Iowa Child Newsletter
A Vision for Iowa’s Future
December 5, 2001
Education Update
Iowa Child Institute Education Director, Professor Robert Yager, has established a Local Education Advisory Council (LEAC) to provide direction and feedback on the development of Iowa Child’s educational program. This group meets bimonthly and forwards significant recommendations to the board-appointed Education Design Team.
The LEAC has been busy working on a number of initiatives this month, including the development of a mission statement, the alignment of education activities with national standards and the definition of the function of catalyst schools.
The Local Education Advisory Council’s mission statement will guide the education efforts and activities for the project:
The mission of Iowa Child is to promote excellence and innovation in learning and teaching through immersion and engagement in diverse environments. Iowa Child seeks to inspire people to view their world in different ways so that together we can sustain it for all.
The members of the LEAC are Jean Bancroft, Pauline Branstetter, Carol Cassells, Bruce Frana, Kara Hageman, Doug Herman, Erica Larson, Mary Lou Lauer, Mike Martin, Mary Muehl, Craig Okerberg, Dick Peters, Chris Rohret, Chris Soldat, Bob Yager, and Judy Pfohl. The council has representatives from, Iowa City, Cedar Rapid, Clear Creek Amana, and Mid Prairie Community School Districts, as well as Kirkwood Community College, Cornell College and the University of Iowa. The Institute is grateful to the members of the LEAC for its hard work and commitment.
Coralville Makes Strong Vision Iowa Presentation
The City of Coralville should hear within weeks whether its application for the $4.5 million to Iowa’s Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) program will advance in the competition for funding. Coralville submitted the grant to help fund their proposed $61 million hotel and convention center that will neighbor the Iowa Child Institute’s environmental and educational facility.
On November 15, Coralville city officials made their pitch for the three-year CAT grant to the Vision Iowa Board. The application has already passed an initial staff review. The next step is a committee scoring process. The project would include a 200-room full-service hotel, as well as a ballroom, meeting and exhibit space totaling 60,000 square feet.
The money received from the CAT grant would specifically help fund a $1.5 million indoor gallery for the convention center and $3 million outdoor terrace geared at promoting the state of Iowa and area attractions, including neighboring environmental project.
Both the proposed hotel and convention center and the environmental and education complex are planned for a location along the Iowa River in the southeast corner of Interstate 80 and First Avenue in Coralville.
For more information and updates on Coralville’s CAT Grant Application, visit Coralville’s web site at http://coralville.org/.
Upcoming Consultant Visits
Consultant John Picard to visit Eastern Iowa
John Picard, the Iowa Child Institute’s consultant on energy, technology and communications infrastructure, will visit Eastern Iowa this month to work with the Iowa Child Institute representatives and architects. Picard will be in Coralville from December 10 through December 12.
John Picard was brought to this project to bring “operational efficiency and superior profitability” to the design of the environmental and educational facility. Picard is president and founder of Environmental Enterprises, and one of the pre-eminent energy, technology and communications infrastructure advisors in North America and Asia. He began integrating these design principles while working on several prominent residential projects in Southern California, incorporating renewable power and energy efficient technology with sustainable building design and IP-based monitoring systems.
Recognized by peers and colleagues as a visionary and futurist, Picard is currently working on the MIT Media Lab and is a member of Compaq’s Black Box Team. He is a regular keynote speaker for Fortune 500 companies and has been extensively published in major trade publications.
John Picard will be addressing the Coralville City Council and the Community Advisory Council at Coralville City Hall Tuesday, December 11 from 6-7 PM. The talk is open to the public.
David Orr
An Iowa native, David Orr is known nationwide for his pioneering work on environmental literacy in higher education and his recent work in ecological design. In addition, he is recognized for spearheading and raising funds for the effort to design and build a $7.4 million Environmental Studies Center at Oberlin College.
Currently Professor and Chair of the Environmental Studies Center at Oberlin College, Orr is the author of three books and dozens of articles on ecological and environmental studies. He has been awarded the National Conservation Achievement Award by the National Wildlife Foundation. In a special citation, the Connecticut General Assembly noted Orr’s “vision, dedication, and personal passion” in promoting the principles of sustainability. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (1/1/00) described him as “one of those who will shape our lives.”
Orr will be in Eastern Iowa to visit with the Iowa Child Institute and other consultants January 7-11. He will also be meeting with community members, local educators and the media during his visit. We will have more information on his visit in the coming weeks.
In the Media
We’ve received a wonderful response to our consultants’ visits by the community and the media. Below you’ll find a few links to stories about our most recent visits from our consultants, Weidlinger Associates and FOILTEC. We continue to look for individuals interested in participating in our letter to the editor campaign. If you would like to write a letter in support of this project and need more information, please contact Sheila Boyd at [email protected], or call the Iowa Child office at 319-351-4400.
Press Clips
http://www.press-citizen.com/news/iowachild/112901iowachild.htm
http://www.press-citizen.com/news/iowachild/110601produceh2o.htm
Request for Speaking Engagements
As your businesses and organizations plan their meetings and events for the coming year 2002, please keep the Iowa Child Institute in mind. We would appreciate any opportunity to speak to your group about our world-class environmental and educational project. If you would like to schedule us for a speaking engagement, please contact Iowa Child Director of Community Relations Sheila Boyd at 319.351.4400 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Happy Holidays!
It had been a tremendous year for the Iowa Child Institute, one filled with many positive changes and many significant steps forward. We want to thank those who continue to support us, as we move into a new year, and the next phase of this tremendous project. From everyone at the Iowa Child Institute – may your holidays be merry and your New Year bright!
Any Suggestions?
Our goal with this Iowa Child Newsletter is to keep our supporters up-to-date on the latest happenings within the Iowa Child Institute. If there’s something you’d like to see in this newsletter in the coming months, let us know. Please contact Sheila Boyd at [email protected].
June 26, 2002 >| March 14, 2002 >| January 25, 2002 >| December 5, 2001 >
November 1, 2001 >| October 8, 2001 >| August 31, 2001 >
The Institute is a non-profit development group established to further the goals of the environmental learning project. The Board of the Institute includes 18 prominent business, civic and educational leaders.
Iowa Child Board Members
Robert D. Ray, Chairman; Steve Alford; Thomas Aller; Robert Burnett; Richard Canella; Ronald S. Fielder; Jolene Franken; Hayden Fry; B.J. Furgerson; Joe Hladky; Dr. Stanley R. Johnson; Dr. Norm Nielson; David Oman; Merlin Plagge; Robert D. Ray; W. Ward Reynoldson; Richard M. Ryan, Jr.; David J. Skorton; Dr. Thomas J. Switzer; Ted Townsend; Paula Vincent.
Iowa Child Staff
David Oman, Vice Chairman
Jane VanVoorhis, Director of Grant Development
Sheila Boyd, Director of Community Relations
Irv Jensen, Communications Consultant
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