Category Archives: Blog
Detroit Area Foundations & Businesses Announce $1 Million Fund to Recognize Detroit Youth Choir
by: The Skillman Foundation | Sep. 20th, 2019 Detroit, MI – Today, a group of Detroit-based foundations and members of the business community announced a $1 million endowment to recognize the Detroit Youth Choir, following their tremendous accomplishment on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. “We are incredibly proud of what the Detroit Youth Choir achieved during […]
Read more »The Skillman Foundation’s Natalie Fotias to Participate in Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit Class XLI
by: The Skillman Foundation | Sep. 18th, 2019 DETROIT – Natalie Fotias of The Skillman Foundation has been selected to participate in the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Leadership Detroit program, a 10-month transformational leadership program designed to challenge emerging and existing community leaders from Southeast Michigan to bring about positive change. “Surrounding myself with others who […]
Read more »Terry Takes on Racquet Up Detroit
by: The Skillman Foundation | Sep. 10th, 2019 The Skillman Foundation’s Terry Whitfield took a trip to Racquet Up Detroit to learn about the work they do with the city’s youth and to challenge some of their players to a game. Watch the epic battle below!
Read more »Tonya Allen: Changing the Odds for Detroit Children on the Trailblazers.FM Podcast
by: The Skillman Foundation | Sep. 10th, 2019 The Skillman Foundation President and CEO Tonya Allen appeared on a recent episode of The Trailblazers.FM podcast, hosted by Stephen A. Hart. Tonya and Stephen discuss Tonya’s upbringing in Detroit, racial equity, uplifting black men and boys, and the work she does to change the odds for […]
Read more »Community Foundation and Philanthropic Partners Announce New Report and Collaborative to Support Immigrants and Refugees in Southeast Michigan
by: | Sep. 9th, 2019 DETROIT — September 5, 2019 —The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, alongside Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, and the Kresge Foundation, announced today the creation of a new partnership, the Southeast Michigan Immigrant and Refugee Funder Collaborative (“The Collaborative”). The impetus for the Collaborative is based on the findings […]
Read more »LIFT Launches Manufacturing Programming for Detroit Youth
by: | Sep. 3rd, 2019 DETROIT (August 29, 2019) — LIFT – Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow, a Detroit-based national manufacturing innovation institute operated by the American Lightweight Materials Innovation Institute (ALMMII), today announced that it has received a $200,000 grant from The Skillman Foundation to help Detroit area youth strengthen their academic and employability skills […]
Read more »Back to School: Regional analysis of educator survey reveals different needs across Michigan
by: Launch Michigan | Aug. 21st, 2019 LANSING, Mich. – Regional data analysis from a landmark statewide educator survey conducted earlier this year is now available for reporters to use as part of back-to-school stories and other local education coverage. The statewide survey was fielded in February 2019 by Launch Michigan, a diverse alliance of […]
Read more »Be Kind and Purposeful in the Wake of Tragedy
by: Tonya Allen | Aug. 7th, 2019 I’ve pondered the senseless acts of violence over the weekend bred by intolerance and hatred. Some have characterized such tragedies of mass shootings in our country as the new norm. We cannot allow ourselves to see these acts as normal because they are certainly not. We cannot become […]
Read more »Experienced Educator to Lead The Skillman Foundation’s Education Investments
by: The Skillman Foundation | Aug. 1st, 2019 Carmen Kennedy-Rogers has been hired as a senior program officer of education at The Skillman Foundation, effective July 29, 2019. In this position, Carmen works in partnership with the Foundation’s vice president of program & strategy, Punita Dani Thurman, to provide leadership to a team of program officers who work collaboratively to support the Foundation’s education strategies. “We are fortunate to have someone with Carmen’s experience and passion lead the Foundation’s efforts to improve educational opportunities and outcomes in Detroit,” said Skillman Foundation […]
Read more »Safe Space
by: | Jul. 31st, 2019 This post originally appeared on Our Kids Detroit Students’ Blog. Read the original post here. My first day of high school I ate lunch in the bathroom—or at least I tried to. I walked into the bathroom, sat on the sink, and attempted to eat my cheese sticks while I […]
Read more »Letter: Criticism won’t help fix Michigan education
by: Tonya Allen | Jul. 24th, 2019 This op-ed was co-authored with Doug Rothwell, CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan, and Paula Herbart, president of the Michigan Education Association. It originally appeared in The Detroit News. This month in CNBC’s annual ranking of the Top States for Business, Michigan suffered a dramatic tumble, going from […]
Read more »How Are the Children?
by: The Skillman Foundation | Jul. 15th, 2019 How are the children? This is where we begin, this is where we end. At breakfast, on the bus, in class, after school, finding a part-time job, doing homework, going to sleep. How are the children? Here in Detroit, it’s a hard question. Many of our children’s […]
Read more »A Fierce Caregiver; Actualized!
by: Kurt Griggs-Swanson | Jun. 27th, 2019 Organizations and people committed to improving outcomes for Detroit’s children are deeply embedded in the heart and tapestry of the city. These champions work harder with every waking day to combat, circumvent, and break down barriers to our children’s success and ensure that their futures are bright. The […]
Read more »What Europe Can Teach Us About Afterschool Opportunities
by: Terry Whitfield | Jun. 18th, 2019 A kid from Seven Mile in Detroit made it to Europe. It was AMAZING. Thanks to the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation and the German Marshall Fund, I recently had the privilege to take part in a travel tour of the Ruhr Valley in Germany and Barcelona, Spain, […]
Read more »A Home for All Detroit Youth
by: William Sexton | Jun. 14th, 2019 An important part of any child’s life is a supportive and stable place to call home. Unfortunately, many young people in Detroit, and across our state and country, are often without this sense of stability. According to federal education law, any youth without “a fixed, regular, and adequate […]
Read more »Teach 313 Fellowship Elevates Role & Advocacy Efforts of Detroit Teachers
by: Teach 313 | Jun. 6th, 2019 Teach 313 strives to make Detroit the best city in American for teachers. A place where educators are celebrated and honored for their noble profession. Where aspirations for the city’s future acknowledge the key role teachers play in cultivating our next generation of leaders and learners. The Teach […]
Read more »Launch Michigan co-chairs, legislative quadrant join together urging continued progress on boosting educational achievement for Michigan’s students
by: Launch Michigan | May. 30th, 2019 Legislature asks for policy recommendations by Dec. 1 Michigan’s legislative leaders today publicly joined Launch Michigan co-chairs to demonstrate their ongoing support for the work being done to improve the state’s preK-12 educational performance. Following a main stage panel titled The Education Crisis: Michigan’s Response (panel starts at 50 minute […]
Read more »Afterschool programs are an investment in Michigan’s future
by: Tonya Allen | May. 30th, 2019 This op-ed was originally published in The Detroit News. There’s a long overdue conversation happening in Michigan right now about how to revive our state’s education system to better enable our children to compete for and create the jobs of the future. That conversation must include how we […]
Read more »The Importance of Heritage, Language, and Family
by: Sara Plachta Elliott | May. 20th, 2019 For me, growing up in Detroit has always been pretty cool. I was born here and have gone to school in the city my whole life. Throughout this experience, one of the most important parts of growing up has been my Hispanic heritage and being bilingual. At […]
Read more »Ready Students, Ready Communities
by: The Skillman Foundation | May. 15th, 2019 Afterschool programs offer a range of benefits to youth, families, and communities including stronger academic performance, physical health, and employability. Our session at the 2019 Mackinac Policy Conference will explore the role afterschool programs play in ensuring youth and their communities are on a path to prosperity. […]
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