Ja'Nel Jamersonspoke to the Rotary Club of Flint on May 8 on his role as President and CEO of Flint Center for Educational Excellence (FCEE). Prior to that, he led Flint's Educare early childhood center, which was established to help address the effects of the Flint Water Crisis.
FCEE is an education ecosystem that helps all Flint kids succeed. Many Flint children and their families face obstacles such as economic stress and structural barriers that make it harder to flourish in school. Eighty percent of Flint-resident students go to school outside the district, and many have a chronically high absenteeism rate. They are likely to miss, on average, 10 days of school per year. Flint students have lower proficiency in 3rd, 5th and 7th grade, compared to their peers.
FCCE works to support thriving families, schools, and communities. "We need to improve the quality of instruction by working with teachers," said Jamerson.
FCCE has several initiatives to support students and families. One is the afterschool program, which serves 3,000 students with 55 full-time staff and 18 part-time staff. The afterschool program provides services three hours a day, four days a week. In addition to offering a meal, the program also provides activities related to science, technology, engineering, and math as well as reading and art.
Ja'Nel Jamerson and Past President Ellen Echols
Another is the Flint Parent Collaborative, which has 133 members. There is also a Community Council on Education that includes our own President Elect Domonique Clemons. It focuses on economic stability, school quality, and workforce development.
Families who are economically unstable and have poor transportation options face challenges. FCEE is committed to working with them as partners to support student and family success. "We need to build stronger relationships with our parents. It has to be a family partnership."
Thank you to Michael J. Thorp for providing notes from the meeting.
Upcoming Opportunities for Service and Fellowship
THIS SATURDAY!! Edible Flint Garden Distribution Service Project
Once again this year, Rotarians are asked to step forward to help prepare vegetable transplants for Edible Flint's upcoming distribution day. There is a morning shift from 8 am- noon and an afternoon shift from noon to 6 pm available on Saturday, May 16. Unlike past years, the distribution will take place at the urban farm located on Beach St. near the new Genesee Health Systems building south of Downtown. Please contact Jim Richardson to sign up.
New Opportunity- Mott Foundation Centennial Family Fun Day Volunteering
In celebration of the C.S. Mott Foundation's 100th anniversary, there will be a family fun day at the Cultural Center on June 5-7. Volunteers are needed to help with the event, and multiple slots are available. Please register at this link and put "Rotary Club of Flint" in the comments field. For more information, please contact Amy Krug.
NASCAR, Anyone?
NASCAR is inviting Rotarians to purchase discounted tickets ($40) for a NASCAR Cup Series Race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 7. For questions, please contact Kylee Moenter at 517-594-4375 or kmoenter@nascar.com. Tickets can be purchased here or by using the QR code on the right.
Crim Volunteer Registration
And... since this week has us enjoying a taste of summery weather, let's talk about the Crim Rotary Mile. District 7 clubs will once again be staffing the water station and intersections along our section of the Crim Festival of Races on Saturday, August 22. We are getting an early start on recruitment-- please sign up to volunteer! It starts with a fabulous breakfast at Mike Chaffee's at 6 am and you will be done before noon. It's a great way to be part of one of Flint's premiere events as you enjoy some Rotarian fellowship.
Photo booth at a previous Crim race
How Networks Drive Access- and How to Use Yours to Promote Equity
This is excerpted from the May 8 edition of "5 Ally Actions," a weekly newsletter by Karen Catlin from Better Allies.
Professional networks shape who gets opportunities. And they’re often less diverse than we think.
A new study highlighted that while women make up about a third of academic researchers globally, their representation drops significantly within scientific organizations. One reason: nominations often come from existing members who are mostly male and tend to recommend people like themselves.
As Amy Diehl, PhD, noted about the study, even “merit-based” systems can reinforce imbalance when networks drive nominations.
This pattern isn’t unique to academic settings. Homogeneous networks form because we like spending time with people with whom we have something in common. Herminia Ibarra, PhD, describes this phenomenon by saying, “Left to our own devices, we produce networks that are ‘just like me’.”
And those networks shape who we refer, recommend, and advocate for.
The next time you’re in the breakroom at work or attending an event, in person or virtually, actively broaden your network. Introduce yourself to someone of a different gender, race, age, or other visible difference. Get to know them and stay in touch.
Perhaps you’ll be able to learn from them or introduce them to an opportunity down the road.
Questions for Rotarians to Consider
Rotary can be a powerful network. When you think of our club, to what extent do you feel like you can relate to the idea of it being a network of people "just like me?"
How can you extend your network as a Rotarian to ensure that people from underrepresented groups have access to the network?
How can we as Rotarians create an atmosphere of welcome and hospitality to newcomers?
Next Up: Thirsty Thursday- Market Tap on May 21, 5-7 pm
Please note: the second regular meeting in May is May 29 at noon due to the Memorial Day holiday
Join us at Market Tap and bring a friend!
Nominations Sought from Philanthropy Committee
Members will be tasked with submitting nominations. There are three types of donations that will be made from the Club:
Community Impact Grants- these are the largest awards and are intended to support impactful projects that foster growth, stability, and revitalization within our community. Estimated amounts will be $20,000
Partnership & Outreach Awards- these will support local non-profit organizations that positively impact
the Flint community. Flint Rotarians will nominate candidate
organizations with award amounts
estimated at $500-2,000.
Education Scholarships- these are $1,000 scholarships awarded through Kettering University, Mott Community College, and UM-Flint.
The Philanthropy and Giving Committee has finalized a nomination form for the Partnership & Outreach Awards. If there is an organization you think is doing important work to benefit Flint residents, please complete and return the nomination form to rotaryclubofflint@gmail.com by May 15.
The funds to support these awards come from your charitable donations- so thank you for making this process possible!
