Community Engagement

Volunteers at Mason Korea share their time and talents in community beautification project

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:11:51 +0000

Volunteers at Mason Korea share their time and talents in community beautification project Lauren Reuscher Thu, 01/09/2025 - 09:11

Mason Korea recently joined forces with General Motors (GM) Korea to revitalize a youth home in Incheon's Bupyeong area through a collaborative beautification project. The activity was organized by Mason Cares, which focuses on community engagement around ��AV’s Incheon campus, and Mason Korea’s Office of Development and Strategic Partnership.

Volunteers from Mason Korea painted a mural designed by students and staff. Photo by Mason Korea.

Student, faculty, and staff volunteers, including Mason Korea Campus Dean Joshua Park, worked diligently to bring a mural concept to life. The mural was designed by Mason Korea students and staff, and the volunteer artists received on-site support from the GM Korea team.

Photo by Mason Korea

“I was excited to participate in this project, because I have experience working in mural design from a similar volunteer project at the Smithsonian,” said Victoria Gehring, a sophomore business major.

This marks the second consecutive year of partnership between Mason Korea and GM Korea's mural painting project, underscoring a shared commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.

Photo by Mason Korea

Among the volunteers were four international students and eight participants from the MK Way program, Mason Korea’s conditional admission program offering intensive English instruction for students.

Photo by Mason Korea

Hyewon Lee, a freshman global affairs major, was grateful for the service opportunity. “I try to volunteer often, but it is sometimes difficult to find opportunities,” said Lee. “I was really happy to see this unique painting project organized by our school.”

Photo by Mason Korea

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Graduating Schar student raises the bar with her professional experiences

Shayla Brown — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:59:20 +0000

Graduating Schar student raises the bar with her professional experiences Shayla Brown Mon, 12/16/2024 - 09:59

When Daksha Magesh came to ��AV as a freshman in 2021, she already had an impressive resumé.

“My first experience with government came from when I was working on senate campaigns in high school. I knocked on doors, answered phones, worked on advertisements and expenditure tracking. It made me really curious about what it was like to be in government,” said Magesh, a government and international politics major and government analytics minor.

The Honors College student was working for federal prosecutor Manka Dhingra of the 45th District from her hometown of Seattle, Washington. Magesh says that’s where her interest in law comes from.

“I figured that if I’m going to be a lawyer, I might as well know how the government really works, so that's part of the reason why I chose this major for my future,” she said.

Since then, she has also worked for the Washington Senate Democratic Campaign and legal nonprofits, such as the Seattle Clemency Project.

“I was working with people who were sentenced at a young age and have been in jail for a really long time. We were helping them to get clemency and rehabilitation for early releases because they've served 25 plus year sentences,” said Magesh. “They are now 50 to 60 years old and have served their sentences. It’s really time they come out and be productive members of society.”

Magesh has also worked for the South Asian Bar Association, a collective of all the major South Asian lawyers in the country.

“I'm really grateful for all the people that I worked with while I was there. They were all very welcoming and it was the first time that I got to work with people that were of the same identity as me,” said Magesh.

“I love all of these experiences, but walking into a room and having everyone look like me in my field is incredibly rare. It was so cool,” said Magesh.

Magesh also worked with Schar associate professor Jennifer Victor on her Undergraduate Research Assistant Program team doing congressional caucus literature review as research for Victor’s new book.

Magesh worked with Victor again as a teaching assistant for her GOVT 103: Introduction to American Government course. “I taught recitations every Friday and my class was amazing. I tried to make recitations fun with a game or interactive experience, and I got really good feedback at the end of the year. It was a great experience,” said Magesh.

Daksha Magesh. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

What’s your best memory at George Mason?

George Mason movie nights are my go-to. My friends and I just get a bunch of snacks, cuddle up on the couch, and watch something fun. I also love Mason Day. My resident advisor and close friend Kennedi took me to my first one. The weather was perfect and I remember thinking ‘oh my God, there’s a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster.’ We had such a great time.

How have you grown at George Mason?

I really came out of my shell. I'm such an introvert and I was so scared because George Mason was very intimidating, and it was hard for me to make friends at first. But I've really impressed myself with the way that I was able to connect to new people. I’m also a Schar School Liaison and secretary of the Honors Recruitment Team, so connecting with people is one of the biggest things that you have to learn and that skill is definitely something I learned from my time at George Mason.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

The biggest thing is time management. Organize your time by keeping a calendar or a planner and writing down your assignments. Also networking and meeting people. Don’t be afraid to go up and introduce yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or cold emailing. I’ve gotten two of my biggest internships through cold emailing. And another, with the [Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia] that I got through networking. Make sure you’re talking to people, whether that's professors or professionals, in your field.

What’s next for you?

I hope to pursue my legal career further. I'll definitely apply to law school in the future and be studying for the LSAT. I want to explore options on the East Coast, as I've really grown to love it. Ideally, I want to be able to work in a firm. It has always been my dream to be a lawyer and I will definitely achieve that.

Start your own academic journey at George Mason

In This Story

Jennifer N. Victor

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Schar School News for December 2024

Schar School Student Spotlight

Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things

Shayla Brown — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:12:28 +0000

Mason Community Arts Academy is doing big things Shayla Brown Tue, 11/26/2024 - 14:12

��AV’s Mason Community Arts Academy (MCAA) has been named one of the Best Summer Camps by Northern Virginia Magazine every year since 2021.

This summer, the program broke multiple records including the number of student participants at just under 1,900. The Acting for Young People (AFYP) program also broke its attendance record with 950 students.

MCAA, part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), includes summer camps, programs, and workshops that teach local children aged 4-18 in acting and theater, film and video, music, and visual art.

MCAA Children's Choir session. Photo by Matthew Geske.

“We have really honed in on our recruitment process,” said Regina Schneider, MCAA’s marketing and communications coordinator.

The summer program has also grown in its number of staff members. MCAA employees include industry professionals, George Mason alumni and students of all levels, and summer interns, including high school students.

This summer, 42 out of 90 intern applicants were hired, many of which were local high school students, George Mason undergraduate and graduate students, and as well as graduate students from across the country.

MCAA also acts as a major pathway to George Mason for students who often begin the program in elementary school. Some of them go on to become interns and eventually students in CVPA degree programs, said Mary Lechter, executive director of MCAA and professor in the School of Theater.

One of these students is Kaya Thomas, a freshman theater major with a concentration in musical theater. Thomas joined AFYP when she was in seventh grade and participated in the weekend showcase program.

“AFYP guaranteed that I would have something to do in terms of performing. You still go through the audition process, but you’re guaranteed to get in, which was really helpful for my confidence,” said Thomas.

MCAA faculty, staff, and students on the Roger Wilkins Plaza. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Thomas now works for MCAA as an assistant choreographer teacher with the same program.

Thomas’ experience with the program was huge factor in her decision to attend to George Mason, she said.

“I'm teaching with the people who taught me when I was in middle school and I am getting to work with these kids that aren't super strong dancers yet and watch them grow too,” she said. “I was already connected with people who I had so much in common with and knew so much about these programs. There were also lots of opportunities for growth.”

Next semester, Thomas will be taking on a new role and teaching students in MCAA after school classes.

“I truly believe that you can't start early enough to create that pipeline for students to connect [to our] programs,” said William Lake Jr., director of concert bands and the Dewberry School of Music, who approached Lechter with the idea of starting a summer band camp at George Mason. It started in 2023 and runs for one week every summer.

Students have the option of staying on campus overnight and experiencing what college life is like.

“They’re staying in the dorms, eating the campus food. They have to get themselves up in the morning and practice college routines, which also reduces barriers, and makes the experience less foreign a few years down the road,” said Lake.

“The camp includes a large ensemble experience and students participate in instrument specific master classes with our school of music faculty, which are often their future teachers,” he said.

Summer 2024 saw the debut of the Children’s Choir Camp, headed by Beth Anne Young, director of Kodály at George Mason, which aims to provide children with a comprehensive music education experience.

After three years of planning, the camp was done in conjunction with Side-by-Side, a new course for adult learners who are currently working in the field of music education, and is integrated with the Kodály Levels program, allowing graduate music education students to gain hands-on teaching experience while being mentored by the highly skilled Kodály faculty.

“My dream was to have a program with current teachers from our and other programs, and even alumni could work with the children enrolled in the Children's Choir Camp,” said Young.

Children participating in the MCAA programs. Photo by Beth Anne Young.

Graduate students with the Kodály option come to campus in July for three summers to complete their Kodály Levels in person. Each level includes study in the areas of pedagogy, musicianship, folk song materials and research, conducting/choral studies, choir and special topics, including a one-week Side-by-Side course, which is offered the week before Levels Courses begin.

Kodály at George Mason is fully endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators. The Kodály program also offers opportunities for international students, with participants attending from countries such as Ireland, China, and South Korea.

“The experience to work with children in real time and apply what they are learning about teaching in a Kodály-Inspired classroom is invaluable,” she said.

In This Story

Mary Lechter

Regina Schneider

Learn more about Camps and Youth Programs at George Mason

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Public history students highlight local Indigenous communities

Shayla Brown — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:19:53 +0000

Public history students highlight local Indigenous communities Shayla Brown Tue, 11/19/2024 - 16:19

��AV associate professor Gabrielle Tayac’s course, HIST 397 Public History in Action, looks at how indigenous communities interact with our student population through community-based engagement and projects.

“Like anywhere in the Americas, George Mason is indigenous land, but we’re trying to get a sense of the interplay between past and present,” said Tayac, who is a member of the Piscataway Indian Nation. “My goal is to get students ready for museum work, give them accessible history, and guide them to work really deeply with communities.”

Gabrielle Tayac and her students. Photo by James Wells.

Tayac and research partner the Center for Humanities Research (CHR) applied for and received an Access to Research and Inclusive Excellence (ARIE) grant for their project, “IndigenoUs Northern Virginia.”

This project, completed by students in the Spring 2024 course, is in the form of an exhibit titled “Offerings for Tauxenent: Acknowledging Indigenous Place” at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, another project partner through George Mason alum James Wells, BA History ’22.

Wells previously took this course with Tayac and reached out to inform her of an open space at Woodlawn, which he offered as a place for current students to look at what the indigenous reality is and what needs to be remembered, explained Tayac.

“Professor Tayac’s class was one of my first real exposures to Indigenous history and cultures. It was really eye-opening,” said Wells, who came to George Mason from Northern Virginia Community College through the ADVANCE Program and was a member of George Mason’s student organization Native American and Indigenous Alliance.

“This exhibit was the most crowded I’ve seen Woodlawn in the two years that I’ve worked here. The work the students did on this project made that possible and opened the door for us to interpret Indigenous histories at our site,” said Wells, a program assistant at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House, one of National Trust for Historic Preservation’s locations.

Meghana Bandaru (left) and Odessa Lamborn with their presentation. Photo by James Wells.

For the project, the students were divided into three teams, focusing on different Indigenous communities: the International Mayan League, Indigenous Andean, and a combination of local tribes including the Doeg, Intertribal urban community, Piscataway, and Rappahannock tribes.

The groups had to collect research, objects, and images to produce interactive art and media that accurately represent their assigned Indigenous communities.

History graduate student Odessa Lamborn worked on this project during their last semester as an undergraduate student at George Mason.

“The mission of the project is about bringing awareness to the Indigenous and First Nations people in the Washington, D.C., area,” said Lamborn. “It was a really phenomenal experience being able to collaborate with Indigenous people in the area and uplift their voices.”

Lamborn is now working alongside Wells as a historical interpreter at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House.

“This project gave me great insight into the behind the scenes of creating exhibits for the public, and it also influences my current work at Woodlawn with the tours I provide,” said Lamborn. “I make sure to point out where we have a John Smith map, detailing Indigenous culture [from before] colonization.”

Some of the students in Tayac’s course contributed their original art or personal objects to the exhibit as well.

“This whole project was basically what I want to do as my professional career once I graduate,” said senior and history major Sinead Monaghan.

“I’ve gotten to take a lot of classes with Professor Tayac, and I’m so grateful for all her guidance,” said Monaghan. “What we're doing goes beyond the classroom and makes a valuable impact in the world beyond. If it just touches one person or changes the way one person thinks, then it will have done its job.”

The exhibit is being brought to George Mason’s Fairfax Campus in 2025 through Mason Exhibitions and will open on April 15 as “Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place.”

Guests at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House for the exhibit. Photo by Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House.

Learn more about the Center for Humanities Research

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Gabrielle A. Tayac

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Fall for the Book brings authors to campus this month

Colleen Rich — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 18:14:55 +0000

Fall for the Book brings authors to campus this month Colleen Rich Thu, 10/10/2024 - 14:14

Fall for the Book, Northern Virginia’s oldest and largest festival of literature and the arts, kicks off its 26th season in the City of Fairfax on Saturday, Oct. 12, and runs through Oct. 18.

Fall for the Book panel in the Fenwick Library Reading Room. Photo provided

Global sensation Bonnie Garmus will discuss her breakout debut Lessons in Chemistry on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. in ��AV’s Center for the Arts. Closing the festival is Silvia Moreno-Garcia, author of bestsellers like Mexican Gothic, The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, and her newest title The Seventh Veil of Salome.

Other featured writers include this year’s Beck Environmental Lecture featuring Chelsea Henderson, author of Glacial: The Inside Story of Climate Politics, and the finalists for the New American Voices Award: Carrie Sun, author of Private Equity, Alex Espinoza, author of Sons of El Rey, and Shahnaz Habib, author of Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 12 in Old Town Hall, right in the heart of the City of Fairfax’s Fall Festival, there are interactive events for kids on the ground level with Pat Tanumihardja, Debra Shumaker, John Gallagher, and Jamar Nicholas. Upstairs are events perfect for book clubs, including the panel “Murder in the Jazz Age, Twisted Tales, and Devilish Obsessions,” featuring Ananda Lima and George Mason alumna Constance Sayers.

From Oct. 15-18, events will take place on George Mason’s Fairfax Campus, at local Fairfax County Public Library branches, at the Sherwood Center in Fairfax.

On Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 4:30 p.m., four George Mason alumni will read from their work in the Fenwick Library Reading Room: John Copenhaver, author of Hall of Mirrors; Sean Murphy, author of This Kind of Man; Noley Reid, author of Origami Dogs; and K.E. Semmel, author of The Book of Losman. Copenhaver’s novel investigates the mysterious death of a popular novelist in McCarthy-era Washington, D.C. Murphy’s story collection investigates masculinity in 21st-century America. Reid’s story collection celebrates the connection between humans and their dog companions. Semmel’s novel interrogates how far a lonely man will go to feel complete.

All events are free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of sponsors including George Mason, Fairfax County Public Library, the Fairfax Library Foundation, the City of Fairfax, and the National Endowment for the Arts. However, headline and virtual events require free tickets, which you can reserve on Eventbrite.

See the full schedule for Fall for the Book

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Fall for the Book

Community Engagement

Movers and Shakers offers students lessons beyond the classroom

Colleen Rich — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 17:06:12 +0000

Movers and Shakers offers students lessons beyond the classroom Colleen Rich Tue, 10/08/2024 - 13:06

With the start of the fall semester comes the much-anticipated Movers and Shakers Mixer, the annual networking event connecting ��AV students with influential business, community, and government executives at Mason Square in Arlington.

The Movers and Shakers Mixer connects George Mason students with Arlington community members. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Graduate students, like Paul Davis Jr., recognize their educational experience extends beyond the classroom. Davis, the policy director for Fairfax County Board Supervisor Walter Alcorn, is pursuing a master of public administration from the Schar School of Policy and Government.

“When I enrolled in graduate school, I knew I needed to shift my approach to networking from what I did as an undergrad,” he said. “Beyond just making connections, graduate school has shown me the importance of seizing opportunities as they arise. The Schar School has been incredible in providing opportunities, like Movers and Shakers, that’s enriching my education.”

Yanika Khumphaiphuan and Titilayo Owoyemi are pursuing the U.S. Law LLM degree at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School. The aspiring attorneys were excited to meet new connections.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Owoyemi met a financial services professional from Northwestern Mutual who shared industry insights and career advancement advice. “I found it incredibly valuable to hear from professionals outside of the legal field and learn more about effective networking,” Owoyemi said.

In addition to networking with business and community leaders, students tapped into the George Mason ecosystem. Khumphaiphuan connected with students and faculty from other academic programs.

Similarly, Bethsaida Gizaw, a senior undergraduate studying global affairs with a concentration in Global Governance, connected with Scalia Law School students and faculty and professionals in her field. “As a future attorney, forming meaningful relationships and learning about diverse perspectives are important,” said Gizaw, who said she looks forward to other similar events.

Five attendees also won a raffle for one-on-one networking lunches with Arlington leaders.

Susan Cunningham, Arlington County Board member, was among the business, community, and government leaders at the event.

“I enjoyed supporting and connecting with young people,” Cunningham said. “The students are amazing! They’re so ambitious and forward-thinking. It was a great opportunity to celebrate George Mason’s role in the Arlington Community.”

Cunningham advises students to take advantage of their unique position. “Stay curious, ask questions, and enjoy the adventure of learning,” she said.

Fuse at Mason Square, a 345,000-square-foot building designed with collaborative spaces and emerging-tech labs and offices for business, research scholarship, and community engagement, announced its first commercial tech tenant, Cybastion, and will house George Mason students and employees starting in fall 2025.

Learn more about Mason Square

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Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music

Tionge Johnson — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:42:25 +0000

Giving Voice to Contemporary Mexican Music Tionge Johnson Wed, 09/11/2024 - 16:42

The GRAMMY Award-winning Villalobos Brothers (10/26) are redefining contemporary Mexican music, while delivering positive messages of brotherhood, equity, and love.

The Villalobos Brothers

Drawing on their classical training from prestigious institutions nationwide, this lively trio of virtuoso fiddlers, singers, and songwriters blends Mexican folk music with Latin, jazz, rock, and classical, creating a fun-loving and cheerfully expressive sound that has delighted audiences across the United States and around the world.

As one of our Artists-in-Residence this season, the group will also offer opportunities for learning and workshops in our community.

Hailing from Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, the brothers followed parallel but geographically disparate paths, studying classical music at the Manhattan School of Music, the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, and the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany. They reunited in the early 2000s to play together, with a focus on original music.

“We all have this desire to find our voices, and to say something that is unique, and that is us," said Luis Villalobos, the youngest brother.

With a growing catalog of music that includes two full-length albums; notable performances at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center; and collaborations with legends like Dolly Parton and the Chieftans, the brothers are well on their way to making their unique voices heard around the world.

Their residency activities at the Hylton Center will include:

A lecture/demonstration class at the Lifelong Learning Institute, Manassas
A family Día de los Muertos mask-making class at Manassas Park Library
Masterclasses with the Colgan High School orchestra and music technology students
Elementary school performance visits in Prince William County
High school orchestra masterclasses

All of these exciting community activities culminate in a powerhouse performance by the Villalobos Brothers at the Hylton Center on Saturday, October 26, at 8 p.m. Purchase your tickets to this trio of violin virtuosos today!

Video shown below: the Villalobos Brothers, Alberto (Beto), Ernesto (Ness), and Luis (Wess) perform their GRAMMY-winning work "El Pijul," accompanied by the Yakima Symphony conducted by Maestro Lawrence Golan.

Learn More About the Artist-in-Residence Program

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Mason Korea hosts Global Career Camp for Incheon middle schoolers

Colleen Rich — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:58:56 +0000

Mason Korea hosts Global Career Camp for Incheon middle schoolers Colleen Rich Wed, 08/07/2024 - 10:58

Mason Korea, in partnership with the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education and the GM Employee Foundation Korea, hosted the inaugural Global Career Camp earlier this month.

Photo provided

Approximately 30 middle school students from Incheon, including multicultural and rural students, participated in the two-day camp. The program offered academic mentorship, professional lectures, and company tours, to inspire and guide students in exploring potential career paths.

As part of Mason Korea’s commitment to community engagement, university students served as mentors, sharing their experiences and leading group discussions.

One camp participant said, "I don't usually get the chance to do hands-on activities related to careers, so it was great to receive a lot of information about careers that I could consider."

"It was fun to meet and interact with so many younger students in Incheon," said Jiseon Kim, a junior business major who served as a camp mentor. "This experience also provided an opportunity for Mason Korea students serving as mentors, including myself, to grow through the mentoring process."

“I am thrilled to see future global leaders collaborating to grow together,” said Mason Korea Interim Campus Dean Shannon Davis. “This partnership between Incheon's leading educational institutions and corporations highlights our commitment to nurturing global talent. We will continue to invest in youth education, address community issues, and develop individuals who are eager to make a positive impact,” she added.

To recognize the 10th anniversary of Mason Korea, President Gregory Washington is joined by former campus dean Robert Matz and associate professor Gyu Tag Lee on the Access to Excellence Podcast.

Listen to the episode

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George Mason launches literacy project to support Virginia families

Colleen Rich — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:01:30 +0000

George Mason launches literacy project to support Virginia families Colleen Rich Mon, 07/22/2024 - 14:01

A statewide literacy project designed to counteract the educational impacts of the pandemic is now in full swing, thanks to the efforts of educators in ��AV’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).

Allison Ward Parsons. Photo by Office of University Branding

Called the Literacy Engagement Action Project (LEAP) and designed to build literacy skills in K-12 students with a scalable, comprehensive program for teachers, students, and their families, the program is run by the Elizabeth G. Sturtevant, PhD, Center for Literacy at George Mason with center director Allison Ward Parsons serving as the principal investigator.

Funding for this project through a U.S. Department of Education grant was made possible by the efforts of Virginia Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, who secured a $1.83 million designated spending provision as part of the Fiscal Year 2022 federal government appropriations bill.

The LEAP project addresses the needs of families, children, and teachers resulting from the negative impacts that the pandemic has had on K-12 learners, particularly those from marginalized or economically disadvantaged populations. “The project overall is geared toward post-COVID support, recognizing that many families know that their students need additional help,” said Ward Parsons, an associate professor of the literacy program in CEHD’s School of Education.

The need for this support is reflected in testing data collected by the state. Ward Parsons and her team members analyzed reading test scores compiled by the Virginia Department of Education and found significant gaps between students of wealthier backgrounds compared with those from economically disadvantaged communities, English language learners, and students from Black and Hispanic populations.

The main components of the LEAP project include:

Community outreach and support where families are provided with free access to books and other literacy resources that include workshops, podcasts, read-aloud events at public libraries, and other venues;
A website, leap.cehd.gmu.edu, developed by the Sturtevant Center for Literacy, that is accessible on its own as a stand-alone site as well as through the main Literacy Center home page (the LEAP website provides tools such as video modules offered in English and Spanish that explore different topics in literacy, activity links supporting various aspects of literacy development across grade levels, and interactive reading guides for literary genres that include comprehension tips applicable to specific age groups);
Tutoring of K-12 learners given by George Mason students who must successfully complete a series of LEAP training modules and pass required background checks conducted by partnering schools (once approved, tutors are provided with lesson plans and tutoring support materials developed by the LEAP team and which are available on the Literacy Center’s website); and
Asynchronous online teacher professional learning modules (now under development), which include content that meets teacher needs assessment and enhances teacher engagement (once finalized, these materials will be housed on the LEAP website).

LEAP bookshelf at Fair Lakes Barnes and Noble. Photo provided

As part of the LEAP project, book bins are being installed in various locations throughout Northern Virginia stocked with a curated set of books available for sharing with students and families.

Ward Parsons explains that this LEAP feature is patterned after the “take a book, leave a book” free mini-library movement that has become popular in many neighborhoods in cities across the United States. However, she adds that there is one distinguishing feature that makes the book sharing component unique: Each book contains a QR code linking back to an interactive reading guide that is accessible on the LEAP website.

These reading guides, formatted as PDF documents, contain conversation prompts, questions, vocabulary support, and suggested discussion topics related to the characters and plot of the book that families and tutors can use when they are reading and talking about the books with children.

“We want to go beyond a passive read-aloud where the student just sits and listens as the book is being read to them,” Ward Parsons said. “We want children to be thinking about the text and to interact with the adult so that there is more opportunity for fluency and comprehension development in reading.”

She points out that the reading guides encourage families and children to read together and that this can help support literacy development in young learners.

The sites being chosen for the book bins are places where families bring their children in accessing needed services, such as medical clinics, food banks, and homeless shelters. Families can engage their children in an interactive read-aloud of the books provided at these locations. They can also sign up on the LEAP website to receive their own copies of the books with more book sharing support. Book bins are also being placed at schools which have partnered with LEAP to provide spaces where tutors can work with children who have been identified as needing additional help with reading comprehension and literacy.

The LEAP project has made significant gains in its book distribution endeavors over the past year. Some of the most recently installed book bins include: the installation of community book bins with reading guides at General Heiser Boys and Girls Club in Dumfries; a community book bin at Ivy Rehab for Kids in Falls Church that will be available to families in the waiting room and used by staff speech-language pathologists and therapists during speech therapy visits; and, a community book bin at Fort Belvoir to support military-connected families.

In addition to establishing the book bins, LEAP faculty and staff are collaborating with communities in Northern Virginia as they launch initiatives in support of children’s literacy. For example, in March and April this year, LEAP representatives organized four family workshops in the Georgetown South Community of Manassas, Virginia. These workshops were conducted in Spanish and included interactive read-alouds, as well as other activities designed to build vocabulary, background knowledge, and reading comprehension in children.

LEAP also hosted a two-week summer camp for elementary students in the Georgetown South community during which George Mason students provided daily literacy tutoring. The camp's theme centered on science and included experiments and other activities performed by the children who attended the camp which provided them with the opportunity to learn more about science while improving their reading comprehension skills.

Representatives of LEAP continued their work with members of the Georgetown South community with the introduction of a summer book club and lending library for students. In describing this initiative, Ward Parsons stated, “Our goal is to support summer reading and offer students opportunities to talk about their reading, get help as needed, and build a community of readers.”

Other LEAP projects include:

A bookshelf at Fair Lakes Barnes & Noble bookstore;
A family/student literacy workshop and summer STEM read-aloud that was held at the Fort Belvoir military base in Northern Virginia;
A series of three children’s events at the Fairfax City branch of the Fairfax County Public Libraries (following one of these events the library requested a full set of printed reading guides, which are now compiled and displayed in the children’s section for easy patron access);
A partnership with the Fair Lakes Barnes & Noble bookstore where the QR codes linking to the LEAP reading guides are posted throughout the children’s section so that a reader browsing the shelves will see the content developed by LEAP alongside the corresponding books;
A Back-to-School Book Fair to be held Aug. 17 at the Fair Lakes Barnes and Noble bookstore through which a portion of the proceeds from the sale of books will go to the Sturtevant Center for Literacy to purchase books that will be shared with community partners; and,
A back-to-school event sponsored by Micron and Barbershop Books.

Because the literacy resources and tutor training materials accessible on the LEAP website will continue to be maintained by the Sturtevant Center for Literacy beyond the life of the project, Ward Parsons and her team members are confident that this initiative will create a sustainable, practical model for literacy support in Virginia.

“These materials become a durable commodity, something that we can provide throughout Virginia and something that any school can use because it is all made available through federal funding that is specifically dedicated to the support of literacy,” said Ward Parsons.

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Registered dietitian students cook nutritious meals for local firefighters

Shayla Brown — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:31:36 +0000

Registered dietitian students cook nutritious meals for local firefighters Shayla Brown Wed, 04/10/2024 - 15:31

Students from ��AV’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies recently visited the men and women of Fairfax Fire Station 33. They taught the firefighters about responsible nutrition habits and cooked nutritious meals for them in the station’s kitchen.

Marcus Brick (left) and Mark Radish prepare a meal for local firefighters. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

The experience was part of the master of science in nutrition degree program with a dietetics concentration in the College of Public Health. The program is a pathway to becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist. The seven graduate students in the MS/RD program will be the first to graduate from this program in May.

“The meal preparation is 100 percent student led, and it has to be a completely original and healthy recipes suitable for the firefighters’ needs,” said Sapna Batheja, program director and an assistant professor of nutrition.

The students were split into three groups and prepped meals during three different shifts at the firehouse following the department’s ABC shift pattern, which covers a three-day cycle.

Master of nutrition students Marcus Brick and Mark Rudich worked on this project together, and their dish was a Green Chili Turkey Chili. Rudich had previously made the dish for his family and wanted to recreate it for the firefighters.

“The parameters of the project focused on firefighter performance,” said Brick. “A big part of the meal was making sure that the firefighters had an adequate amount protein—about half a pound of meat [per person]—for a good amount of energy so they're fueled and ready to go for whatever emergency may come.”

Green Chili, Turkey Chili prepared by registered dietitian students. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

In their research, the students found that cardiovascular disease is one of the largest issues facing the American population, especially firefighters, said Brick. “But you can reduce that risk by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and supplementing them in any meal that you have,” Brick added.

College of Public Health faculty members Batheja, Lilian Dejonge, Allison McKay, and Allison Miner and registered firefighter dietitian Megan Lautz also attended the dinners.

Lautz has been a registered dietitian since 2015 and has a unique position as many fire departments don’t have an in-house dietitian. She works with dietitian students across the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including Brick, Rudich, and the rest of their cohort.

Lautz met with the students regularly and provided them with Excel templates to guide them throughout the process, said Brick. “They were really handy to have and made our workload a lot easier to handle.”

“They not only had to research and develop recipes in a professional format, but they also cooked meals for six to nine people, including the fire chief,” said Lautz.

Marcus Brick (top left), Mark Radish (top right), Allison McKay (bottom center left), Allison Miner (bottom center right), and the firefighters from Station 33 pose in front of firetrucks. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

After the meal was prepared, the students gave presentations to the firefighters about the importance of a healthy diet. Brick and Rudich’s presentation featured the myths and cons of green powder diet supplement.

“Public speaking is a big part of being a dietitian, and throughout the course of this program, we’ve had a lot of opportunities to practice educating others on nutrition,” said Brick. “I've tried to stick with topics that I don't know much about to fill in my knowledge gaps as I teach others.”

“Without Megan and this program, I wouldn't have known that firefighter dietitian was a niche that I could go into. I can work with airline pilots, doctors, and so many other patient populations, and the program really helped me prepare for that,” said Brick.