Small Schools Highlighted at E3 Reception

Student Voices, Student Dreams was the theme for the third annual E3 Partners Reception held on October 24th at Wieden + Kennedy.  Over one-hundred and fifty business and education leaders heard students talk about their small schools and dreams for the future.  The evening began with a short video of students from five of the small high schools talking about the changes at their schools and what they plan to do after graduation. (view 5 minute video here)

View a slideshow of reception photos here.

The E3 program featured Komal Singh, (pictured right) a junior from the POWER Academy, one of the three small schools on the Roosevelt Campus in Portland, who served as emcee for the evening.  She introduced Lashelle Tyler, a sophomore from the Leadership and Entrepreneurship Public Charter High School (LEP) who read a poem about dreams by Walt Whitman, and described how she wanted to follow in the foot steps of her grandmother and become an anesthesiologist after high school. In addition, Brianna Eamons from Woodburn Arts & Communications Academy read a poem about her future, and Tyler Lopez from the Marshall High Small Schools Campus gave a testimonial about the power of survival and commitment to your dreams.

(Left to right: Lashelle Tyler, Tyler Lopez, Brianna Eamons)

Small Schools Updates

Student emcee Komal introduced Carole Morse, President of the PGE Foundation, and Manager of Strategic Community Investments for Portland General Electric, and Co-Chair of the E3 board.  Carole reported that E3 has now helped open 38 new small high schools in Oregon and that E3 coaches are working to help schools improve instructional practices and teaching strategies so that teaching becomes more exciting and effective for students. 

Carole noted that while many schools have only just restructured or opened, we are beginning to see real progress.  Early indicators, consistent with other states, are showing positive trends in enrollment, attendance, student behavior, teacher attitude and academic performance. From 2004 – 2006, reading and math assessment scores increased at 13 of 14 small schools, and some of those increases were the largest increases of any school in their district.  Early indicators for college readiness were demonstrated in several ways.  Many small schools introduced their first Advanced Placement (AP) classes, or eliminated remedial courses, and 7 out of 8 small schools had increases in the number of sophomore students taking the PSAT test which is an indicator of those who will take the SAT college entry test their junior year.

Dancers a Big Hit

A high-light of the evening was a dance performance by the Renaissance Dancers from Renaissance Arts Academy on the Marshall Campus.  Their original dance, A Collision of Dreams, received a rousing round of applause from the crowd, and at the end of the dance each student stood to describe their dream for the future -- which included college and a wide range of career interests from physician to tattoo artist.

Closing out the evening, René Léger, E3’s Executive Director, thanked the employers, foundations and education partners for their continuing support of E3’s work and gave special recognition to the event sponsors: Azumano Travel, Intel, Nike, The Standard and Wieden + Kennedy.

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