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Dear Friend,
Most people think that summer is a school's "slow" period. While that might be the case for some, it's definitely not at Urban Prep. We're busier than ever.
We have programs to launch, a new school to open, and a major fundraiser to plan; all while preparing for our new academic year which starts in just a couple of weeks (yikes!).
I hope you enjoy this issue of the UPdate which will give you a glimpse into our very busy summer and all of the work your support helps make possible.
We Believe,
Tim
Tim King
Founder & CEO
Urban Prep Academies
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100% in College...Now What?
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| UP To and Through College Program will help alumni succeed at the next level.
 Urban Prep's mission is to ensure that
our graduates succeed in college. To fulfill
that mission, we have developed the UP To and Through College Program.
This program provides support to help alumni
successfully complete college. Two members of Team UP will be focused on this program: Alfred Lee (Director of Alumni Affairs) and Toby Tieger (PIP Fellow). By providing guidance to our alumni, as well as collecting data on their progress, we will help our students succeed in college and improve instruction at our existing campuses. |
U.S. Secretary of Education Cites UP as National Example of Excellence
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| Arne Duncan lauds Urban Prep at NAACP, National Press Club and National Urban League events.  During speeches at the 101st Annual Convention of the NAACP, National Press Club and National Urban League Centennial Conference, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan delivered powerful messages
on President Obama's plan for school reform and cited Urban Prep as an
example of the kind of schools our country needs. On July 14 at the NAACP convention, Duncan said "Education is the civil
rights issue of our generation" before reciting statistics showing UP's success. He then asked, "How can
we make Urban Prep the norm? How can we make every school a place where
expectations are high and learning is valued?" He echoed these remarks on July 27 during a National Press Club luncheon: "It took us half a century to have the courage to change [how we do things] and create Urban Prep. There is no excuse for that."
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UP Hires First Chief Academic Officer
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| | CAO will promote even greater levels of achievement at UP schools.
Lionel Allen Jr. is Urban Prep's new  Chief Academic Officer and Vice President
of School Operations. In this position, Mr. Allen will work with the Principals of Urban Prep schools to achieve even greater levels of student achievement. Mr. Allen was raised on the south side of Chicago
and is a product of Chicago Public Schools. He holds a Bachelor's degree in
secondary education from Northwestern University and a Master's degree in
Leadership and Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Currently, he is pursuing a doctoral degree in Urban Education Leadership from UIC. Mr. Allen has held many education and leadership positions, but most recently served as the nationally recognized Principal of the Sherman School of
Excellence, the nation's and the Academy for Urban School Leadership's (AUSL)
first NCLB turnaround school. For more information on Mr. Allen, please click here. Mr. Allen, welcome to Team UP!
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Mayor & City Council Honor UP
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| Resolution praising Urban Prep adopted by Mayor Daley and Chicago City Council.
On June
30th, 2010 Mayor Daley and The Chicago City Council adopted a
resolution to honor Urban Prep and the accomplishments of its first graduating
class. During the ceremony many Aldermen, including Englewood's own Alderman Willie Cochran, rose to offer congratulatory
and encouraging words. Aldermen Brookins, Burke, Burnett, Dowell, Fioretti, Hairston, Harris, Preckwinkle, and Thomas were among the many members of the City Council to stand and support the resolution. On hand to accept
the resolutions from Mayor Daley were Founder/CEO Tim King and Urban Prep
Alumni Tyler Beck, Jamil Boldian, Krishaun Branch, Milan Byrdwell, Marquis
Crawford, and Anthony Hubbard. Video of the City Council meeting recognizing Urban Prep can be seen here. |
AP on UP: The Associated Press Story Goes Viral
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| | Scores of media outlets around the nation run article, video and photos.
 Lately, it seems that the whole world has taken an interest
in Urban Prep's first ever graduating class; but no one managed to capture the
impact our schools make in the lives of students quite like the recent Associated Press story. Sharon
Cohen's piece, "100 percent of school's first class college-bound", tells the
stories of three Urban Prep students, chronicling the events that led them to
enroll at the Englewood Campus, illuminating the obstacles they hurdled on the
road to graduation, and shedding new light on the significance of their
triumph. The AP piece, which was carried in print and online in outlets like the Chicago Sun Times, Huffington post, L.A. Times, Washington Post, Yahoo News, and myriad others, also features photos and video.
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Go All-In for Urban Prep at Aces UP!
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| The 4th annual celebrity charity poker tournament is sure to be a winner!
Are you
ready to go all in for Urban Prep? Aces
UP!, Chicago's premier charity poker tournament, is taking place on Friday, August 27th
at the River East Art Center. Food and cocktails begin at 5:00 p.m. and the tournament begins at 6:30 p.m. This exciting
event will be hosted by four
self-professed poker "experts": Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias;
Urban Prep Founder & CEO Tim King; Chicago Sun Times Columnist and TV/Radio
Personality Richard Roeper; and College Football Hall of Famer and former
Chicago Bear Chris Zorich. Whether you want to play or just watch, we hope that you can join us for this evening of fun. For more information and to purchase tickets
please visit www.acesuptourney.com. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Please click here for more details.
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