New Look. Same Bold Mission. Lorem Ipsum · NCR is excited to announce that we have hired Kent Day...
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Lorem Ipsum New Look. Same Bold Mission. Issue #2 | Winter 2013 nereform.org By Oxide Design Co. At Oxide Design Co., we select one pro bono client each year. It’s a careful process for us. We want to give our time toward something we believe in and which needs our help. Nebraskans for Civic Reform has a mission much in line with our own. This organization advocates for a fair and equitable democracy — something near and dear to us. It provides civic education for youth and the community, training for veterans in job-readiness training, and advocacy for fair and accessible voting. It’s an organization we want to be more involved with, and to which we believe we can bring real value. Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the new logo is that it looks like a seal. This is an intentional allusion to our Nebraskan state seal — the blue color and the simplified line work of the rope outline are a modern take on the state seal. The seal is a symbol in which all Nebraskans can take pride, celebrating the fact that — politics aside — we’re all Nebraskans. The honey bee is Nebraska’s official state insect. We found that bee societies are often mistaken as a monarchy — or even a dictatorship. But it turns out that the so-called “queen” bee is not the deciding member. Every bee is equal. This insect society is actually a great example of democracy. The book Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley goes into great depth on this concept, including how a bee colony will select its new home. (A process outlined with clever graphics in an NPR article, aptly titled “Why Honey Bees Are Better Politicians Than Humans.”) Honey bees, Seeley explains, use “collective intelligence.” In the end, each bee has a voice. And then this incredible thing happens: They’ll go along with whichever site is chosen by the collective. Because the collective will choose the best site. Honey bees, it seems, have a perfect democracy. The honey bee in the new Nebraskans for Civic Reform seal looks upwards toward a star shape — an aspirational nod toward the ideal democracy. In total, the visual elements capture everything at the at the heart of Nebraskans for Civic Reform’s work: everyone having equal voice, each an active community member, all working together to find the best solution for the whole of Nebraska. 2012 - 2013 Program Highlights • Hired our first full-time director of Civic Engagement Programs to spearhead our youth engagement programs in Lincoln and Omaha. • Brought into compliance 11 state offices across Nebraska with the National Voter Registration Act of 1992. The NVRA requires certain agencies that provide public assistance to give voter registration information and assistance to their clients. • Established our youth leadership and engagement programs the Civic Action Project in 40 classrooms in Lincoln Public Schools and two after school programs in Omaha Public Schools, reaching approximately 1,100 youth statewide. • Opened an office in partnership with Bellevue University to provide veterans job readiness and community engagement programs to over 300 veterans. • Filed two successful voting rights claims under the Federal Help America Vote Act on behalf of low- income voters in Omaha and blind voters in Lincoln. • Created and operated a non- partisan election protection program that included 65 election observers and 15 attorneys in Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island. This program collected valuable data and led to a successful voting rights claim. • Created a comprehensive Nebraska specific veterans job training and transition guide and an employers human resources training program. NCR Hires First Ever Full-Time Director of Civic Engagement Programs By Adam Morfeld NCR is excited to announce that we have hired Kent Day as our first full- time director of Civic Engagement Programs. Kent was a social studies teacher for Omaha Public Schools for thirty years and a leader in creating and providing youth service-learning programs in the classroom. In addition to being an award winning teacher, he was also the program manager of Service Learning for Magnet Schools in Omaha Public Schools. Kent’s experience, energy, and enthusiasm for service and project based learning will prove critical to launching our Omaha youth engagement programs and ensuring the continued success of our Lincoln based programs. Kent can be reached at [email protected].
Transcript of New Look. Same Bold Mission. Lorem Ipsum · NCR is excited to announce that we have hired Kent Day...
Lorem Ipsum New Look. Same Bold Mission. Issue #2 | Winter 2013 nereform.org
By Oxide Design Co.
At Oxide Design Co., we select one pro bono client each year. It’s a careful process for us. We want to give our time toward something we believe in and which needs our help. Nebraskans for Civic Reform has a mission much in line with our own. This organization advocates for a fair and equitable democracy — something near and dear to us. It provides civic education for youth and the community, training for veterans in job-readiness training, and advocacy for fair and accessible voting. It’s an organization we want to be more involved with, and to which we believe we can bring real value.
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the new logo is that it looks like a seal. This is an intentional allusion to our Nebraskan state seal — the blue color and the simplified line work of the rope outline are a modern take on the state seal. The seal is a symbol in which all Nebraskans can take pride, celebrating the fact that — politics aside — we’re all Nebraskans.
The honey bee is Nebraska’s official state insect. We found that bee societies are often mistaken as a monarchy — or even a dictatorship. But it turns out that the so-called “queen” bee is not the deciding member. Every bee is equal.
This insect society is actually a great example of democracy. The book Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley goes into great depth on this concept, including how a bee colony will select its new home. (A process outlined with clever graphics in an NPR article, aptly titled “Why Honey Bees Are Better Politicians Than Humans.”) Honey bees, Seeley explains, use “collective intelligence.” In the end, each bee has a voice. And then this incredible thing happens: They’ll go along with whichever site is chosen by the collective. Because the collective will choose the best site. Honey bees, it seems, have a perfect democracy.
The honey bee in the new Nebraskans for Civic Reform seal looks upwards toward a star shape — an aspirational nod toward the ideal democracy. In total, the visual elements capture everything at the at the heart of Nebraskans for Civic Reform’s work: everyone having equal voice, each an active community member, all working together to find the best solution for the whole of Nebraska.
2012 - 2013 Program Highlights
• Hired our first full-time director of Civic Engagement Programs to spearhead our youth engagement programs in Lincoln and Omaha.
• Brought into compliance 11 state offices across Nebraska with the National Voter Registration Act of 1992. The NVRA requires certain agencies that provide public assistance to give voter registration information and assistance to their clients.
• Established our youth leadership and engagement programs the Civic Action Project in 40 classrooms in Lincoln Public Schools and two after school programs in Omaha Public Schools, reaching approximately 1,100 youth statewide.
• Opened an office in partnership with Bellevue University to provide veterans job readiness and community engagement programs to over 300 veterans.
• Filed two successful voting rights claims under the Federal Help America Vote Act on behalf of low-income voters in Omaha and blind voters in Lincoln.
• Created and operated a non-partisan election protection program that included 65 election observers and 15 attorneys in Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island. This program collected valuable data and led to a successful voting rights claim.
• Created a comprehensive Nebraska specific veterans job training and transition guide and an employers human resources training program.
NCR Hires First Ever Full-Time Director of Civic Engagement Programs By Adam Morfeld
NCR is excited to announce that we have hired Kent Day as our first full-time director of Civic Engagement Programs. Kent was a social studies teacher for Omaha Public Schools for thirty years and a leader in creating and providing youth service-learning programs in the classroom. In addition to being an award winning teacher, he was also the program manager of Service Learning for Magnet Schools in Omaha Public Schools.
Kent’s experience, energy, and enthusiasm for service and project based learning will prove critical to launching our Omaha youth engagement programs and ensuring the continued success of our Lincoln based programs. Kent can be reached at [email protected].
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Staff
Linsey Camplin, J.D. – Chair David Solheim, J.D. – Vice Chair Timothy Hruza, J.D. – Secretary Amanda Crook – Treasurer Omaid Zabih, J.D. Laine Norton Matt Scahefer, J.D.
Adam Morfeld, J.D.
Executive Director & Founder
Kent Day, MA
Director of Civic Engagement Programs
Chelsea Johnson
AmeriCorps Director of Lincoln Programs
Cliff McEvoy, MPA & Mark Eshelman
VLC Job Readiness and Training Managers
Sara Tangdall, MA & Tianna Robinson
VLC Job Development Managers
Rachel Gehringer-Wiar & Grace Anderson
VLC Community Engagement Managers
Bri McLarty & Alexandra Bradley
Legal Clerks, Voting Rights Program
Shannon Linehan & Michelle Ibarra
After School Program Providers
Board of Directors
Board of Advisors
Milo Mumgaard, J.D.
Becky Gould, J.D.
Beth Riley
Drew Davies
Jan Gradwohl
Eric Berger, J.D.
Mike Battershell
Dr. Patrick Jones
Dr. Scott Eastman
Nebraska Veteran Leader Corps Launches
Three New Programs NCR works to engage community leaders with youth, and subsequently engage youth in the community to create young community stakeholders who possess critical thinking and civil discourse skills. In Lincoln Public Schools, we provide community leadership in the form of civic engagement mentors who enter the classrooms and work directly with the students on substantive service learning projects. NCR provides financial and logistical support for these project-learning opportunities that create young stakeholders who are more connected to their communities. Our primary program takes place in 9th grade civics classrooms in Lincoln Public Schools. We are currently reaching approximately 400 students a semester in six high schools. One example of our program at work is taking place in Lincoln North Star, where one of our civic engagement mentors is working with his students to make care packages for veterans and leading his students through the process of seeking donations and making contacts with community leaders and local businesses. We hope to have a presence in five Lincoln CLCs (after school programs) in 2014. With the hire of a new full-time director of Civic Engagement Programs we will begin launching our programs in Omaha Public Schools. Currently, we have two program providers running Get Engaged! after school clubs that focus on youth leadership through student generated service learning projects that address issues they identify in their community. Finally, NCR has reached out to four teachers (teaching in Johnson-Brock, Auburn, and Nebraska City) in Southeast Nebraska in order to pilot a Civic Engagement Program in rural schools. We will work with these four teachers in 2014 to develop a rural program that will meet the specific needs of schools in rural Nebraska. Ultimately, the Civic Action Project will reach students across the state.
Issue #2 | Winter 2013 nereform.org
Youth Community Engagement and Service Learning Programs Expanding Rapidly
In April, NCR partnered with the Lutheran Family Services At Ease program to bring the national Points of Light Foundation’s Veteran Leader Corps (VLC) to Nebraska by hiring three full time AmeriCorps members. VLC ensures veterans have a smooth transition from military to civilian life by creating job readiness, job development, and community engagement programs.
Job readiness helps veterans translate military skills for civilian careers and provides resume and job interview strategies tailored to veterans. In our first six months, VLC has helped over one hundred veterans with their resumes. Perhaps one of VLC’s biggest achievements has been the completion of a Nebraska-specific job search manual and resource guide for returning veterans. VLC will host the first ever Nebraska Veteran Employer Training (VET) Initiative in December, which educates employers about the military to civilian lifestyle transition as well as the benefits of hiring veterans. Additionally, VLC helped some organizations hire veterans by hosting community networking events. Finally, community engagement provides opportunities for veterans to volunteer in their communities and seeks to engage the broader community on issues facing veterans. Two examples are the Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Day build, which engaged over fifty veterans, and a Film Streams Showing of Lioness which educated the public on issues facing female combat veterans. After a successful start to the program, and with the hiring of three new AmeriCorps members this November, VLC will continue to connect the community with opportunity over the next year!
NCR is a member of the Community Services Fund, a work place giving federation. Please
consider designating a gift at communityservicesfund.org
