Emory Report

 October 20, 1997

 Volume 50, No. 9

DeKalb partnerships take faculty, students into local schools

For more than a decade, staff, students and faculty at Emory have been involved in the lives of youngsters at two schools whose grounds border the University campus. From offering health screenings to helping with homework, Emory participants have enriched the lives of students at Fernbank Elementary School and Druid Hills High School and, in turn, been enriched themselves, gaining valuable learning experiences and a firsthand look at potential future students.

Through the DeKalb Partners in Education Program, Emory and the two schools have developed a lasting relationship that offers benefits to all three institutions. For instance:

"This is a true example of partnership and shared resources," said Marcene Powell, nursing school professor and program director since 1993. "We have enjoyed many successes over the years."

One success includes a 1994 visit from the Kellogg Foundation. The Foundation noted "the tie between a university and a community is what makes a difference." That difference was acknowledged in 1993 when the program was named of the 100 best partnerships in the nation by the Partnerships in Education Journal.

In addition, program leaders helped secure a "Next Generation School" grant for Druid Hills. The $170,000 gift, which was renewed for $70,000 in 1995 and can be reviewed annually, will go toward equipping the school with modern technology. One outcome of the grant is the fiber-optic communications put in place to link Druid Hills, Emory, Egleston Hospital, the Fernbank Science Center and Fernbank Elementary.

-Rebecca Poynor Burns


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