Since police shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed, college-bound teenager in Ferguson, Mo., the violent unrest in the small town near St. Louis has yet to cease. With outrage and confusion coming from all directions, basic safety and calm are at a premium. Families are in danger, and as a result, school has been canceled for at least the remainder of this week.
In Ferguson, a week off from school means more than just missed lessons.
The poverty rate there is almost double Missouri’s average, so unfortunately, many kids don’t get proper nutrition unless they are in school, according to the Huffington Post.
Thankfully, Juliana Mendelsohn, a teacher in Raleigh, N.C., recognized the need to provide food and launched an online campaign to raise money for hungry children in Ferguson. Appealing for donations on the crowd funding site Fundly, Mendelsohn says, “when I found out school had been canceled for several days as a result of the civil unrest, I immediately became worried for the students in households with food instability.”
So far, over $78,000 has been raised by thousands of donors (as of publication), with another two days left to reach the goal of $80,000. Dennis Hu, Fundly’s CEO, was so impressed with the mission and success of the campaign that he personally called Mendelsohn to express his support for her.
All the money raised goes directly to help those in need through the St. Louis Area Foodbank, which says the funds are substantial enough to continue making a difference for the next year.
“Regardless of your opinion on the civil unrest in Ferguson,” Mendelsohn continued, “there is no need for innocent children to go hungry because of it.”
If you’re interested in donating, click here.
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Tag: Raleigh
What Do You Call a Dedicated Teacher at a Community College?
At Wake Tech in Raleigh, N.C., nearly 200 instructors were recently given a much-deserved new title: professor. As the News Observer reports, it’s unusual for community colleges anywhere in the country to award such ranks, even if these faculty members have worked for decades and are just as respected as their peers at universities.
Not only does the new title give recognition to these hardworking faculty members, it incentivizes other instructors to continue working at the school. Administrators only considered “professor” promotions if faculty members had worked for more than seven years and submitted an essay about the breadth of their scholarly work, in and out of the classroom. According to the News Observer, about 85 percent of 258 applicants were given new titles.
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Besides a new rank, these professors also got a raise of up to 6 percent. It’s a start to closing a striking pay gap in academia; the average salary of full time faculty members is $82,556 while the average salary at Wake Tech for an instructor is $46,000, Inside Higher Ed reports.
But it’s not just about the bigger paychecks. After he was given his new professor title, John Clevenger, a 25-year electronics teacher said, “We all teach because we love the job. I honestly see it as an honor to be recognized by my peers.”