Student Life – Page 4

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond Visits Da Vinci Schools

April 24, 2023 by Carla Levenson

Today, Da Vinci Schools had the honor and privilege to host State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond as he recognized Da Vinci Schools as a leader in bringing personal finance curriculum to students.

Supt. Thurmond visited 12th grade teacher Christopher Jackson’s College & Career Readiness and Financial Literacy class at Da Vinci Communications and spoke directly with students as part of his effort to tour model schools and promote making personal finance and financial literacy a high school graduation requirement. Da Vinci students take financial literacy as part of their core graduation requirements – fewer than 1% of students in California attend a school that requires them to complete one semester of financial education. Only 27 percent of California high school students attend schools that offer personal finance electives compared with 71% nationwide. Just 18 states nationwide require a financial literacy course to graduate.

“We are so inspired by Superintendent Thurmond’s leadership on expanding financial education to all California students – and also so moved by his personal story. He is authentic, caring and charismatic, and is a tremendous inspiration to our students,” said Dr. Matthew Wunder, Da Vinci’s CEO and Superintendent.

Research shows that students who have access to high-quality financial education have better financial outcomes as adults that result in less debt and a higher quality of life. The CA Department of Education is partnering with CA-based nonprofit Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) to provide teacher training for financial literacy. DVC financial literacy teacher Christopher Jackson is one of the first 500 NGPF Distinguished Educators who has completed six certification courses. This sets him apart from the 78,000 educators in the NGPF network and in the top 1%! Chris was selected as one of 85 CA educators selected to attend NGPF’s Closing the Financial Education Gap in March where he met Supt. Thurmond. > Related article: Teacher Talk with Christopher Jackson

Supt. Thurmond recently announced $1.4 million in financial literacy grants to help deliver financial literacy and personal finance courses to students in California. Ensuring that all young Californians have exposure to financial literacy is a vital step in closing inequality gaps and providing the skills and resources to improve lives.

Supt. Thurmond was joined today by Steve Zimmer, Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction; Tim Ranzetta, Founder of Next Gen Personal Finance; Dr. Matthew Wunder, CEO and Superintendent of Da Vinci Schools; Dr. Jennifer Hawn, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Da Vinci Schools; Erin D’Souza, Principal of Da Vinci Communications; Andrew Daramola, Assistant Principal, Da Vinci Communications; Christopher Jackson, College & Career Readiness and Financial Literacy teacher at Da Vinci Communications; and Dr. Blake Silvers, Superintendent of the Wiseburn Unified School District.

Supt. Thurmond’s funding builds on the $3.5 billion Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant to county offices of education, school districts, charter schools, and the State Special Schools that can be used to expand financial literacy course offerings.

Become a Youth Board Representative for The Del Aire Neighborhood Association – Apply by 4/19!

April 13, 2023 by Emily Shapiro

Future Youth Leaders,

The Del Aire Neighborhood Association (DNA) is looking for 1-2 high-school student leaders who want to serve as YOUTH BOARD REPRESENTATIVES who can help the organization grow, plan community events, and advocate for neighborhood improvements like the Greenway! You can find the application here – apply by April 19th.

Application requirements:

Must be a Del Aire resident
Must be able to commit to serving for 2 years. (so, ideally, incoming freshmen, sophomores and Juniors should apply.

This is a great opportunity for students to participate on the Board and provide a forum to learn about local government and help shape the community.

For more information, please contact Jessica Nolan Daugherty, President of the Del Aire Neighborhood Association at 714-390-6301.

Using CLEP Exams to Earn College Credit

March 31, 2023 by Emily Shapiro

As College Decision Day approaches on May 1, families may want to take a moment to learn about the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) for students to potentially earn college credit and test out of certain general education courses at 2,900 participating colleges across the U.S.

Administered by the College Board, CLEP is a non-school sponsored opportunity. CLEP exams allow students who are already proficient in a particular subject(s) to test out of introductory courses and move to more advanced courses sooner, saving time and money toward their degree. Students take CLEP exams at an official CLEP test center or at home with remote proctoring. Students receives scores immediately after completing the exam except for College Composition and Spanish with Writing.

To learn more about this program, visit clep.collegeboard.org.

Many thanks to DVD parent Carolyn Mortley who shared this resource with us.

You Are Invited to the Black El Camino College Expo!

March 29, 2023 by Emily Shapiro

Dear Future Warrior,

Please join us at the Black El Camino College Expo on Wednesday, April 5th from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm in the east dining room! Come explore the many opportunities built to help you succeed. Join us for one-on-one conversations with representatives from programs across campus, Transfer and Financial Aid resource workshops, campus tours, enrollment assistance, games, prizes, free food, and more!

Please RSVP in advance at the link below:

RSVP Here

The location of this event will start at El Camino College’s East Dining Room. Free Parking in Lot C (Manhattan Beach Blvd. & Crenshaw Blvd.).

Please feel free to email us with any questions you may have at southbaypromise@elcamino.edu.

Preparing Your Student For Their Future with Dr. Vince Bertram – RSVP today!

March 21, 2023 by Emily Shapiro

Join us for an upcoming seminar with Dr. Vince Bertram, a renowned international speaker, and New York Times best-selling author dedicated to transforming career learning for students worldwide. Discover how to prepare your student for success in work and life by learning about the value of a college education, skills that matter more than a degree, and the outlook for today’s job market. Space is limited. RSVP here to reserve your spot today!