A Big Surprise ... in Math Class?!
January 13th, 2012
On January 11, teacher Carla Russell was busily leading her 5th grade class at A.B. Day School in calculating the costs of teen pregnancy as part of their Need in Deed project. But as visitors – and news cameras! – started slipping into the roomread more ...
Teaching Fellows at SJU reflect on their first year
September 6th, 2011
“I survived!” exclaimed Caitlin Slover, reflecting on her first year as a classroom teacher. We met Caitlin and 13 other teaching fellows through the Alliance for Catholic Education at Saint Joseph University’s (ACESJU) –an innovativeread more ...
This could be “your” class
September 6th, 2011
Want to get an up close picture of Need in Deed? The best way is to become a Classroom Partner. Come to the December Teacher Soiree and meet the teacher with whom we’ve paired you. Visit your classread more ...
Comcast’s Tom Carusona joins NID’s Board
August 9th, 2011
NID’s newest Board member knows media – traditional media, social media, media planning, buying and branding. As the senior director of marketing for Comcast Interactive Media (CIM), Tom Carusona is responsible forread more ...
Kelly Ann Coughlin is feeling "fancy"
August 8th, 2011
NID teacher Kelly Ann Coughlin was thrilled when program staff Kim Kirn and Pam Prell invited her to present with them last spring at a gathering of graduate students at Arcadia University, her alma mater. The professors were so impressedread more ...
Fighting litter with trash bags, brooms and passion
July 5th, 2011
Can you imagine how much trash is generated by 45,000 fans at a Phillies game? Gretchen Matteo's 3rd graders have some ideas about this since their project involved helping the Phillies'read more ...
McCall students teach their teacher about Need in Deed
June 27th, 2011
Looking back on her first year with Need in Deed, teacher Michelle Rivera is quick to point out she wasn't initially comfortable handing over the reins to 12-year olds.read more ...
"I think we made people think twice. . . "
June 27th, 2011
To hear Kathie Wainwright's students describe their project on gun violence, click here . . . . The topic hit close to home for these students at Heston Academics Plus School in West Philadelphia.read more ...
Supporting teachers at an international baccalaureate school
June 3rd, 2011
How do we live in relation to others? How can I contribute to the community? How can I help others? These are questions students at Hill-Freedman Middle School are challenged to address as IB (international baccalaureate) learners.read more ...
Standing-room-only audience applauds student efforts at Shout Out 2012
June 2nd, 2011
What does it feel like to be 13 years-old and receive standing ovation from more than 200 people packed into a crowded auditorium? Ask students in Martha Kutteh's 8th grade class at Widener Memorial School, one of fourread more ...
You are invited to Community Clothes Charity's Special Preview Sale
June 2nd, 2011
Shop for great deals in designer clothes and know that you'll be helping Need in Deed!read more ...
Need in Deed Night at the Phillies
May 4th, 2011
Imagine receiving $4,000 to attend an on-your-feet Phillies game with 500 of your closest friends as you watch a 12-year-old boy you know throw out the first pitch. Sound unreal?read more ...
12-year-old Jason Diaz throws first pitch at NID Night at the Phillies
May 4th, 2011
What does it feel like to walk out onto the field at Citizens Bank Park to throw out the first pitch accompanied by the yelps and hollers of 45,000 ramped up fans? We asked 12-year-old Jason Diaz, a 6th grade student in Jackie Burke's class atread more ...
McCall students' presentation: highlight of statewide conference
May 2nd, 2011
“I want her to maintain her idealism,” said the mother of 9-year-old Anya Gizis, one of 19 students who described the class's NID project on homelessness to a recently convened gathering of statewide professionalsread more ...
Litter campaign goes "viral" at Fell Elementary School
March 15th, 2011
What rhymes with “litter?” Not too many words, as Gretchen Matteo’s 3rd grade students at Fell Elementary School in South Philadelphia discovered when they launchedread more ...
Winter Wine’d Up attracts new corporate friends for Need in Deed
March 14th, 2011
The view from the 45th floor of the Comcast Center is nothing short of spectacular. But the audience was looking at (and listening to) Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen and Need in Deed teachersread more ...
Need in Deed Night at the Phillies: May 3rd
January 24th, 2011
"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" Winter is here and fans of "The Fightin's" can already taste the peanuts and Crackerjack. . . Speaking of, our good friends at the Phillies have made us a generous offer:read more ...
Teacher colleagues share ideas after hours
January 24th, 2011
Who ordered the tartufo pizza? . . . . Sitting at a corner table at Stella's at 2nd and Lombard on a cold January night are five members of NID's Teacher Network: Joanna Bottaro, Amy Gottesman, Lisa Hantman, Patrick Kennison, Celeste Rodriguez andread more ...
NBC Philadelphia features Need in Deed
January 24th, 2011
NBC’s “Good News” recently aired footage of Comcast employees meeting with “their” classroom at Widener Memorial School. To see the segment, click here.read more ...
Susan Slawson and Rob Skomorucha join NID's Board
December 20th, 2010
Philadelphia's Commissioner of Recreation, Susan Slawson, and Rob Skomorucha, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations for Philadelphia University, have been appointed to Need in Deed's Board of Directors.read more ...
Having the courage to tell her story
December 20th, 2010
Recently, in the middle of a Need in Deed peer sharing session with her colleagues, it suddenly hit her. “I will be my own guest speaker!” As a first year member of NID’s Teacher Network, Kathie Wainwright is just learningread more ...
Students learn the power of a well-taught lesson
December 20th, 2010
I knew it was good,” recalls Amy Gottesman of a service her students performed three years ago as part of their NID service-learning project, “but you rarely get to see the impact.”read more ...
Positively influencing learning, attitudes and behaviors
November 23rd, 2010
During the 2008-2009 school year, Research for Action, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit engaged in policy and evaluation research on urban education, conducted aread more ...
10-year-old Jordan Grayes and Cindy Kerr share their experiences with cancer
November 22nd, 2010
As Cindy Kerr was leaving Jordan Grayes' class recently, having talked about her son's death from cancer, Jordan ran up to her to tell her that his mother was a cancer survivor.read more ...
Math teacher and former student reminiscence
November 16th, 2010
It's been 4 years since Dominique Grice, now a 9th grade student at Philadelphia's Girls High, was in Amy Gottesman's class at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School.read more ...
Words of advice from a 13-year-old to her teacher
November 12th, 2010
We asked McCall Elementary's 6th grade teacher Steve Saba if he would be willing to be interviewed by one of his former students, Mia Richie.read more ...
Teacher Lisa Hantman interviews her dad
November 5th, 2010
Lisa Hantman's way of interacting with her students, listening to their concerns, encouraging their natural curiosity has always impressed us. So it did not surprise us that Lisa would demonstrate these same qualities when interviewing her father,read more ...
What is it like to be a public school principal?
November 5th, 2010
The day doesn't end at 3 o'clock when you're a public school principal. Carol Domb would know. As the principal at McCall Elementaryread more ...
Students reflect on past success
September 27th, 2010
Sometimes during the course of a Need in Deed project, the stars align. Last year, when we paired Jasmine Williams’ 4th grade class at Logan Elementary School with Anthropologie, a Philadelphia-based retail store specializing inread more ...
Comcast awards Need in Deed grants totaling $125,000
September 27th, 2010
We recently learned that Comcast will be giving Need in Deed a total of $125,000 – $100,000 as part of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit, and $25,000 from the Comcast Foundation.read more ...
Teach for America's Joe Moorman reflects on his year with Need in Deed
August 2nd, 2010
“It was November,” Joe Moorman recalls, “and my students had narrowed their focus down to three possible issues: child abuse, animal abuse and kids with cancer.read more ...
Shout Out award winners address homelessness, animal abuse, drug addiction and gun violence
July 22nd, 2010
Four Need in Deed classes received special recognition at our annual Shout Out awards ceremony this spring. Listen to students describe the topics of their yearlong exploration.read more ...
"Balling to Prevent Brawling"
July 6th, 2010
To hear a podcast of the game, click here:
Inspired by Joe Davis, the victim of gun violence, students in Leslie Greenberg's 8th grade class at Jay Cooke Elementary squared off againstread more ...
Phillies and State Farm recognize Need in Deed
June 29th, 2010
When Chase Utley knocked out a home run in the first inning of the Phillies-Cubs game on May 20th, NID Executive Director Barbara Dundon was sitting right behind home plate. The recipient of State Farmread more ...
Milwaukee public schools connect the classroom with the community
June 17th, 2010
Last August program staff from NID traveled to Milwaukee to launch a district-wide service-learning initiative with 40 teachers in Milwaukee elementary schools. Following is the story of one project that resulted from the trainingread more ...
Tough times, you can help
January 11th, 2010
Several members of NID's Teacher Network, aware of the financial pressures that face Need in Deed, are volunteering to help us raise money through a viral email campaign.read more ...
Comcast and Sprout add a professional touch to student PSA
August 1st, 2009
Comcast Interactive Media, a NID Classroom Partner, chose to ramp up its involvement with "their class" at Logan Elementary, to stunning effect.read more ...
Spotlight on Fairmount Water Works
August 1st, 2009
This weekend, at our two-day overnight retreat for NID Network teachers, Robert Rivera from Willard Elementary will be describing his students' project and the help he received from community partner Ellen Schultz at Fairmount Water Works...read more ...
Phillies & Need in Deed
June 29th, 2009
Representatives from local corporations met at Citizens Bank Park in June to recognize some important champions: Celeste Rodriguez, from Stetson Middle School, and . . .read more ...
Real-life stories ignite learning
Joe Davis, from Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, knows the impact of gun violence, viscerally. He is paralyzed, the victim of a drug-related retaliation that happened when he was in his 20’s. Students sit mesmerized...read more ...
Unexpected sources of student inspiration provide direction
January 26th, 2009
Alison Barnes’ and Amy Gottesman’s 5th grade classroom in Olney used lyrics from rapper Tupac Shakur’s “Keep Ya Head Up.” The students compiled a list of of over 20 social issues referenced in the song in a lesson on figurative language.read more ...
Need in Deed’s Classroom Partners – supporting change that’s “tangible"
January 5th, 2009
Chelsea Badeau, editor-in-chief of the Comcast.net homepage, and Mark Greenberg, president of Compass North Realty, work where success is evaluated in tangible results. Both "invest" in the measurable impact that NID's service-learning can provide.read more ...
Congratulations, Cidney Alexander!
December 2nd, 2008
Walk into Cidney Alexander’s 6th grade classroom at the Hackett School in Fishtown and it’s apparent that service-learning is an integral part of her students’ day. All around the room you see evidence of specific activities...read more ...
A perfect storm of service-learning
December 2nd, 2008
“It feels like a big swirling circle --- like a tornado --- and we’re getting to the eye of the storm!” Alicia and Shianne excitedly shared. They were experiencing NID's service-learning process with Fishtown’s Hackett School 6th grade...read more ...
Students shape project's early stages
November 17th, 2008
After her 5th grade class at the McCall School completed Need in Deed’s Information Gap activity, Joanna Bottaro’s students discovered that four issues attracted their attention: homelessness, animal abuse, poverty and urban blight.read more ...
Joanna Bottaro wins My Voice Award
November 16th, 2008
Joanna Bottaro thinks of service-learning as “guided curiosity,” a way to bring out students’ innate interests in order to develop lifelong learners. “It gives students a reason to learn and gets them involved in something new and exciting."read more ...
Lisa Hantman Wins My Voice Award
April 9th, 2008
Lisa Hantman helps students expand their vocabulary while contributing to the United Nations World of Food program.read more ...
An Appetite for Learning
March 19th, 2008
One day last fall the students in Room 210 at the McCall School got a little “taste” of what it feels like to be hungry. Really hungry. The situation gave the children a chance to experience what it’s like when you don’t get enough food.read more ...
Gun violence influences students' service-learning project
November 21st, 2007
Germeik Turner, a 6th grader, and Thomas McDonald, a 5th grader at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, have football practice at Olney Recreation Center. So it’s understandable how, after a shooting incident there this summer . . .read more ...
Elizabeth Soslau joins Need in Deed Board
August 3rd, 2007
We met Elizabeth Soslau during her first year of full-time teaching at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School. As a member of Need in Deed’s My Voice Teacher Network, she guided her students . . . .read more ...
Hip hop music and violence
June 6th, 2007
Joanna Bottaro’s 7th grade students at Andrew Jackston Elementary School chose an interesting slant on violence. Their premise is that negative messages in hip-hop music contribute to the violent behavior of some young people.read more ...
Littering project energizes students
May 30th, 2007
Lisa Hantman’s third grade class at McCall Elementary School considered plenty of issues for their service-learning project this year. Day care, bullying, abandoned houses, and blindness all made the list.read more ...
Student voice yields reading gains
May 9th, 2007
Elizabeth Soslau, at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School, “gets” the idea of student voice. Her 8th grade students were the drivers for their project on child abuse.read more ...
Scott Bailey joins Need in Deed Board
NID recently elected Scott Bailey to the Board of Need in Deed. “When Barbara and Kim approached me about becoming involved with Need in Deed, I knew this was the program I had to find time for,” says Scott.read more ...
“If we want it to work, we’ve gotta make people cry.”
The story of Katie McGarry's second grade class' project in 2006 illustrates the power of NID's "My Voice" process to change lives. . . . It started when a studentread more ...
Demonstrating democratic process in a 5th grade classroom
Never.
A piece of missing furniture in Judy Acevedo’s classroom at Antonia Pantoja Charter School in the Hunting Park neighborhood of North Philadelphia reveals muchread more ...
Three Classes, Three Projects, No Problem!
"I am teaching the best group of children I have ever had a chance to meet," Christina Lucera, a 7th grade teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, wrote in a submission to Need in Deed late last year.read more ...
Two Teachers Win My Voice Web Awards
January 17th, 2012
Not one, but two incredible educators were awarded Need in Deed's My Voice Web Awards at our annual Teacher Soiree, held in early December at Ralph's Café on the 45th Floor of the Comcast Center.read more ...
Drumroll, Please!
January 13th, 2012
“Let’s make a plan, guys!” Martha Kutteh urged her 7th grade class at Widener Memorial School. The objective: bring the 3rd graders up to speed on the latest developments in their joint service-learning project and together vote on a topic.read more ...
Now recruiting teachers for NID's Teacher Network
March 8th, 2011
Need in Deed is now recruiting Philadelphia 3rd through 8th grade teachers for our 2011-2012 Teacher Network. To download an application, click on the red link below.read more ...
Research study reveals NID's positive impact on students
July 28th, 2010
A recently released evaluation of our work by Research for Action uncovered positive impacts in several key areas. Most positive and affirming was the summary finding that NID is "a particularly effective interventionread more ...
NID Network member Lisa Hantman guides students in project that gets attention of policymakers
July 14th, 2010
To listen to a podcast of our interview with the students, click here
‘Know any nine-year-olds who have presented their research findings on a citywide problem to members of City Council?read more ...
Cooke kids take on Cozen lawyers in a game of hoops
June 8th, 2010
Come cheer on attorneys at Cozen O'Connor courageous enough to square up against 8th graders at Jay Cooke Elementary School in a basketball game to raise money and awareness for a program that combats teen violence.read more ...
Homeless 3rd grader opens officials eyes on serious issue
NBC Philadelphia covered Lisa Hantman's students' presentation before Philadelphia City Council -- the culmination of a year's research on their Need in Deed project on homelessness. To see the coverage, click here:read more ...
NID night at Wachovia Center: lots of fist pumping
March 31st, 2010
The 76ers’ coach analyzed the team’s season recently by saying the team didn’t "mesh and jell" early in the season. NID teachers and their classroom partners, on the other hand, did plenty of meshing and jelling Friday, March 26th atread more ...
Room 218 explores “exclusivity” – in theory and practice
March 29th, 2010
“She makes me laugh when I don’t feel good,” says Alexandria Jones of Katrina Cheng. “And I found out she’s shy, just like me.”
Katrina and Alexandria have been going to the McCall School for six years, ever sinceread more ...
For Joanna Bottaro “learning” is about problem solving
March 29th, 2010
Joanna Bottaro has been teaching for 18 years. Yet she freely admits there is a lot she doesn’t know. “That’s what I love about Need in Deed,” she says. “You really never know from year to year what you’re going to learn.read more ...
Valentine campaign raises money and awareness
February 19th, 2010
When Scott Bailey, at Comcast Interactive Media, learned how the recession was negatively impacting Need in Deed’s bottom line, he brought together his creative team and asked for their input.read more ...
Section 313 takes on the problem of teen violence
February 19th, 2010
Eighth graders Steven Long, Angela Brown and Atinera Lomax were sitting with their desks pushed together, talking about the problem of teen violence.read more ...
Leslie Greenberg has high expectations
“When I was in college [in Madison, Wisconsin], we talked about changing the world," said Leslie Greenberg. " Service-learning was part of the conversation. It was all about being part of the community where you live, feeling connected.read more ...
English language learners share their knowledge about the causes of water pollution
January 27th, 2010
The story of Robert Rivera's 4th grade class' project about water pollutio
n illustrates the power of NID's "My Voice" process to engage students in their own learning.read more ...
"There's a lot of drug use in our community."
January 27th, 2010
The story of Amy Gottesman and Denise Rogers' 5th grade class' project about the connection between crime and drugs illustrates the power of NID "My Voice" process to engage students in their own learning.read more ...
Jog-a-Thon raises money for Philadelphia's homeless population
January 26th, 2010
The story of Kim Rakosky's 4thgrade class' project on homelessness illustrates the power of NID's "My Voice" process to change lives. . . read more ...
Students tackle the problem of child abuse
January 26th, 2010
Child abuse is a challenging topic. Even for adults. So it’s not surprising . . .read more ...
Step over the line: students and Classroom Partners explore social issues
January 12th, 2010
“Step over the line if you’ve ever been bullied,” called out teacher Charron Zeigler-Fayall. Almost everyone stepped forward.read more ...
Student efforts recognized at Shout Out
"I feel like a grown up," said a 3rd grader. Said another, "I'm glad you [teacher] are not the boss of everything!" NID students at Shout Out conveyed their sense of efficacy and empowerment-- and told us they had fun this year, too!read more ...
Feeling the fervor
April 16th, 2009
“It’s like bees swarming around,” says NID teacher Lisa Hantman describing what it’s like in her class right now as students go into full gear on their service-learning project. . . .read more ...
Exhibiting new found knowledge
April 10th, 2009
The 3rd graders in Lisa Hantman’s class at the McCall School could teach us all a thing or two about smoking. For instance, Brandon explains how the “nicotine is the addictive stuff, but other things in cigarettes are bad for you."read more ...
The wonderful value of people helping people
December 8th, 2008
Recently, we received this letter from a donor. Because it so well captures the spirit of giving associated with this season, we are sharing it with you.
Children need a reason to care about education . . .read more ...
NID launches Charter School Consortium
October 9th, 2008
Need in Deed’s second Charter School Consortium workshop took place early October at FACTS in Chinatown. Fortified with spring rolls and dumplings,read more ...
Back to School with Need in Deed
September 29th, 2008
This was not a typical "Back to School Night." Instead of the teacher standing at the front of the class,read more ...
Need in Deed welcomes new staff member
September 2nd, 2008
We had an inkling of what we might be getting when we considered hiring Kyra Atterbury for our Program Coordinator position.read more ...
Need in Deed welcomes new Board members
June 6th, 2008
Three Philadelphians recently joined the Board of Need in Deed.read more ...
Alexis Fallen wins My Voice award
March 17th, 2008
Not every student in this 6th grade class at James Logan Elementary School favored obesity as the focus for their service-learning project. And ultimately, getting buy-in from all students is important to a project’s success...read more ...
Kim Rakosky wins My Voice Award
February 4th, 2008
Her 4th grade class at Bache-Martin Elementary School in Fairmount chose homelessness as the focus of their service-learning project. After connecting their topic with a book they're reading together, the kids realized how homelessnessread more ...
Alison Barnes wins My Voice award
November 21st, 2007
In the weeks prior to October 31, Alison Barnes’ 5th/6th learning support grade class at Grover Washington Jr. Middle School in Olney had been discussing which of several topics being considered they might choose. . .read more ...
Shout Out recognizes top projects
July 10th, 2007
What does it take to make a city work? What happens when it doesn’t? And what can we do? These are some of the questions students in Need in Deed classrooms explored this year. . . .read more ...
Portraits of slain children motivate 2nd grade class
June 8th, 2007
Nancy Goldschmidt’s 2nd grade class at McClure Elementary School took on a tough issue with their service-learning project: gun violence.read more ...
Lisa Hantman wins My Voice Award
June 1st, 2007
Taking on a service-learning project on a topic as broad as littering could pose a challenge to any teacher. Following the principles of the My Voice framework, first-year My Voice Teacher Network member Lisa Hantman looked toread more ...
Comcast employees get to know “their students”
“I was excited and nervous about our classroom visit to Jasmine Williams’ class,” confesses Comcast Interactive Media (CIM) employee Jillian O’Brien. “I wasn’t sure what to expect from a group of 4th graders. Would they like us?"read more ...
Talking about tough topics, and how books help
Child abuse is a challenging topic. Even for adults. So it’s not surprising to hear a 4th grader say it’s hard to talk about it. But that’s what Jasmine William’s students at the Logan School are doing. And they’re doing more than just talkread more ...
Charter Consortium bears fruit
Many teachers find service-learning projects driven by student voice to be challenging. “It’s like being handed a blank sheet of paper,” said Lauren DeHart, one of 16 teachers in a NID-initiated charter school consortium...read more ...
“Germany on line one.”
When Need in Deed’s phone rang one morning in early September, the caller ID simply said, “Germany.” On the other end of the line was Claudia Gorihs of the Volunteer Center in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt...read more ...
Symposium on school climate attracts key education stakeholders
Never.
"School culture," said symposium keynoter Pedro Noguera, " is the part of school reform most often ignored. It's how we are greeted at the door, what we see on the playgroundread more ...
Charter School Award
Never.
Need in Deed is pleased to announce the availability of one-year scholarships for Philadelphia area elementary and middle charter schools to receive year-long professional development for the 2010-2011 school year. Preference will be given toread more ...
Giving and receiving
Never.
A glossy color photo showing hands on the arms of a wheelchair sits on a desk in front of Will, Pedro and Maria, three students in Martha Kutteh’s 8th grade class at Widener Memorial School, in Olney.read more ...
