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Youth Resources’ 24th High School TEENPOWER

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Local high school student-leaders unite to prevent substance abus

 

Youth Resources’ High School TEENPOWER Conference empowers youth to take on positive leadership roles with the goal of safe and drug-free schools and communities. Conference participants attend leadership trainings, keynote sessions, and workshops addressing drug/alcohol/tobacco use, body image, bullying, friendships and relationships, healthy lifestyle choices, leadership, and other youth development topics. TEENPOWER is sponsored by Vectren (title sponsor), Old National Bank, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Daniel C. Headlee Giving Fund, Robert “Scooter” Tiemann TEENPOWER Scholarship Fund & Scooter Scramble, City of Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Deaconess Health System, St. Mary’s Health System, First Federal Savings Bank, Golf Gives Back, and many individual supporters.

Media is invited to the following sessions for filming and interview opportunities:

Monday, June 1 from 9-10:15am in Eykamp Hall: Keith Hawkins is recognized as one of the world’s top motivational speakers and leadership consultants. Keith speaks with conviction, purpose, and passion. Keith inspires his audience to be a better people, to be the change they so desire, and to learn, grow, and thrive in life. Keith specializes in the areas of leadership, team building, diversity, enhancing school and work climate, bullying and abuse prevention and much more. Keith is a TEENPOWER favorite and will be presenting a keynote and two workshops.

Monday, June 1 from 12:30-1:30pm and 1:45-2:45pm in Schroeder School of Business 170: Keith Hawkins will lead active, discussion-based workshops on leadership.

Monday, June 1 from 12:30-1:30pm and 1:45-2:45pm in Eykamp Hall: Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office representatives will present workshops on safety and self-defense.

 

University of Evansville, 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, IN 47714

Since 1987, Youth Resources has worked with over 148,028 youth. Through Make A Difference Grants, Vanderburgh County Teen Court, the Teen Advisory Council, and TEENPOWER, youth from across the tri-state are encouraged to serve the community, build and use their leadership skills, and make healthy lifestyle choices. Youth Resources exists to inspire and develop our community of youth to a life dedicated to leadership, service, and civic engagement.

FIFA Officials, Prison Stripes and those Balls ‘n Chains

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Cartoon is worth a thousand words…..

EPD ACTIVITY REPORT

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SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ. 
DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ. 
DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

Daily Off Topic Forum May 31, 2015

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THE END OF AN ERROR

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By Jason Stanford

This might not sound like a big deal, but Pearson has lost the contract for standardized testing in Texas schools. Pearson was there in the 1980s when high-stakes testing spread slowly from Texas to every single public school in this country. But the backlash against testing made Pearson politically toxic, and now they’ve lost the contract in Texas that made their reputation. It’s the end of an error.

Like a military contractor telling the Pentagon that their particular brand of bomb was crucial to preserving democracy, Pearson and its former lobbyist Sandy Kress had been pushing Texas lawmakers for decades for more tests, more often, and in more subjects. Often governors would appoint Kress to state boards and commissions as an education expert, so lawmakers often were ignorant of his conflict of interest.

Then all the testing got a bit too much, and the rebellion was merciless. The Texas legislature banned testing lobbyists from serving on state boards and commissions dealing with “accountability,” a move that seemed directed solely at Kress. What’s more, they banned testing lobbyists from making political contributions. It’s a sad joke I’ve told too many times, but when a Texas politician makes it illegal for you to give him money, you’ve messed up.

Once the political aura surrounding Kress and Pearson turned sour, people started questioning the pedagogical theory that measuring the children against the wall makes them taller. Texas rolled out the a new test a few years ago to make all the kids “college and career ready,” huge cuts to state education funding notwithstanding. Since then, test scores have been flat and have largely correlated to parents’ income and differences in school funding.

It’s also fair game now for people to question the questions, such as that ridiculous test item from a couple years back about the talking pineapple. (Seriously, Google that mess.)

Thomas Ratliff, the vice-chairman of the Texas State Board of Education, raised concerns on two recent questions he got from a teacher whistleblower. Tests are supposed to track the state curriculum, but the recent U.S. history exam asked students about Shirley Chisholm and Bull Connor, two names that do not appear in the curriculum that Ratliff voted on.

The state education agency pointed to a loophole in the law allowing Pearson to test kids on people who were similar to the ones listed in the curriculum. This failed to persuade Ratliff.

“My concern is, if a teacher is required to provide all possible examples of all women who have provided political, social, and economic contributions to American society, that list alone could be nearly endless,” wrote Thomas Ratliff, vice-chairman of the State Board of Education.

He’s got a point. Oprah Winfrey is on that list of important women. If Pearson could ask students about women similar to her, then does a teacher have to do a separate unit on women talk show hosts such as Sally Jesse Raphael and Ellen DeGeneres? And how does any of this determine whether my children (I’ve got two sons in Austin public schools) are “college and career ready”?

Getting rid of Pearson would be a lot more satisfying if Texas had not simply hired another testing company and had instead realized the folly of high-stakes testing. Texas has been doing this for more than a generation, and all we’ve learned is what I heard a south Texas school superintendent say once: Weighing a pig doesn’t make it heavier. What these tests mostly do is measure test-taking aptitude and produce results that aren’t particularly useful.

The problem is that doing this right is hard. Schools in poor neighborhoods need better everything, including funding. Poor parents need prenatal care, and their children need summer school and pre-K. But in a state where most schoolchildren are poor, ensuring equal opportunity is going to be expensive. Demanding that poor kids all pass a test without dealing with poverty just punishes those who don’t start out with advantages.

But this is Texas we’re talking about, so let us celebrate the small victory of Pearson’s demise. Along with Kress, Pearson created—and profited from—this mess. Now they’re gone, and we finally have accountability in education.

God bless Texas.

Split COA: 1992 Michigan sex offender required to register in Indiana

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Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com

A man who committed a sex crime in Michigan in 1992 and moved to Indiana in 2012 must put his name in the Indiana Sex Offender Registry created two years after his initial offense, a divided Court of Appeals panel ruled.

Judges Terry Crone and Elaine Brown reversed Marion Superior Judge Tim Oakes’ grant of Scott Zerbe’s petition to remove his name as a sex offender. “On appeal, the State argues that SORA is not an unconstitutional ex post facto law as applied to Zerbe,” Crone wrote inState of Indiana v. Scott Zerbe, 49A05-1410-MI-463.

“We agree: Zerbe had fair warning of SORA’s registration requirement before he moved to Indiana, and SORA imposed no additional punishment because he was already required to register in Michigan. Therefore, we reverse.”

Zerbe was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree in 1992 for sex acts with a 14-year-old, according to the record. He was released in 1999 and required to register as a sex offender in Michigan for 25 years.

The majority noted Indiana amended SORA in 2001 so that any person required to register as a sex offender elsewhere must register in Indiana. But dissenting Judge John Baker wrote that this change in law was of lesser consequence in the analysis and conflicted with precedent settled under Wallace v. State, 905 N.E.2d 371 (Ind. 2009), and similar cases.

“While I see the logic in the State’s position on this issue, as well as the majority’s decision, the case law could not be clearer,” Baker wrote. “Our Supreme Court, plus three panels of this Court, have plainly held that the date of primary importance is the date of the original conviction. … Therefore, I believe that requiring him to register as a sex offender would violate Indiana’s constitutional prohibition against ex post facto laws and would affirm the trial court’s judgment.”

First Lady Karen Pence to Visit Elkhart County

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First Lady Karen Pence, Indiana’s Bicentennial Ambassador, will visit Goshen on Monday where she will visit and learn about Bicentennial Legacy projects in Goshen and throughout Elkhart County. The First Lady will visit additional counties throughout the next year.

“I am excited to travel to Goshen Monday.   I will have an opportunity to visit with the hard-working folks of Elkhart County who have put many hours into their legacy projects in preparation of celebrating Indiana’s two-hundredth Birthday,” said First Lady Karen Pence. “ I am honored  to serve as the Indiana Bicentennial Ambassador.  It is a privilege to see first-hand the hard work the commission members have dedicated to  assuring all Hoosiers and counties have a chance to celebrate and showcase their Hoosier history.  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to visit and witness first-hand, legacy projects completed or in progress in some of our state’s counties.”

 

Monday, June 1:

 

12-12:15 p.m.             Historic Goshen Theater

 

12:15-12:23 p.m.       Tour of Goshen Mill Race to the Historic Hawks Building

 

12:23-12:38 p.m.       Historic Hawks Building Artisan Showcase

 

12:38-12:45 p.m.        Return to Main Street and Walking Tour of Downtown Goshen to the Historic Courthouse and the Quilt Garden

 

12:45-12:47 p.m.        Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail overview at the Courthouse Quilt Garden

 

12:47-12:54 p.m.        Walk and Visit to Olympia Candy Kitchen

 

12:54-12:58 p.m.        Walking tour of Historic Downtown Goshen on opposite side of Main Street back to car parked at the Goshen Theater

 

1:04-1:10 p.m.            Tour of Goertzen Pottery Studio and main floor of the Old Bag Factory

 

1:10-1:50 p.m.             Lunch and Meet & Learn with the Elkhart County Legacy Project Managers at The Trolley Café

 

1:50-2 p.m.                   Quilt Designs at the Old Bag Factory and the “Legacy” Quilt Garden

 

 

PET OF THE WEEK

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Meet the most delightful pair of ears VHS has ever seen. Farley was brought to VHS as a stray, so his back story is pretty much blank. But he’s looking forward to writing his future chapters with an active family who’s willing to help him with the basic manners he missed out on early in life. He hopes to have lots of walks, Frisbee time, and snuggles on the couch in his future. He’s a chocolate-colored pitbull mix, and just over a year old judging by his teeth development. Take Farley (and those ears!) home neutered, vaccinated, and with a registered microchip for only $100! Download an application at www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563!

Barner Retiring after 13 Years as UE Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

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John C. “Jack” Barner’s accomplished career in education is coming to a close as he celebrates his retirement this month. His tenure began at the University of Evansville in 2002 as the vice president of development and alumni relations His long career is filled with many achievements and successes.

In 2013, Bill Ridgway’s gift to UE was one of the top 50 gifts for anything in the United States that year, and Jack was a part of it.

“Bill Ridgway left us $38 million—that was a career highlight,” Jack says. “I had worked with Bill for 12 years. He had already given us $10 million for Ridgway University Center and another $3 million for the endowment, so we’re talking about over 50 million dollars from one man—that’s astounding!”

Dr. Tom Kazee, UE president, says it’s Jack’s understanding of philanthropy and the critical role it plays in supporting the University that has been instrumental in building a remarkable record of giving to UE.

“Our donors often tell me how much they enjoy working with Jack, and especially how much they enjoy the personal relationships they develop with him,” Kazee says. “He knows that success in fundraising is more than just asking for money—it’s about treating people with respect and sensitivity to their personal circumstances.”

Jack had a long career before coming to the University of Evansville. He received his BA in History from Siena College and Masters in Political Science at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree, Jack taught at South Colonie High School for 19 years.  While teaching, Jack also served as a member of the Albany County Legislature, chairing the finance committee of that body.  He then became director of admission at the College of Saint Rose, later to be hired by Colgate University as the director of the Annual Fund Office.  He served at Colgate for over five years where he became the associate director of development.  He was then hired by Winthrop University in South Carolina where he was executive director of development. He was then recruited by Elon College in North Carolina to be the vice president of University Advancement in charge of public relations, fundraising, alumni affairs and church relations.  Five years later, he became the vice president at Oklahoma City University with similar duties before moving on to UE.

“I’ve worked for UE longer than I’ve ever worked for another university, and I’ve worked for a number of them,” says Jack. “Evansville has been a wonderful place to work. I’m literally excited every day I go into the office. I’ve been fortunate to have two very good bosses here; both Steve Jennings and Tom Kazee have been wonderful people to work with.”

Other highlights of his time at UE included his involvement in the McCarthy Greenhouse, the expansion of the Schroeder Family School of Business, and the Bower Suhrheinrich library renovations, which have recently begun.

“Jack has played a key role in just about every major project the University has undertaken, and every gift we’ve received, in the last decade,” says president Kazee.

Though he was involved in many projects during his time here, it’s the people that Jack says he’ll miss the most about the University of Evansville. “I’ll miss working with the team I’ve trained and mentored and coached. I’ll miss the donors, too. Some of these people have become close personal friends and I will work hard to keep all them as close as possible.”

Jack will still be around campus, though. He is staying involved with the office of development as the planned giving officer. He will work with people on estate planning to help donors figure out how best to help the university through bequests, shareable remainder trusts, annuities, lead trusts, and other options.

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