News Briefs

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Perhaps one of the most prominent and well-known leaders in the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1929. Dr. King admired Gandhi and became a well-known figure following his iconic delivery of the now infamous “I Have A Dream” speech. Dr. King was assassinated in April 1968. His legacy continues to thrive.

Dallas ISD is inviting graduating seniors who practice recycling at their schools to apply for one of three $1,000 scholarships available from the district’s sanitation services vendor, Waste Management. Aaron Rankin, who coordinates Dallas ISD’s recycling programs, said Waste Management wants to recognize students who actively participate in school recycling efforts. “The company feels it’s important to reward these young people because they are our future,” he said. “Encouraging and rewarding them for taking part in recycling and green initiatives will hopefully motivate them to continue the behavior as adults.” Since not every school has a recycling program, Rankin said…

Barbara Jordan: Barbara Jordan was the first African-American congresswoman to be elected and then re-elected from the Deep South. Prior to her U.S. House election, she was the first African-American woman to be a Texas State Senator. Jordan retired from politics in 1978, but returned to Texas as a full-time professor and counselor to Texas Governor Anne Richards.

NBC DFW on Tuesday spotlighted an innovative district program that helps parents better prepare to work with their students at home. The news report details how the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program sends coaches to the homes of at-risk children between the ages of 3 and 5. The coaches then train the parents on how to teach their children in subjects such as reading and basic math. For the full report from NBC DFW, click here.