State of Opportunity is capping off a busy launch week. We are relying on you for insights, questions and story ideas to help us tell these complicated and important stories. Maybe you have a question, comment or a story idea for the project? We'd like to hear it.
You can always comment here on the website, or on our Facebook page, but you can also connect with us in a deeper way by sharing your insight here. We promise to read all of your comments and follow up as needed.
We've already learned a lot through your feedback. On Facebook, Merri Busch suggested we should contact returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who might be facing challenges like disability and high unemployment rates.
Judith Schellhammer is going to tell us more about the safety net in Hillsdale, MI and her experience with social service delivery in that town.
Both Judith and Marsha Ladd told us they have experience with curriculum developed by Ruby Payne. Payne is a somewhat controversial figure. She’s a former teacher that now works to get people of different social classes to better understand each other. We’ll be looking into this approach and what other tools schools, towns and agencies are using to try to better serve kids from all economic backgrounds.
We’ve also heard about a college-prep program called Middle-Colleges from Pete Sutherland. We’ll be following up on that for education stories later in the project. And, young journalists from the “Our Life in the D” project will be bringing us stories in their own words as our project continues.
Keep sending in your insights and story leads.