FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Laura Norris, YouthFriends
(816) 842-7082; norris@youthfriends.org
Matt Pozel. Kauffman Foundation
(816) 932-1263; mpozel@kauffman.org
Kauffman Foundation and YouthFriends Launch UpLink as part of a Commitment to Math and Science
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Feb. 2, 2007) — The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation today announces a three-year grant of up to $5.4 million, to YouthFriends as part of the Foundation's 10-year campaign to improve math, science and technology education in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Through this grant, YouthFriends will develop UpLink, a community hub connecting area businesses with teachers and students who want to further their skills and knowledge in math, engineering, technology and science (METS).
By engaging students with dynamic mentors, better-informed teachers and real-world learning experiences, UpLink will inspire students to pursue careers in math, engineering, technology and science as well as appreciate the many ways in which these disciplines contribute to the modern workplace and the quality of life. For area teachers involved, it will provide them with the resources and additional education, including externships, that they need to teach their students advanced skills in math, science and technology.
YouthFriends, through UpLink, is currently pursuing partnerships with area organizations that will provide mentoring, internships and job shadowing experiences to students and externships to teachers.
“Better educating tomorrow’s business leaders and workforce in math, engineering, technology and science is critically important. It will help our young people survive economically,” said Carl Schramm, Kauffman Foundation president and CEO. “And, it will help our entire community stay strong and grow.”
YouthFriends was chosen to develop and manage UpLink because of its nationally recognized school-based mentoring program and prudent risk management protocol, extensive existing partnerships with area corporations and a proven operating system used by hundreds of school districts.
In its pilot year, UpLink will focus on three core components, YouthFriends, LaunchPad and TeacherTech. YouthFriends will connect 500 METS professionals with mentoring opportunities in area schools (grades K-12). LaunchPad will provide 50 students (grades 8-12) with METS-related internships and job shadowing opportunities, and TeacherTech will make METS-related, paid externships a reality for 25 teachers. Uplink will also recruit career speakers for area schools.
“Our relationship with Kauffman Foundation gives us the resources to engage YouthFriends tools and experience as a national mentoring organization to benefit the community and develop a strong future workforce,” said Lisa Adkins, YouthFriends president. “This new program will deliver an inviting and empowering educational experience for teachers and students by using an innovative, integrated system of tools, training and technology throughout the region.”
UpLink’s programs, which will begin in late spring and early summer, will engage with school districts and organizations in the five-county Kansas City area. Early partnerships to make this effort a success include the following UpLink Founding Partners: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, The Kansas City Area Development Council, the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute and the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation.
The initial Ultimate UpLink Employer Partners, which are committed to participating in each component, include: Bayer, Animal Health Division; GE Transportation; Kansas City Power and Light; and the University of Kansas Medical Center.
###
About the Kauffman Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City is a private, nonpartisan foundation that works with partners to advance entrepreneurship in America and improve the education of children and youth. The Kauffman Foundation was established in the mid-1960s by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman. Information about the Kauffman Foundation is available at www.kauffman.org.
About YouthFriends
YouthFriends is a non-profit organization that partners with school districts to connect caring adult volunteers with young people in schools to promote student success, encourage healthy behaviors and build stronger communities. YouthFriends provides a research-based, market-driven operating system of tools, training, technology and support to enable school districts to implement and sustain a school-based mentoring effort that meets the highest national quality standards. Information about YouthFriends is available at www.youthfriends.org.