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MILLS BILINGUAL SCHOLAR/TEACHER FEATURED IN CALIFORNIA EDUCATOR MAGAZINE Project Pathways Scholar Ashanti Branch Inspires High School Students Oakland CA - Ashanti Branch is one of Mills College’s Project Pathways scholars making critical changes in the world of education. A math teacher at San Lorenzo High School, Branch is featured in California Educator magazine (December 2006) in an article entitled “Branch Replaces Apathy with Positive Energy” by Sherry Posnick-Goodwin. Branch was one of the first Mills students to receive a Pathways Scholarship awarded to promising future teachers who are bilingual in English and Spanish and commit to working with English learners upon graduation. After completing his single subject credential in Math at Mills, and his master's degree in education with an emphasis in teaching, he participated in a cultural exchange in Oaxaca, Mexico with Project Pathways, expanding his Spanish and intercultural communication skills. When Branch went on to become a math teacher at San Lorenzo High School, he was disturbed by meeting many capable students who were not motivated to succeed. He listened to them, and according to Posnick-Goodwin, he found that “Nobody talked about things that mattered, like college, what students want to do with their lives, and how to make things better. “Branch decided to offer boys a safe place where they could talk about positive things, without worrying if other students considered them to be uncool.’” He founded the first of the school’s three Ever Forward clubs: one for boys, one for girls, and one for English language learners. “Students are building a sense of community,” said Branch, “and we are helping our students and youth connect to the community.” “He has given us a place where we can come and be real,” said Luis Alvarez, a junior and the secretary of the boy’s club. “In other places, people are faking and lying all the time. If I wasn’t in this club, I’d be getting into fights with people because of all the negative energy, or else just talking about video games. But we can be real with each other here and stay positive.” “For me, being in the club changed a lot in my life,” says Erika Apodaca, a junior and co-president of the girls’ club. “It’s a place where we can succeed. For me, it’s also like a family of people that I can trust. It has helped me with my grades.” Project Pathways is a collaborative initiative between Mills College, the Alameda County Office of Education, local school districts, and partner universities. Funded by a five-year Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition, Pathways will train 85+ bilingual instructional aides and others to become teachers by September 2007. The program’s goals are to bring highly trained teachers of English learners to Alameda County, create a learning community focused on addressing the needs of English learners, introduce participants to educational and community leaders, assist participants in expanding their bilingual potential, and enable them to finish their education and become teachers. The nationally recognized Mills College School of Education and Children’s Laboratory School have a faculty committed to principles of social justice and learning excellence. In addition to Project Pathways, faculty members are involved in many education reform initiatives and maintain strong ties to the community. Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently recognized as one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills currently ranks among the top 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The New York Times recently selected Mills as one of three leading California colleges for students to consider. In 2006, the Washington Monthly College Rankings named Mills a leading liberal arts college based on community service, research spending, quality of preparation for graduate education, and social mobility. In addition, The Princeton Review’s annual guide, the Best 361 Colleges (2007) included Mills for the second year in a row among top U.S. institutions offering students an outstanding undergraduate education. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity. PRESS CONTACT: |
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