 The achievement gap between African-Americans, other minorities and the larger community is the Urban League’s most urgent challenge. This gap threatens the quality of life and the development of a world-class workforce in Hampton Roads. The League eliminates this gap through developing innovative services and strategic partnerships. A partnership between the League and independent schools provides opportunities for students of color who desire an education in an independent school setting.
The League is also collaborating with public school districts to design and implement strategies to enhance learning, motivate students, involve parents, and develop a cadre of volunteers to support educators and parents. Key programs that the education department is involved with are:
National Urban League/Scholastic Book
The Urban League received the 2005-2006 Scholastic Book Award. This initiative in its sixth year, promotes early literacy and reading in Hampton Roads. The books served youth ages 3-14. The goal of this initiative is to provide books to as many youth as possible and to encourage reading as well as to build their own library at home.
Scholarship Opportunities
University of Rochester/Urban League Scholarship Program
The Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc., has partnered with the University of Rochester to recruit students for the Rochester/Urban League Scholarship Program.
The goal of the Rochester University and the Urban League is to provide educational opportunities to outstanding talented students who, for a variety of reasons, may have been discouraged from attending a leading university.
The annual merit award of $10,000 ($40,000 over four years) will allow a graduating high school senior to pursue an academic degree while lessening the financial requirements a university education can bring. The scholarship amount may be increased and/or combined with other forms of financial assistance to cover the students total cost of attendance. To learn more about the University of Rochester visit their site at www.rochester.edu.
Scholarship Guidelines:
· Applicant must be a graduating high school senior.
· Applicant must be nominated by the Urban League of Hampton Roads
· An interview is required by the Urban League staff as part of the nomination process.
· A score of 1100 or above on the SAT Reasoning Test, or a composite score of 25 or above on the ACT exam.
· Students should have at least a 3.0 GPA in a rigorous college preparatory high school program.
All interested students should contact the Urban League of Hampton Roads at (757) 627-0864 to begin the nomination process.
Independent School Scholarship Program
The Independent School Scholarship Program (ISSP) is a joint effort of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. and six independent schools in the Hampton Roads area to open the doors of opportunity to the gifted, college bound and talented minority students throughout Hampton Roads who desire an education in a an independent school setting. This program is an ongoing endeavor to increase cultural balance and provide an equitable and diverse learning experience for all students.
The ISSP seeks students of good character with above average academic ability that would benefit from an independent school education. The student and his or her family must be committed to academic excellence.
All applicants must complete the Urban League’s ISSP application by January 5, 2007. Most of the ISSP schools hold open houses, tours, interviews, and testing during January and February. You must also contact the independent schools of your choice (no more than three) to request an admission/information packet and to schedule testing for your child. The applications to the schools of your choice should be completed by February 1, 2007. ISSP candidates are not required to pay the application/testing fees.
The independent schools that are participating in this program are:
Cape Henry Collegiate School, www.capehenry.org
Chesapeake Bay Academy, www.chesapeakebayacademy.org
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, www.nsacademy.org
Norfolk Academy, www.norfolkacademy.org
Norfolk Collegiate School, http://oak.ncs.pvt.k12.va.us
The Williams School, www.thewilliamsschool.org
Video Game Programming Institute
The Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc., DigiPen Institute of Technology and Norfolk State University have partnered to launch the Academy of Computer Science and Technology. This camp is designed to introduce students, ages 12-17, to the world of video-game programming, as well as to address the need to increase youth’s digital inclusion and technical competencies for employment readiness. Thanks to the generous support of GEICO and Dollar General Corporation, the Urban League and Norfolk State are offering the 25 students the opportunity to participate in this two-week computer programming workshop. During the two weeks of the camp, students will participate in an intensive 60 hour curriculum, and actually design their own video games. Aided by the professional trainers from DigiPen Institute of Technology, students will learn: Level 1 Programming in C++ Hardware & Software and the Development process, Visual C++; language elements; syntax; function basics; operators for mathematical data; an introduction to the video game industry. Once a student learns the basic computer and programming language skills, they can begin the design and creation of their own video game. Those successfully completing the two week curriculum will be honored in a special graduation ceremony.
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