Weekly Media Rounup - March 7, 2012

Community Pushes for More Funds for Pittsylvania County Schools (Danville Register & Bee, Virginia)
Fourteen-year-old Tunstall Middle School student DaMarcus Wimbush spoke at the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors meeting this week and said that he is worried about losing afterschool programs, like tutoring, and other cuts to education, the Danville Register & Bee reports. In addition to DaMarcus, teachers, local business owners and other residents asked the board to commit to funding education even though the county and local school system is facing budget shortfalls.

Getting It Write: Ages 6 and Older Begin to Bloom with Free Writing Help (The News Tribune, Washington)
Students at Tacoma Community College are tutoring middle school students after school to encourage young people to love writing and to improve their academic scores. The volunteers of Write@253 just signed a lease to move into a new space in addition to their work at First Creek Middle School. Organizers hope to offer free writing workshops, a drop-in writing room, and a place where teachers can take students on writing field trips.

Spring Break No Party for Students (Aberdeen American News, South Dakota)
Some North State University students are spending their spring break giving back to the community instead of partying on an exotic beach. The college students are traveling to New Jersey to restore and prepare facilities at Camp Vacamas, a youth camp that caters to inner-city kids, and working with an afterschool program for low-income youth.

Pinewoods Elementary Celebrates Read Across America Day (The News-Press, Florida)
As part of Read Across America Day, aspiring teachers and volunteers across Fort Myers read their favorite children’s books to students at Pinewoods Elementary School last week. One college student told The News-Press, “I knew that this was something I wanted to do since I became involved with an afterschool program in high school…teaching never feels like a job. It’s something I enjoy doing.”