For more about the winners and the competition, click here

We could not have done this without you!!!

As for the results of the competition, Youth Venture has asked us not to publicize anything until they officially notify us April 9th. Stay tuned for the news! The screenshot below was taken Friday afternoon.


Thanks a gazillion,

121Reach Team

Our first movie day on Friday, Februray 19 was a complete success! During this event, we watched the movie UP while eating popcorn and other little snacks. Rather than having one of those microwave popcorn bags, we had a popcorn machine that made really good freshly popped popcorn. We also provided the tutees and tutors with cute little cookies made by Mrs. White as well as chips, store-bought cookies and drinks. The movie itself taught middle-schoolers a very important moral: our connections with others is what makes life meaningful. It also teaches them that no matter how old you are, you should still follow your dreams. These themes can give our tutees more confidence in pursuing thier own ambitions and goals. Although there were some technical difficulties at times during the movie, everyone laughed it off and continued to enjoy their friday night. This was a great way to end a busy school week and we hope there are many more movie days to come! :]

>>See pictures from Movie Day here!

Good news! 121Reach has been chosen as one of the 15 finalists in the nation for Best Buy & Ashoka Youth Venture’s @15 Community Impact Challenge. We are now competing to win a $5,000 grant to grow 121Reach!  March 15 to April 2 is the voting period. Five teams will win $1,500 grants and five teams will win $5,000 grants. We will need all the votes we can get!

How to vote:

1. Set up an account at @15 by clicking here. The site says @15 is “just for teens,” but for the @15 Community Impact Challenge, adults are allowed to sign up and vote. Don’t hesitate to sign up — it’s quick and painless, and all they ask for is your birthday & email address.
2. Vote on @15.com starting from March 15 to April 2! You are allowed to vote for us everyday.

About Super-Voters

Do you want to be a Super-voter? Super-voters are our fans who vote for us everyday! Because each @15 member can vote for 121Reach once a day, voting for us everyday is the best way for us to get a lot of votes. Think of it this way: 40 people voting all 20 days of the competition is the same as 800 people voting once! All you have to do to be a super-voter is to vote for us once a day, every day!

About Captains

Captains our are voters who volunteer to inspire others to vote! Some things captains may do are:

• promote voting for 121Reach on blog, twitter, or facebook
• volunteer anywhere with internet to ask strangers to vote
• convince friends and families to be super-voters
• distribute fliers
• make announcements/short speeches about voting
• Etc., etc.! There are sooo many things you can do!

Captains will be recognized at the end of the year. To be a captain, email 121Reach@gmail.com with the subject “Best Buy @15 Captain”

What We’ll Use the Grant For:

Every penny of the grant goes to 121Reach. Here are a few ideas we have:

For more information, visit http://www.at15.com/contests_scholarships/community_impact

****Updates From Our Journey****

4/9/2010

121Reach wins the $5000 grant from the Community Impact Challenge! Thank you to everyone who voted!

4/2/2010

Last day to vote! Get all your friends to vote!

3/15/2010

Voting Begins

2/19/2010

121Reach officers participate in the first @15 Community Impact Challenge conference call on grassroots marketing.

2/18/2010

We have just received a camcorder from Youth Venture in the mail! We will soon create a 60 s film about everything that goes on at 121Reach as part of the competition!

Chancellor Rhee’s speech was very inspirational, and I guess it particularly resonated with me because I’m so into creating more opportunities for education. Here are a few points I particularly liked & agreed with:

• Courage – Rhee told us the story of DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, who had hired her at the start of his term. Most mayors, said Rhee, like to have things nice and quiet — the less political drama the better. Fenty, however, stirred up a political maelstrom when he curbed the power of the DC Board of Education, gave Rhee the reins to make the key decisions, and then stood by her often controversial steps towards reform. Addtionally, at a time when everything in DC was getting budget cuts, Fenty refused a cut for the schools–even though many people were not happy about that decision. Fenty stood his ground, saying it was unfair to make the children carry a burden created by adults.
• It’s OK not to be liked - Everyone had a good laugh at this one, as Rhee recounted all the times people had thrown things at her, cursed her name, screamed at her, etc. etc. :]  Her bottom line was that sometimes the best decisions can be very unpopular. Firing hundreds of teachers and closing down 15% of DC public schools angered countless people. Rhee, however, strongly believed that removing the teachers and schools who weren’t contributing to quality education would be the best route for the children. In this case a thick skin is necessary; otherwise it’d be impossible to move forward.

Whether or not you agree with Rhee’s views/decisions, I think her speech can relate to us all. It always takes courage to do what we feel is the right thing, especially when everyone else disagrees. To have the heart to stand your ground is very admirable!

For one thing, it definitely  relates to us all as tutors, tutees, teachers, and parents. At a tutoring session when your tutee doesn’t want to work, it’s hard to tell her/him to stay on task. I mean, no one wants to be the bad guy, especially when your tutee is looking up at you with those reproachful puppy dog eyes, telling you, “but…I thought you were one of us….” At times like these we need to stand our ground and do what’s best for the tutee, even if it makes us feel a bit like villain. ;]

>>For more info about Chancellor Rhee’s speech, click here

>>For the video of her speech, click here. (You’ll have to wait till the very end for my question haha :] )

Why do you think education is important?

What are your goals for the future?

What do you want to be when you grow up and why?

We spent quite awhile trying to think of intelligent answers to send to Michelle Obama. The cards will be consolidated into one giant card and hopefully she will be able to get a glimpse of what 121Reach is doing down here in Johns Creek to further our educational goals. Check out the photos!

Finally everyone finished and the people who remained played an intense game of WAH! What a great way to spend time together, tutors and tutees!

>> For pictures of Letters to First Lady Obama, click here

>> Or check them out on facebook!, click here

As a way of showing our love and support to the many people who have been affected by this, 121Reach is holding a fundraiser to show how much we care for the people of Haiti. It’s simple! We ask that everyone (tutors & tutees) brings just $1 (an actual one dollar bill) to tutoring this Thursday, January 21. On the bill, everyone will write a short note of support for Haiti (i.e. “I’m praying for you,Haiti!” or “Stay strong, Haiti!”, etc..) to add a personal stamp of endearment toward Haiti. 

We will collect all bills by the end of tutoring on Thursday and send them to the American Red Cross! Even with our small contribution, we will show how much 121reach cares 

***********************Update!!!************************

We have raised $50.75 for Haiti! Thank you 121Reach tutors & tutees for your words of kindness and donations. Every little bit you give will be appreciated.

>> For photos of Help for Haiti, click here

>> Or check them out on Facebook!, click here

The first change we’ve made is the tutor contract. Instead of the usual paper contract that tutors sign and turn in, we are now using an electronic contract! All tutors have to do is open up the contract on their computers, read through it, type their electronic signature, and click submit! This is not only more efficient for both tutors and 121Reach staff, but this also saves a great amount of paper We’ve also changed a few of the guidelines in the contract. These include:

1. Tutors are now required to give just a 24 hour absence notification rather than 48 hours.

2. We included some tips about what tutors should do with their tutees after they’re done tutoring.
For the new contract, go to http://121reach.org/register/tutor/

Tutees:
We have two major changes this semester for tutees. The first is that we will be having more events! A big part of 121Reach is the bonding experience between tutors and tutees, therefore, we have decided to give tutees more opportunities to have fun while bonding with their mentors. Some of the events we have coming up are Letters to Michelle Obama, Movie Day, a Picnic, and another Game Day!

The second change we have made regarding tutees is the Tutor Treat Exchange policy. In another effort to build relationships between tutors and tutees, tutors and tutees will now bring treats for each other instead of 121Reach staff providing treats for tutors. With this new policy, the treat exchange will become much more personal and meaningful.

Parents:
In order to increase parent awareness of what exactly goes on during tutoring and what is expected of each child, we have developed a list of tutee guidelines which spells out behavioral expectations for tutees. For this form, click here.

In addition, we are implementing Reach Reports! A Reach Report is a folder that each tutor/tutee pair uses to record what was worked on each day at tutoring. Upon request, parents have access to their child’s Reach Report to be aware of their child’s strengths, weaknesses, behavior, etc at 121reach.

Check back often for more updates and news about 121Reach in 2010 and visit our photos page for pictures of the Holiday Party!

>> For photos of the Holiday Party & Gift Exchange, click here

As it was getting closer and closer to Christmas day, four daring 121Reach officers, Fan Fan, Lydia Atangcho, Stefan Koshy, and Daryl Halima, sought out to conquer the neigborhood, one Christmas carol at a time.

Singing holiday favorites, We Wish you a Merry Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, the four spread the holiday spirit while also spreading the word about 121Reach at the Estates at Wellington subdivision with 121Reach holiday cards. Many were surprised to be serenaded by carolers and awfully watched and listened as they sang their cheery hearts out.

121Reach hopes everyone had a happy holiday and new year!

To watch the carolers as they sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, visit our Video page!