. Its principal subsidiaries, Capital One Bank, Capital One Auto Finance, Inc., and Capital One, N.A. offer a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients. Capital One's subsidiaries collectively had $83.3 billion in deposits and $146.4 billion in managed loans outstanding as of September 30, 2007. Capital One, a Fortune 500 company, trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.
About Partners in Education
Partners in Education is a program of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. Greater Green Bay Area Partners in Education is business, education, and organizations working together to help all learners prepare for productive community life and to strengthen the economic vitality of our community.
