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"A few years ago, I realized my son, Jack, didn't exactly love books. We'd always read to him as a baby, and he was beginning to read for school. When he got home, him going to the shelf and picking up a book was about as likely as his pulling out a notebook and solving quantum physics problems. Actually, the latter was more likely. He's a smart kid. So Sue and I took it on ourselves to fix the problem if we could. Starting that summer, and every summer since, we went out and found books that I was pretty sure he'd not just read, but would love to read. That was a big part of the inspiration for READKIDDOREAD. But, more than that, the experience with Jack got me writing books that I hoped he and other kids would love to read. Before then, I'd always written books just for grown-ups. In fact, one of my proudest moments as a writer was when I passed him the manuscript of The Dangerous Days of Daniel X. Not only did he like it, he told me it was his favorite. Anyhow, the Daniel X series, the Maximum Ride series, and the Witch & Wizard series were written for just this purpose. Jack got me writing books that I thought other kids would love. To contribute a few books that hopefully, will make kids readers for life. But don't take my word for it. Read some of the feedback these books have gotten from parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and even critics. I hope you and your young readers enjoy them, too."

"InterroBang is a socially-networked, problem-solving game that provides missions that are completed in the real world. The missions are inspired by the Four Grand Challenges of the Smithsonian: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Universe Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet Valuing World Cultures Understanding the American Experience"

"CAMM Worldwide is a new campaign from Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), Time Warner Cable's philanthropic commitment to connect youth to ideas, people and opportunities that will inspire them to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Fact: The U.S. ranks 35th in math and 29th in science worldwide.* To better understand how attitudes and beliefs among young Americans contribute to our poor rankings, we traveled to three countries that rank significantly higher in math and science literacy - Finland, China and Australia - and interviewed young people, parents and teachers about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and related issues. We compared what we heard from these nations to responses from interviews conducted here in the U.S."

"America's Choice is a new kind of educational organization. We are a solution provider. We offer comprehensive, proven solutions to the complex problems educators face in the era of accountability. America's Choice has an unparalleled history as a national thought leader and as the creator of research-based school improvement solutions that work for states, districts, and schools. We have traveled the world to learn how the most successful schools and school systems organize and systematically teach for results. We know how to help the millions of American students who are at risk of failing to catch up, to meet rigorous academic standards, and to succeed in school. And we know how to bring out the best in school leaders, coaches, and teachers. Our coherent, uniquely American solutions help schools focus on teaching, learning, and results."

"VISION STATEMENT: The Tavis Smiley Foundation is the premiere leadership training and development program for African American youth. WHAT WE'RE ABOUT: Youth rights. Voter Education. Homelessness. HIV/AIDS. Juvenile Justice. Hate Crimes. Media Influences. Violence in Schools. Peer Pressure. Families. Intolerance. Government Spending. Education. Politics. Leadership. If there's an issue that impacts the success of a young person, we're concerned about it. More importantly we want to provide opportunities for young people who are concerned about these issues to be active participants in solving problems as the mantle of leadership is passed from one generation to the next. We want Martin Luther King, Jr. to meet Malcolm X at 13 and Ida B. Wells to meet Harriet Tubman at age 15. TSF National Youth Advisory Council members Fred Shelton and Charles Prince. WHAT WE BELIEVE: We believe that preparation is the key to success and that opportunity and vision are essential to create visionary leaders. We also believe that every child has a talent which can be used to improve their community and our country in a real and meaningful way. Our goal is to serve as a powerful positive force in young lives to counter the negatives in media and our society as a whole and provide an infrastructure that allows youth to voice their concerns and actively engage meaningful civic participation. The future of America depends on the cultivation of the next generation and a national network of young leaders is an essential force to enlighten, encourage and empower communities and affect social change."

"The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) provides knowledge to trusted professionals who, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmental problems. Together, we generate lasting positive change. History: Chartered by Congress in 1990 to advance environmental knowledge and action, our ultimate goal is to activate environmentally responsible behavior in the general public. The National Environmental Education Act of 1990 established the National Environmental Education Foundation as a complementary organization to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), extending its ability to foster environmental literacy in all segments of the American public as well as leveraging private funds that EPA, as a federal agency, could not access. In the almost two decades since then, the annual appropriation we receive from the EPA's Office of Environmental Education has enabled us to tap millions more in private and other governmental funding. The strong relationship we've built with the EPA has allowed us to multiply our resources and deliver innovative education programs which encourage environmentally responsible behavior. Our strategy is to reach the public through a powerful network of trusted professionals who can help Americans make everyday choices for a healthy life and healthy environment. Working with a network of health professionals, weathercasters, land managers and teachers our programs reach hundreds of thousands of households and translate in to direct actions, saving millions of dollars as well as reducing energy use, protecting nature, and improving the health of thousands of children."

The Promising Practices Network (PPN) is a group of individuals and organizations who are dedicated to providing quality evidence-based information about what works to improve the lives of children, families, and communities. Who runs PPN? This project is operated by the RAND Corporation, the nation's original "think tank." RAND is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. Long recognized as one of the world's premier research organizations, RAND produces work of enduring value-research and analysis that is prized and respected for its quality, innovation, comprehensiveness, and objectivity. The wide dissemination of its findings is an equally important part of RAND's mission: research must be readily accessible to policymakers if it is to have impact on the public good. RAND brings to PPN extensive experience in the child policy arena, with more than 150 researchers and consultants working in areas such as child health, juvenile justice, education, child care, labor, and demographics. RAND's analysis has shaped public policy on a range of problems facing young people, including prenatal health, substance abuse, firearms violence, and early childhood interventions.

Education.com provides parents of school-aged children with free access to information and resources to give them the answers they need - plus activities and articles that make learning together more fun for everyone. There's no doubt about it - raising kids in the "wired world" where bullying, learning disability diagnosis, childhood obesity and divorce rates are at all time highs isn't easy. Most parents intuitively know what multiple studies have proven: family involvement improves kids' success at school. Parents want to do the best they can for their kids but often don't have the right information to help them navigate today's complicated world. With the vast Internet at their fingertips, not having enough information is rarely a problem for parents. The bigger issue is knowing how to find the best information fast. Education.com is a one-stop source of information for all parents' educational, developmental, and parenting questions.

"RJI Vision and Mission Reynolds Journalism Institute: Ideas. Experiments. Research. Solutions. 2009 The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) exists to develop and test ways to improve journalism through new technology and improved processes. In partnership with media organizations and nonprofits, RJI delivers technological and strategic innovations in journalism and advertising. RJI was launched in 2004 with an initial grant of $31 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation . In conjunction with the centennial celebration of the Missouri School of Journalism, it officially dedicated its world headquarters in September 2008. This 50,000 square-foot facility on the University of Missouri campus has state-of-the-art resources to test and demonstrate new technologies, experiment with convergence news production and delivery systems, and conduct real-time and virtual seminars and conferences. RJI's work crosses diverse specialties within journalism, including media convergence, editorial content and methods, the evolution of advertising, innovation in management and the impact of new technologies. It also includes varied fields on campus such as law, computer science, marketing, education and other disciplines. The vision The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute is a world-class center for researching and testing new models of journalism in this era of technological advances. RJI makes the most of its location in a premier, hands-on journalism school at a research-extensive university and the collective creativity of visiting professionals and researchers. It assumes a leading position among centers devoted to journalism and media studies. Exterior view of the new RJI building on 9th Street in Columbia, MO. The mission The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute engages media professionals, scholars and other citizens in programs aimed at improving the practice and understanding of journalism in democratic soc

"What We Do As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. The diversity of our scientific expertise enables us to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers"

"Project Tomorrow is a national education nonprofit group based in Irvine, California. The vision of Project Tomorrow is ensure that today's students are well prepared to be tomorrow's innovators, leaders and engaged citizens of the world. We believe that by supporting the innovative uses of science, math and technology resources in our K-12 schools and communities, students will develop the critical thinking, problem solving and creativity skills needed to compete and thrive in the 21st century. We approach our mission by: Conducting national research projects such as Speak Up. Facilitating the replication of model projects in schools and communities. Providing online tools and resources for students, teachers and parents. Contributing to the national and regional dialogue about educational issues."

"Geography Matters Geography connects our many cultures and societies and influences our way of life. ESRI is built on the philosophy that a geographic approach to problem solving ensures better communication and collaboration. Geographic information system (GIS) technology leverages this geographic insight to address social, economic, business, and environmental concerns at local, regional, national, and global scales."

"The Accident Cynthia Howroyd, a speech language pathologist and clinical director, created AutismPro after becoming frustrated with her attempts to provide efficient and affordable guidance to those working with children with autism. In 2001, Cynthia was working with no funding or trained autism personnel on staff when she became unable to travel for several months due to a car accident. While she recuperated, she used the pause in her hectic schedule to think about how to continue to meet her clients' needs. She began imagining creative ways of applying technology to the problem. A Unique Approach Understanding how the expertise of professionals, the internet, expert system software, and online learning might be combined into a single solution, she developed the vision of a 'virtual autism clinic' that would dramatically increase accessibility to treatment guidance. Success! After three years of struggle and determination, Cynthia gathered a team of experts to begin Virtual Expert Clinics Inc. in 2004. In 2006, Virtual Expert Clinics launched their first product, AutismPro Professional, designed to help caregivers design and deliver tailored intervention plans for young children with autism. Helping Schools and Clinics With strong interest from school districts and early intervention centers across North America and worldwide, Virtual Expert Clinics has developed a package of software and consulting, training, and program-design services to help these institutions deliver autism programming to improve child outcomes. A Growing Group of Worldwide Users AutismPro is being used by over 1,000 individuals and organizations in a dozen countries. Virtual Expert Clinics has established high profile re-seller partnerships in Poland (SOTIS), Australia (Autism Spectrum Australia), and The Netherlands (Fontys University)."