CUSTOMIZE YOUR RIDE: One Size Does Not Fit All

One size does not always ‘fit all.’ That can even apply to a great program like LearnDoEarn. Different schools may want or need to deliver different combinations of LearnDoEarn messages to their students, depending upon the preparation those young people may need. To accommodate all users, LearnDoEarn has been unbundled so that all or any combination of its program components can be ‘driven home’ to students.

For example, Work the Money addresses financial literacy with messages about the need to save, spend wisely, and avoid debt. But the underlying message is all about the self-discipline and the ability to postpone gratification to create a better future. These are critical aspects of character that mature adults have and that few students hear. Work the Money tells students that ‘every decision is a financial decision’ and that building a comfortable financial future is all about making the right decisions through the middle grades and into high school.

Similarly, School Counts contains content related to building resumes, interviewing, and attendance policies. But it emphasizes work ethic – the kind of work ethic employers will expect. It has a particular focus on attendance and punctuality and makes sure students understand that they have an obligation to taxpayers to take their education seriously.

So the Work the Money and School Counts e-presentations can be used to supplement (or replace) curriculum in character education classes, career education classes, financial literacy or economic classes, business classes or in sessions with school counselors or student advisors.

With these messages, LearnDoEarn goes far beyond the norm in character education, career education, and financial literacy – all good things for students to know and practice while they are in school or when they arrive on the doorsteps of the world of work.

In combination with the other program components of the LearnDoEarn Student Achievement System, like World Class Students, which focuses on academic achievement; the Technology Challenge, which improves student proficiency in basic computer software; and the Math Challenge, which offers online benchmark tests in key content areas in math, LearnDoEarn has just the right message. Customize your ride to meet the needs of your students and their future employers.

REVVING UP! Arizona and Minnesota are picking up speed

If you’re a frequent flyer of this newsletter, you’ll know that since its introduction, LearnDoEarn (www.LearnDoEarn.org) traffic has been picking up across the country. Five states have joined New Jersey in the fast lane delivering critical messages to adolescents about their future.

In Arizona, the program is being fueled by the Arizona Technology Council, a non-profit trade association dedicated to connecting, representing and supporting the state’s expanding technology industries. Recognizing the opportunity to utilize the LearnDoEarn system as a means to reach out to their future workforce, key Arizona Technology Council member companies are preparing to launch LearnDoEarn in Scottsdale and Tucson. The first company to get on board was Avnet who contributed $10,000 to the Arizona Technology Council Foundation to support statewide implementation.

LearnDoEarn is honored to be joining with the prestigious Mayo Clinic for the implementation of LearnDoEarn in Rochester, Minnesota. Funding from the Mayo Clinic will provide posters, presentation discs, flyers, and other marketing materials for easy access for middle and high school students and their parents. With the rising need for high quality workers in the healthcare industry, the Mayo Clinic is one of the first in their class to look into the horizon for a way to improve their pool of candidates through LearnDoEarn. Other sponsors include THINK Mutual Bank, Rochester Community & Technical College, Winona State University-Rochester, Kwik-Trip and the business community of Rochester, Minnesota.

Join the companies and communities that are buying into this strategic, scalable model for marketing their expectations for middle and high school students as they prepare for their future. For more information, please contact us at info@LearnDoEarn.org or call 609-989-8315.

PIT STOP! LearnDoEarn ‘To Go’

Some schools may not be fully equipped to maneuver the souped-up LearnDoEarn through their classrooms using the online system. But LearnDoEarn won’t leave you in the dust! For schools that have minimal Internet access, or for educators who don’t have the time to download and print all the FREE materials from the website, LearnDoEarn has packaged the program in a school-friendly kit. It’s called “LearnDoEarn in a Box” and includes all the materials you’ll need to deploy the program, including our most recent product, the LearnDoEarn Scavenger Hunt. The Scavenger Hunt comes fully loaded with posters, presentations, and student prizes: three $15 store coupons and the LearnDoEarn iPod shuffle!

LearnDoEarn To Go facilitates strategic, consistent implementation of LearnDoEarn across an entire school or school system. This is also a great opportunity for PTO/PTAs, community organizations, and/or local businesses to contribute a minimal amount of money for a sizable return on investment in students’ futures. So whether the technology your students and teachers are driving is a Cadillac or an old jalopy, LearnDoEarn in a Box provides the option to retrofit your ride.

IN THE HIGH BEAMS: Work the Money

“Acquiring wealth is rarely a matter of luck. It is most often the result of a lifetime of smart decisions and wise investments. The more smart decisions you make, the better. That is the beginning of real financial literacy.” This is one of the first messages in a Work the Money presentation that gives students life-changing advice about fiscal responsibility.

“Don’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg” is the theme of another presentation that defines the impact of making decisions based on short-term desire without considering the long-term implications. These are the messages that students need to hear BEFORE they are in a position to make mistakes they don’t realize will ride with them for many miles or stall them by the side of the road. Whether used for character education or economics classes, these facts are steering kids straight down the road to success.

WELCOME NEW PASSENGERS: Adoptions Are Up

The Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota is getting in the fast lane as they pick up speed using LearnDoEarn. Local businesses have supported the costs for LearnDoEarn kits for middle and high schools in the area and are providing ‘drivers education’ for the teachers. This motivational tool has gone into high gear with very positive feedback! “We have already begun implementing LearnDoEarn and we are hearing about the direct impact it’s having on students and teachers," explains Jess Ihrke, vice president of Education & Workforce for the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. With the unprecedented success of LearnDoEarn in Rochester, other area Chambers have begun to reach out to their local schools in efforts to introduce the program.

These business-supported school ‘adoptions’ – instances where a local business supports the cost of program implementation – are up 350% this year as businesses look for high impact ways of improving their talent pipeline, particularly in this economic downturn. If you are a business person looking for a way to rev-up students in your local schools, or if you are a school administrator looking for funds in support of LearnDoEarn, consider partnering to ensure students understand what they must learn and do to earn a living wage and to earn their place in the world.

FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE: Paving the way for success

Are you tuning into what the new Obama administration will likely focus on to stimulate the economy? While we understand things may not improve immediately, there are many things your company and community can do as well to prepare for the inevitable upswing, such as investing in education. LearnDoEarn is the answer for connecting education to the economy by providing your students and their parents with a roadmap that details the critical landmarks as well as the dangerous potholes that could be the difference between smooth sailing and a rocky road.

• You can earn a million dollars more in your lifetime with a bachelor’s degree.
• If the highest math course you complete is Algebra I, you only have an 8% chance of earning a college degree.
• Only 50% of college students graduate within six years.
• Being a smoker and having bad credit will decrease your chances of getting and keeping a job.
• Over 84% of jobs available in the next decade will require a college degree.

This is a small sampling of the many critical messages embedded in the LearnDoEarn System. Don’t you wish someone had said this to you before you graduated from high school? Let’s not make the same mistake with today’s teens. Find out more at www.LearnDoEarn.org.