BestPrep's mission is to best prepare Minnesota students with business, career and financial literacy skills through experiences that inspire success in work and life.
National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) - www.pta.org
The National PTA is the oldest and largest volunteer association in the United States working exclusively on behalf of children and youth. The National PTA works with other national health agencies and organizations to provide comprehensive health and safety projects and materials for local and State PTAs; develops educational initiatives to encourage parents to participate in their children's education.
Center for Youth Development and Policy Research - www.aed.org
The Academy for Educational Development (AED), the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research is dedicated to contributing to better futures for all youth, particularly disadvantaged youth in the United States. The center works to transform concern about youth problems into public and private commitment to youth development.
This site, managed by the Benton Foundation, highlights initiatives on behalf of children and youth; connects advocates to related organizations and Web sites; provides national statistics on the well-being of children, youth, and families; and lists tools for helping advocates increase their effectiveness.
The Council of Great City Schools - www.cgcs.org
The Council of Great City Schools is a coalition of approximately 50 of the Nation's largest urban public school systems. The council promotes urban education through legislation, research, media relations, technology, and special projects.
National Governors' Association - www.nga.org
The National Governors' Association (NGA) is a bipartisan national organization comprising the Governors of the Nation's 50 States and its Commonwealths and Territories. The NGA conducts research, offers training, and represents State interests at the national level. The NGA's Governor's Campaign for Children works to stimulate community involvement in improving conditions for young people and their families.
The National Network for Youth is a national association that engages in public education activities, promotes youth/adult partnerships, and strives to strengthen community-based organizations to provide effective programs and services to young people in difficult circumstances.
Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. Search Institute has identified 40 Developmental Assets all kids need in their lives--good things like family support, a caring neighborhood, and resistance skills. This research-based organization's site offers resources for parents, educators, and community leaders.
LD OnLine is a national educational service of WETA-TV, the PBS station in Washington, D.C. LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD. The site features hundreds of helpful articles, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children's writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, a set of very active bulletin boards, and a Yellow Pages referral directory of professionals, schools, and products.
The mission of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, is to improve the lives of our members and their families, to give voice to their legitimate professional, economic and social aspirations, to strengthen the institutions in which we work, to improve the quality of the services we provide, to bring together all members to assist and support one another and to promote democracy, human rights and freedom in our union, in our nation and throughout the world.
National Association of Elementary School Principals - www.naesp.org
The mission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is to lead in the advocacy and support for elementary and middle level principals and other education leaders in their commitment to all children.
National Association of Secondary School Principals - www.nassp.org
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. The mission of NASSP is to promote excellence in school leadership.
National Education Association - www.nea.org
The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 2.7 million members work at every level of education--from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.
Bullying/ Youth Violence:
The Blueprints Initiative sets a gold standard for implementing exemplary, research-based violence and drug programs and for implementing these programs with fidelity to the models. The work that is being conducted will help to bridge the gap between knowledge (research) and practice and inform the users of programs of the barriers that must be overcome in order to achieve maximum success.
National School Safety Center - www.nssc1.org
The National School Safety Center (NSSC's) mission is to promote safe schools that are free from crime and violence to help ensure quality education for all of America's children. The NSSC provides technical assistance, legal and legislative aid, publications, and films for education and law enforcement practitioners, legislators, policymakers, and local school districts and communities.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Division of Violence Prevention web site has focused on violence prevention since the early 1980s, when efforts included the prevention of youth violence, suicide, and suicide attempts.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development - www.ascd.org
ASCD, a community of educators, advocating sound policies and sharing best practices to achieve the success of each learner. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents 175,000 educators from more than 135 countries and more than 60 affiliates.
The National Crime Prevention Council's mission is to enable people to create safer and more caring communities by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing the opportunities for crime to occur.
Children, Youth and Family Consortium - www.cyfc.umn.edu
The Children, Youth and Family Consortium, based at the University of Minnesota, seeks to combine the resources of the University of Minnesota and surrounding communities to improve the lives of Minnesota children, youth, and families. Specifically, the consortium addresses health, education, and social policy issues.
Keep Schools Safe is a great resource for helping schools increase their safety.
Net Bullies is a web site dedicated to protecting kids from online bullying.
Character Development:
Over the last decade, screen time has been the most significant lifestyle change for our kids. Children are exposed to over one million Yes messages a week, with an average of 44.5 hours spent in front of a screen per week. For 12 years, the National Institute on Media and the Family has been a trusted voice for families in the media age, bringing MediaWise solutions to families everywhere. Dr. David Walsh, founder and president of the Institute, connected with parents and educators across the country with his new book No: Why Kids - of All Ages - Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It.
National Institute on Media and the Family - www.mediafamily.org
The goal of the National Institute on Media and the Family (Institute) is to provide resources for educators, parents, community leaders, and others concerned about the ever increasing impact of media on children, families, and communities.
The Family Catalog is a resource with an ever growing selection of music, movies, and educational programs. With up to 50% of the proceeds going to the school or organization of your choice, The Family Catalog is a resource that people can trust to find the best stories that engage, teach, and inspire.
Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network - www.cyfernet.org
The Children, Youth and Families Education and Research Network (CYFERNet) provides information on educational outreach programs, online publications, and research on children, youth, and families from universities in all 50 States.
The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to defending the rights of all American children. The CDF conducts advocacy on behalf of children, particularly poor and minority children and those who have disabilities, by educating the Nation about their needs and encouraging preventive investment.
The National 4-H Council is a nonprofit educational organization that provides experiential programs and activities for young people across the country in coordination with youth development programs. The council provides technical and marketing assistance to Extension Service staff and volunteers working with young people and their communities.
Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. Search Institute has identified 40 Developmental Assets all kids need in their lives--good things like family support, a caring neighborhood, and resistance skills. This research-based organization's site offers resources for parents, educators, and community leaders.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development - www.ascd.org
ASCD, a community of educators, advocating sound policies and sharing best practices to achieve the success of each learner. The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents 175,000 educators from more than 135 countries and more than 60 affiliates.
TheAntiDrug.com was created by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to equip parents and other adult caregivers with the tools they need to raise drug-free kids. Working with the nation's leading experts in the fields of parenting and substance abuse prevention, TheAntiDrug.com serves as a drug prevention information center, and a supportive community for parents to interact and learn from each other.
Action Without Borders is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Our work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect. Log on and search for volunteer opportunities down the street or across the ocean. This worldwide search can help you find a volunteer job for any interest, in any country. There's also info on how to lead a project in your community, a special section on organizations founded by kids, a family volunteering section, info for newcomers, and links to other great sites for teens.
The most widely implemented approach to character education--embraced by thousands of schools, communities, public agencies and nonprofits. Nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian--promotes the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
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Call Youth Frontiers at 1.888.992.0222 if you need more information to make the most of your school's Youth Frontiers retreat or faculty program.
American Youth Policy Forum -