Last academic year, the Birmingham Education Foundation launched its first full year of the popular Network Nights. At the school-based Network Nights in several area elementary and high schools, diverse groups of school and community partners gathered to spend time discussing issues in schools.
As part of Network Nights, attendees discussed changes they wanted to see in their schools, from sports and debate teams to problem solving around afternoon dismissal.
Network Nights not only produced experiences like internships for students, but also joint symphony performances with Carver High School and the Alabama Symphony, English language classes for Spanish-speaking parents and the launch of a second-grade tutoring program at Tuggle Elementary School.
As part of some new developments to the Educate Local program sequence, Network Nights will also be held in communities across the east and west regions of Birmingham. The first community-based Network Nights were held at Social Venture in Woodlawn and Faith Chapel Christian Center.
Program manager Andrew Mitchell described this new model, saying: “We wanted to provide a space in more of Birmingham’s neighborhoods for students, educators, residents and community partners to gather and discuss issues that matter to them”
The next Network Nights will be Dec. 1 at Birmingham-Southern; Dec. 6 at YMCA Roebuck; Jan. 26 at Oliver Elementary School; and Feb. 23 at Ramsay High School.
– Submitted by Whitney Williams.
