For Immediate Release Contacts: Lauren Love 248-514-2922 Email: pressdepartment@rainbowpush.

org

Roderick K. Hawkins 773-892-5417 rhawkins@thechicagourbanleague.org

Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Chicago Urban League Greet Students on First Day of School
WHO: Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Shari E. Runner, Sr. Vice President for Strategy and Community Development, Chicago Urban League WHAT: BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY/MEDIA AVAILABLITY WHERE/WHEN: Monday, August 8, 2011 at 7:00 AM Walter H. Dyett High School 555 East 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60615 Monday, August 8, 2011 at 8:30 AM Elihu Yale Elementary School 7025 South Princeton Ave., Chicago, IL 60621 WHY: The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Chicago Urban League are partnering this year to greet students and parents on their first day of school at Walter H. Dyett High School and Elihu Yale Elementary School. The organizations will promote the message of parental involvement and school attendance as well as encourage parents and students to take a pledge of academic excellence. Parents are a childrens first teacher, said Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. This year we are taking a particular focus on engaging parents and encouraging them to take an active role in their childs academic success. A quality education requires adequate funding, dedicated principals and teachers, and students and parents who are fully committed to learning, said Shari E. Runner, Sr. Vice President for Strategy and Community Development at the Chicago Urban League. We want to empower parents and students to make every school day a critical day of learning. The future success of our community depends on everyone playing their part in educating our children. (more)

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On Monday, August 8, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition will launch their Seven Point Parent Pledge initiative with the goal of having 50,000 parents sign the pledge nationwide by December 31, 2011. The parent pledge states, I will: 1. Take my child to school 2. Meet my childs teacher 3. Exchange phone numbers with my childs teacher 4. Turn off the TV three hours a night so my child may study 5. Pick up my childs report card each grading period 6. Take my child to church, temple or synagogue 7. Fight for equal adequate funding for public education Students will also be expected to sign a similar agreement. The student pledge states, I will: 1. Attend school daily and strive for excellence in all that I do 2. Respect the authority of my parents and teachers 3. Study three hours each night without interruptions from anything and anyone 4. Read each day 5. Complete all classroom and homework assignments Decades of research has shown that when parents are involved, children have better grades, tests scores, graduation rates, increased motivation, better self-esteem, fewer instances of violent behavior and increased high school graduation rates.
About the Rainbow PUSH Coalition The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization devoted to protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. To learn more, please visit www.rainbowpush.org or call (773) 373-3366. To arrange an interview with Rev. Jackson, please call the numbers listed above. About the Chicago Urban League Established in 1916, the Chicago Urban League works for economic, educational and social progress for African Americans and promotes strong sustainable communities through progressive advocacy, effective collaboration and innovative programming. For more information, visit www.thechicagourbanleague.org.

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