Contact: Lisa Deffendall • First Posted: Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Source and Contact: Karolyn Kell, One Community, One Voice Project Consultant (859) 272-1184

On July 22, 2006, all School and Neighborhood Academic Challenge Teams will compete in the County-wide Academic Challenge Superintendent's Cup Competition. The event will be held at the Lexington Center beginning at 9:00 a.m. and Academic Challenge students will be vying for individual trophies, the Superintendent's Cup, and scholarships from the University of Kentucky; Kentucky State University and the Bluegrass Community & Technical College. All students who participate in the County-wide Academic Challenge Superintendent's Cup Competition will be recognized with a certificate of academic excellence and an Academic Challenge T-Shirt.

Since 2004, the One Community One Voice initiatives have been concentrated on increasing parents' involvement in the education of their children, recognizing that there is an undisputed link between student school success and parent involvement.  The centerpiece of the OCOV initiatives has been the Academic Challenge Program that is open to all students attending the OCOV Elementary Model Schools and other schools that wish to participate. This major initiative has produced the greatest degree of student engagement and increased parent involvement and is designed to motivate student learning, make learning fun and "cool," and engage parents in the education programs of their children.

In conjunction with the Fayette County Public Schools, the One Community, One Voice Council (OCOV) held School and Neighborhood Academic Challenge Team district competitions on May 13 for School Academic Teams; and on May 20 for Neighborhood Academic Teams. Since March 2006, School and Neighborhood Academic Teams have been engaged in practice sessions with Academic Coaches to prepare for the district competitions and the county-wide competition. The practice sessions focus on helping students review what they are learning in their classroom in core content areas. The competition questions are aligned with the core content areas.

All team members of the School and Neighborhood Academic Teams that reached the district finals received individual trophies. Each student that participated in the district competitions was presented with a recognition certificate and an Academic Challenge T-Shirt. The winning Primary and Intermediate Teams each received a Mayor's Academic Challenge Community Award to be placed at the winning Neighborhood Centers and the winning Schools.

OCOV Model Schools: Arlington; Ashland; Booker T. Washington Academy; Cardinal Valley; Harrison; Johnson; Northern; Yates; Deep Springs; Mary Todd; Millcreek; Southern; and Squires Elementary School.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded One Community, One Voice grant funding to continue a focus on increased parent involvement in the educational process of children. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of Lexington and 25 other U.S. communities.