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Aldo Leopold Charter School Chosen
for National Educator Innovator Award

[Silver City, New Mexico] –– Aldo Leopold Charter School is one of fourteen schools across the nation to be awarded a LRNG Innovation Challenge Grant from the National Writing Project (NWP) to develop, pilot, and share promising strategies to strengthen connected and deeper learning. The LRNG Innovation Challenge is a new program sponsored in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation and John Legend’s Show Me Campaign.

LRNG is a new initiative that invests in forward-looking schools and teachers to design innovative projects that take advantage of new technology to support students’ creativity.
“The LRNG partners were impressed by Aldo Leopold Charter School because of their teacher-led commitment to ensuring that young people become the problem solvers of the future”, stated NWP executive director, Elyse Eidman-Aadahl. “We are pleased to support their innovation and sharing their story with schools across the country.”

Aldo Leopold plans to use the new funds to expand time and space for young people in our community to engage in production-centered, interest-driven learning by coordinating community wide afterschool programs and an eight week “Summer of Science” program that is focusing on STEM education. These programs will be based on the school’s experience and expertise in developing, implementing and evaluating engaging hands on learning in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math and their ability to work effectively with several diverse and supportive community partners throughout the county.

“Out of school time, STEM Education is a fantastic way to engage students in math and science in fun and creative ways” stated Eric Ahner, Director of Aldo Leopold Charter School. “Our teachers and staff can work with our community partners to help them enhance their current programs and reach many more youth in our community and to help them become enthusiastic learners.”

Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Show Me Campaign, and individual donors, the LRNG grantees will develop, pilot and share promising teacher-powered strategies and solutions to strengthen connected and deeper learning for the widest range of young people. To learn more about LRNG and the grantees, visit http://www.educatorinnovator.org/LRNG2014/