Media Recognition

PIRC Parent Empowerment Specialist featured in AJE Update (2009)

Advocates for Justice and Education, Inc. featured DC-PIRC Parent Empowerment Specialist Karen Wills-Henry in a March/April 2009 "AJE Update" that focused on how she became involved in parent outreach through her son's disability. In the course of rigorous self-education, Ms. Wills-Henry figured out how to "make it work" and ensure her son's success in school - he now plans to attend college in the fall of 2009. "If we keep it positive, everyone around us will keep it positive," Ms. Wills-Henry said, describing how encouragement among students, parents, and schools can go a long way.

To view the article, click here.

DC-PIRC's Partents as Partners Seminar Series featured in the Washington Post (2008)

On January 10, the Washington Post's "District Extra" section highlighted DC-PIRC's Parents as Partners (PAP) Seminar Series. PAP allows parents to better connect with schools, principals, and teachers with the ultimate goal of succeeding in the college admissions process. Parents who have completed the seminars have applauded its results. "I didn't even know what skills I needed. It's like a parental support group with lessons for people with teenagers," one parent said. Another parent, who felt distanced from schools because of her limited English proficiency was able to connect to educators through interpretation. "Now I feel comfortable toaking about progress and desire for my children to go to new heights," she said.

To view the article, click here.

DC-PIRC's Parents as Partners Seminar Series featured in CFNCR Brief (2006)

The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region featured MCS in a 2006 issue brief entitled "Parent Leadership." The brief detailed seven area organizations that worked in the interest of expanding parent involvement in their children's educations and addressed the task of narrowing the achievement gap for African American and Latino children via strenghtened parent engagement. Focusing on DC-PIRC's "Parents as Partners" Seminar Series, the article recognized MCS' success in mobilizing parents to become more active in their children's academics. As one parent noted, "Since participating in this program, my child is not as rebellious as she used to be and now she does her homework."

To view the article, click here.