The Schools Within the Context of Community program is a unique approach to teacher education that has now received 10 national awards for innovation in educator preparation. Students in this award-winning program are immersed in one of Muncie's most historic African-American neighborhoods where they participate in community mobilization efforts alongside community mentors who impart the strengths and values of the children and families with whom candidates work during their practicum placement. This semester-long experience informs Ball State students’ development as culturally responsive, equity-focused, socially-just future teachers. The Schools Within the Context of Community program broadens the definition of teacher educator beyond university faculty to include school administrators, local pastors, service providers, community elders, members of the local community council, and parents within the community.
Over the last 10 years, one of the program’s areas of focus has been on ensuring neighborhood children’s access to literature that is culturally affirming and sustaining. We have developed free little libraries, hosted multicultural book fairs, and redesigned classroom libraries to be sure that all children can see themselves in the books they read, as well as have access to stories that represent the diversity of the world around them. Research suggests that children’s motivation to read is greater when there are characters and stories to which they can easily relate. There is additional research to suggest that the presence of books in children’s homes can be correlated with children’s academic success.
A donation to the Schools Within the Context of Community program would ensure children’s continued access to books that are culturally responsive and affirming. Data collected over the last nine years indicate significant increases in children’s grade-level reading among children in the school in which we are privileged to work.
With grade level reading as a predictor of high school graduation and participation in post-secondary study, we continue our commitment to neighborhood literacy, and thank you in advance for considering a contribution!
Rank | Prize | Department | Gifts |
---|---|---|---|
1 | $6,000 | Theatre & Dance | 747 |
2 | $3,000 | Athletics | 623 |
3 | $1,500 | Ball State's Greatest Needs | 168 |
4 | Greek Life | 119 | |
5 | Student Scholarships | 88 | |
6 | Center for Information & Communication Sciences | 88 | |
7 | College of Communication, Information, and Media | 87 | |
8 | Pride of Mid-America Marching Band | 85 | |
9 | College of Fine Arts | 85 | |
10 | Miller College of Business | 83 | |
11 | College of Architecture & Planning | 74 | |
12 | Communication Studies | 68 | |
13 | Teachers College | 67 | |
14 | Student Life | 64 | |
15 | Telecommunications | 62 | |
16 | Journalism | 60 | |
17 | University Police Department | 55 | |
18 | Architecture | 47 | |
19 | Honors College | 47 | |
20 | Student Affairs | 47 | |
21 | School of Kinesiology | 45 | |
22 | Alumni Association | 45 | |
23 | School of Music | 45 | |
24 | English | 42 | |
25 | Army ROTC | 42 | |
26 | Political Science | 39 | |
27 | Social Work | 36 | |
28 | Chemistry | 35 | |
29 | Philosophy & Religious Studies | 33 | |
30 | College of Sciences & Humanities | 32 | |
31 | Counseling Psychology | Social Psych & Counseling | 31 | |
32 | Miller Business Honors Program | 30 | |
33 | Accounting | 28 | |
34 | Urban Planning | 28 | |
35 | College of Health | 27 | |
36 | Counseling Center | 25 | |
37 | Disability Services | 25 | |
38 | School of Nursing | 24 | |
39 | Cardinal Kitchen | 24 | |
40 | Elementary Education | 22 | |
41 | University Libraries | 21 | |
42 | Criminal Justice & Criminology | 21 | |
43 | Ball State Student Media | 21 | |
44 | Emens Auditorium | 18 | |
45 | Burris Laboratory School | 18 | |
46 | David Owsley Museum of Art | 17 | |
47 | Women of the Ball Family Fund | 17 | |
48 | Rinard Orchid Greenhouse | 17 | |
49 | Rinker Center for International Programs | 16 | |
50 | Mathematical Sciences | 14 | |
51 | Construction Management | 14 | |
52 | Biology | 14 | |
53 | Sociology | 14 | |
54 | History | 13 | |
55 | Black Student Association | 13 | |
56 | Management | 13 | |
57 | Spectrum | 13 | |
58 | Charles W. Brown Planetarium/Physics & Astronomy | 12 | |
59 | University Singers | 12 | |
60 | Geography | 12 | |
61 | Speech Pathology & Audiology | 12 | |
62 | Bowen Center for Public Affairs | 11 | |
63 | Psychological Science | 11 | |
64 | Modern Languages & Classics | 11 | |
65 | Special Education | 11 | |
66 | Landscape Architecture | 11 | |
67 | Sports Link | 11 | |
68 | Schools Within the Context of Community | 11 | |
69 | Entrepreneurship Center | 10 | |
70 | Career Center | 10 | |
71 | Natural Resources & Environmental Management | 9 | |
72 | Computer Science | 9 | |
73 | Black Alumni Constituent Society | 8 | |
74 | Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies | 8 | |
75 | Indiana Academy | 8 | |
76 | Educational Leadership | 8 | |
77 | MBA | Master of Business Administration | 7 | |
78 | Finance & Insurance | 7 | |
79 | Anthropology | 7 | |
80 | Department of Marketing | CADMA | 5 | |
81 | School of Art | 5 | |
82 | Student Voluntary Services | 5 | |
83 | Nutrition & Health Science | 4 | |
84 | NESTT Learning Labs | 4 | |
85 | Women's & Gender Studies | 4 | |
86 | Educational Psychology & D.E.S.K. | 4 | |
87 | Parents Fund | 3 | |
88 | Graduate School | 2 | |
89 | Economics | 2 | |
90 | Logistics & Supply Chain Management Center | 2 | |
91 | ISOM | 2 | |
92 | Geological Sciences | 1 | |
93 | Beta Phi Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority | 1 |
Rank | Campus unit/fund | Raised |
---|---|---|
1 | Athletics | $66,023.77 |
2 | Theatre & Dance | $19,328.27 |
3 | Ball State's Greatest Needs | $16,322.32 |
4 | Charles W. Brown Planetarium/Physics & Astronomy | $11,680.00 |
5 | Teachers College | $10,963.32 |
6 | Student Scholarships | $9,287.39 |
7 | Miller College of Business | $8,297.52 |
8 | School of Nursing | $6,845.90 |
9 | Center for Information & Communication Sciences | $6,449.34 |
10 | Architecture | $5,721.72 |
11 | Telecommunications | $5,445.16 |
12 | Accounting | $5,351.18 |
13 | College of Architecture & Planning | $5,000.16 |
14 | Communication Studies | $4,181.06 |
15 | Journalism | $4,177.82 |
16 | Pride of Mid-America Marching Band | $4,150.56 |
17 | Mathematical Sciences | $4,122.54 |
18 | Greek Life | $3,756.04 |
19 | College of Communication, Information, and Media | $3,651.18 |
20 | Chemistry | $3,180.54 |
21 | David Owsley Museum of Art | $3,121.72 |
22 | College of Health | $3,025.53 |
23 | School of Kinesiology | $3,007.08 |
24 | College of Fine Arts | $2,916.20 |
25 | Entrepreneurship Center | $2,835.00 |
26 | Social Work | $2,736.80 |
27 | Honors College | $2,565.62 |
28 | Bowen Center for Public Affairs | $2,426.72 |
29 | College of Sciences & Humanities | $2,404.26 |
30 | Student Life | $2,368.62 |
31 | English | $2,306.80 |
32 | Army ROTC | $2,140.16 |
33 | Urban Planning | $2,108.44 |
34 | Miller Business Honors Program | $2,102.54 |
35 | Counseling Psychology | Social Psych & Counseling | $2,063.08 |
36 | Student Affairs | $1,995.44 |
37 | Emens Auditorium | $1,851.91 |
38 | Cardinal Kitchen | $1,830.08 |
39 | Elementary Education | $1,758.36 |
40 | Construction Management | $1,745.00 |
41 | University Police Department | $1,699.90 |
42 | Alumni Association | $1,679.35 |
43 | History | $1,625.54 |
44 | Women of the Ball Family Fund | $1,620.90 |
45 | School of Music | $1,585.08 |
46 | University Singers | $1,558.54 |
47 | Political Science | $1,330.90 |
48 | Counseling Center | $1,056.72 |
49 | University Libraries | $999.80 |
50 | Black Student Association | $990.00 |
51 | Rinard Orchid Greenhouse | $981.56 |
52 | Biology | $958.72 |
53 | Management | $907.54 |
54 | Black Alumni Constituent Society | $857.58 |
55 | Criminal Justice & Criminology | $836.72 |
56 | Geography | $833.36 |
57 | Sociology | $830.90 |
58 | Disability Services | $809.98 |
59 | Rinker Center for International Programs | $800.90 |
60 | Philosophy & Religious Studies | $710.90 |
61 | Psychological Science | $682.54 |
62 | Modern Languages & Classics | $667.54 |
63 | Burris Laboratory School | $651.72 |
64 | Ball State Student Media | $539.45 |
65 | Early Childhood, Youth, and Family Studies | $533.36 |
66 | Special Education | $527.54 |
67 | Landscape Architecture | $497.65 |
68 | Speech Pathology & Audiology | $490.00 |
69 | Sports Link | $482.54 |
70 | Indiana Academy | $475.00 |
71 | Natural Resources & Environmental Management | $462.54 |
72 | Educational Leadership | $457.54 |
73 | Spectrum | $403.36 |
74 | Schools Within the Context of Community | $351.72 |
75 | Computer Science | $344.18 |
76 | MBA | Master of Business Administration | $327.54 |
77 | Finance & Insurance | $269.18 |
78 | Career Center | $258.36 |
79 | Nutrition & Health Science | $200.00 |
80 | Graduate School | $200.00 |
81 | NESTT Learning Labs | $188.36 |
82 | Department of Marketing | CADMA | $174.18 |
83 | Anthropology | $170.00 |
84 | Women's & Gender Studies | $138.36 |
85 | Parents Fund | $138.36 |
86 | Educational Psychology & D.E.S.K. | $124.18 |
87 | School of Art | $120.00 |
88 | Economics | $119.18 |
89 | Student Voluntary Services | $103.36 |
90 | Logistics & Supply Chain Management Center | $69.18 |
91 | Geological Sciences | $50.00 |
92 | ISOM | $38.36 |
93 | Beta Phi Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority | $19.18 |