PROJECT CONNECT: Fostering the Voices of Students Impacted by Katrina

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Over 370,000 students have been relocated to 28+ states as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Project Connect will provide these students the opportunity to express their voice, to stay connected with friends and family, and to preserve their unique culture—three very important aspects of the healing and learning process.

Joining Project Connect is easy. Sign up now!

FAQs

• What is Project Connect?
• Who can participate?
• Which grade levels and disciplines are most appropriate?
• How do I sign up and get started?
• How can I contribute?
• What if I still have questions?

What is Project Connect?

Hurricane Katrina’s widespread destruction and long-term impact on our children are calls for action. Over 370,000 children from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have been relocated to 28+ states where they will need to re-establish connections and rebuild their homes.

It is our hope and vision to support the students impacted by Katrina by fostering their literary voice. Their unique experiences can be expressed through the 4e-zine®, 4empowerment’s online digital magazine. Students will have the opportunity to keep journals and publish poems, essays, stories, photographs, film, oral histories, and music.

Although scattered across 28+ states, students will: stay connected through secure discussion forums; establish virtual collaborative teams; and, participate in online literary circles. We believe they can re-establish disrupted relationships, connect with friends of the past, and build bonds with future friends.

Students will be able to archive their work through online storage in their 4e-locker™, which serves as a digital portfolio. This secure portfolio will be accessible regardless of geographic location or future relocations.

Teachers will be supported in channeling this negative situation to a positive learning opportunity. Project Connect will help ensure that all relocated students are made welcome. This inclusion of all students in the healing process, through common classroom activities, will positively impact student achievement. Teachers will be provided access to appropriate lessons and activities to assist in integrating pro-social activities into existing classroom requirements.

The possibilities and benefits of Project Connect are truly endless. Through Project Connect, we are confident children impacted by Katrina will advance beyond their loss, enhance academic skills, gain strength through performance and accomplishment, and preserve their unique and captivating culture.

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Who can participate?

All schools hosting students displaced by Katrina may participate at no charge for the 2006-2007 school year. Free participation in subsequent school years will be announced at a later date as sponsorship support is finalized.

Even schools not hosting Katrina-impacted students may still participate in Project Connect. To encourage all student voices, 4empowerment is offering free three-month subscriptions to the 4e-zine for all schools that do not qualify for the free annual subscription. The standard 4e-zine annual subscription fee is $6.50 per student.

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Which grade levels and disciplines are appropriate?

The 4e-zine is oriented towards middle and high school students, however many elementary school students may also benefit from the program. Therefore, Project Connect is open to all students at the teacher’s discretion. We adhere to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) regulations and require parental approval for students under 13 to participate online.

The 4e-zine provides students the means to express their voice through numerous creative means: from poems, short stories and essays to film, music and photos. We encourage teachers of English/language arts, media, fine arts, and other subjects that involve students in creative writing and creation of multimedia projects to consider participating.

We recommend the involvement of counselors in Project Connect, who can provide expertise to classroom teachers on student needs. We also recommend the participation of librarians and technology coordinators to facilitate the use of computer labs, especially for Katrina-displaced students who may not have access to computers at home.

If students are still residing in a shelter, we encourage them to ask their teacher at school to participate in Project Connect. Students can access the 4e-zine from any computer with an Internet connection.

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How do I sign up and get started?

Teachers and school administrators can enroll in the program by answering a few short questions on our sign-up form. Click here to sign up!

You'll be contacted to confirm your school affiliation and to provide an online account.

Once verified, teachers are given access to the 4empowerment online community, where they can log in to enroll students, collaborate with other educators, and establish group projects between classes. Students will receive their 4empowerment account from their teacher. Once given an account, students can post to secure student discussion forums, join online literary circles, and submit their creative work to the 4e-zine. Teachers have the final approval before any student works are posted for public view.

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How can I contribute to Project Connect?

4empowerment believes in connecting individuals, families, and the community to make a difference in the lives of our children. We seek to complement and enhance existing programs, thereby creating synergy and more effective programs for today's students. Contributions are needed and greatly appreciated to ensure Project Connect’s success. There are three areas of support. The support opportunities are geared so anyone can contribute to Project Connect through time, donations and/or financial support.

Time: Project Connect integrates grassroots support from numerous education, government, corporate, media, literary, counseling/family, and community organizations. We are forming partnerships with organizations that share the vision of providing resources to support students and teachers. Required resources will include: classroom materials (activities and lessons), student creative development support, and reference materials on dealing with grief. We also seek corporate and individual involvement for career mentoring (for example, professional writers, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, technologists, and others). If you are interested in contributing time to develop Project Connect resources or to serve as a mentor, please sign up via our Project Connect Partner Form.

Donations: Student achievement will be recognized through contests and student showcases, which will motivate literary/artistic work, such as poetry, film, screenplays, spoken word poetry, music, photography, and short stories. We seek sponsors for donations of appropriate awards, such as: film passes, technology products, and other items that will excite today's youth. Ideally, we will offer recognition opportunities each month, as sponsorships allow. If you are a company or individual interested in sponsoring or donating to the recognition initiatives, please sign up via our Project Connect Partner Form.

Thank you for your support!

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What if I still have questions?

We welcome your inquiries. Please contact Yia Hang, Program Manager, via email at yia@4empowerment.com

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