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The Virginia Commonwealth University SportsCenter launched its new children’s book “Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” during a reading for students from two third-grade classes at G.W. Carver Elementary School in Richmond.

VCU men’s basketball head coach Anthony Grant read the book to the children. He was joined by mascot Rodney Ram.

“Becoming great readers will take you where you need to go,” Grant told the children. “If you are committed to getting a great education, you’ll be able to do anything you want to in life.”

The book was developed over a five-year period under the direction of VCU SportsCenter Executive Director Richard L. Sander. “Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” was written by VCU SportsCenter graduate Stephanie H. McNamara and illustrated by former VCU women’s basketball player and SportsCenter graduate Susie Fife. The book’s message is that everybody wins through teamwork.

The VCU SportsCenter donated copies of the book to the students. McNamara and Fife joined Grant and Rodney Ram for pictures with the children and autographs.

VCU has enjoyed a long collaborative partnership with the Carver Community. The VCU Division of Community Engagement supports efforts at the school such as the Carver Promise mentoring program and the Carver-VCU Partnership after-school program, which provides after school-tutoring and homework assistance.

“Rodney Ram Teaches Teamwork” costs $13.95 and can be purchased online at www.vcu.edu/sportscenter or by calling (804) 828-7821.

http://www.vcu.edu/insidevcu/0710teamwork/index.html

Carver-VCU Partnership After School Program

We need helpful and friendly volunteers to work with youth in the Carver Community. We especially need volunteers with skills in foreign languages, math, and science for our homework assistance and tutoring lab.

After-school tutoring and homework assistance hours:
Monday – Thursday 3:00 – 4:30 PM

Tutoring takes place at the Carver-VCU Partnership
1103 West Marshall Street

Contact: Ron Brown @ 827-1904 or rbrown34@vcu.

Back-to-School Drive

The Carver-VCU Partnership is collecting classroom supplies for Carver Elementary School. Requested items include beginner reading books and flash cards (math, phonics, etc.) for first through third grades, small learning rugs for kids to sit on to read, six rocking chairs to be placed in first-grade classrooms, 21 bean bags for first and second grades, 15 disposable cameras,and a 10-gallon aquarium, hand sanitizer, wipes, and etc. Items can be new or used (as appropriate). All items are needed by Sept. 28. For more information including item pick up, contact Ron Brown, community liaison for the Carver-VCU Partnership at 827-1904 or rbrown34@vcu.edu.

Mike Porter
University News Services
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
4/24/2007

Nancy Lampert, Ed.D., firmly believes inquiry-based art education programs help children develop critical thinking skills. Last fall, the assistant professor in VCU’s department of art education put together a pilot after-school arts program to prove it.

Lampert and eight undergraduate students designed and implemented an inquiry-based art curriculum for 10 students at Carver Elementary School in Richmond. The fall 2006 program included two, 90-minute, after-school art classes each week in addition to the 30 minutes of weekly art instruction the students already received at school.

The curriculum allowed students to create their own artwork and reflect on open-ended creative questions about art. For example, one activity called for each child to create a sculpture of what they imagined to be an ideal school building.

“The children were encouraged to create their own unique sculptures, rather than imitate work done by other artists,” Lampert said. “After they were finished, the children discussed and explained to each other what they saw in the school sculptures and what the visual imagery expressed and represented.

“At the beginning of the 12-week program, I administered to the children the ‘Test of Critical Thinking,’ which is a critical-thinking skills test designed for use with students in grades three to five. At the end of the 12 weeks, I administered the test again. The outcome showed a statistically significant increase in the critical-thinking skills of the children.”

Lampert presented her findings in a presentation titled “Evaluating the Impact of Arts and Cultural Education” in January 2007 at the Pompidou Centre European and International Research Symposium in Paris. She said the results support the theory that an inquiry-based art curriculum positively impacts the ability of elementary aged children to use critical-thinking skills. She plans to expand the study to a larger number of children and include a control group.

Lampert is conducting a similar after-school arts program this spring. She’s convinced the lessons students learn about art also will help them develop critical thinking skills to creatively solve complex problems.

http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=2052

Mike Porter
University News Services
(804) 828-7037
mrporter@vcu.edu
12/5/2006

Virginia Commonwealth University President Eugene P. Trani, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and a group of neighborhood and community leaders recognized outgoing Carver Area Civic Improvement League President Barbara Abernathy for decades of service to the community.

Abernathy was honored during a reception Dec. 4 at VCU’s Scott House.

Abernathy has been an active member of her community since the early 1980s, first with the West of Belvidere Civic Association and later with the Carver Area Civic Improvement League, or CACIL. Within CACIL, she took on a number of leadership positions, ultimately serving as president for the past 14 years. Abernathy will step down in January 2007.

In 1996, Abernathy approached VCU about establishing a partnership that would benefit the Carver neighborhood and the university. In an agreement with President Trani, the Carver-VCU Partnership was established. Abernathy has served as co-chair of the partnership for 11 years and led the effort to improve neighborhood safety and planning, develop programs for youth and seniors and create better housing and health care opportunities.

“This is an exemplary university-community partnership,” Trani said. “On behalf of a grateful community and on behalf of a grateful partner, I want to say thank you for everything you’ve done.”

Kaine worked with Abernathy extensively during his time on Richmond City Council and as Richmond’s mayor.

“This city, not just the neighborhood but the entire city, is a much better place because of you and all of your hard work,” Kaine said.

One colleague described Abernathy as the neighborhood’s “backbone.” Another recalled her as someone who would “correct us lovingly,” which brought laughs from the crowd.

After a standing ovation, Barbara Abernathy had the last word. She made it clear that while she is stepping down as CACIL president, she will remain active in the community.

“You do work but you don’t expect these kinds of accolades for what you do. You do it because you love it. I love Carver. It’s a beautiful community, a loving and caring community,” Abernathy said. “The best is yet to come.”

http://www.news.vcu.edu/vcu_view/pages.aspx?nid=1885