Award www.EDUCATIONUPDATE.com Volume VII, No. 6 • New York City • FEBRUARY 2002 Winner FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS & STUDENTS Sylvia Woods Clarence G. Robinson, MD Marian Wright Edelman Owner, Sylvia’s Restaurant Physician Founder, Children’s Defense Fund U.S. POSTAGE PAID U.S. POSTAGE NEW YORK, NY Permit No.633 Sheila Evans-Tranumn Mike Jarvis Beverly Withers PREST STD. Assoc. Commisioner of Education St. John’s Basketball Coach Metropolitan Opera Singer WWEE HHONORONOR AAFRICANFRICAN-A-AMMERICANSERICANS Award 2 Winner EDUCATION UPDATE ■ FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS & STUDENTS ■ FEBRUARY 2002 Cable in the Classroom hour airs M-F 7AM ET/PT Biography Special: Civil Rights Heroes – Feb. 13 Martin Luther King Jr. – Feb. 15 Colin Powell – Feb. 19 Forever Ella – Feb. 7-8 Cable in the Classroom hour airs M-F 6AM ET/PT Ships of Slaves: The Middle Passage – Feb. 5 America’s Black Warriors – Feb. 7 Harlem Hellfighters – Feb. 8 Frederick Douglass – Feb. 15 The Underground Railroad, Pt 1-2 – Feb. 18-19 African American Landmarks (world premiere) There’sThere’s nobilitynobility Feb. 13 10PM ET/PT inin thethe struggle.struggle. Throughout February, A&E Television Networks Profiles of over 60 African Americans will celebrate the achievements of African Americans. Secrets of WWII: Port Chicago Mutiny www.historychannel.com/exhibits/blackhist We salute the battle, because without www.biography.com/features/blackhist itit therethere cancan bebe nono victory.victory. www.historychannel.com/classroom www.AandE.com/classroom The first 50 educators to sign up for our weekly newsletter will receive a video of Save Our History: The Underground Railroad. Log on to HistoryChannel.com/classroom for more information. A&E Television ©2002 A&E Television Networks. All Rights Reserved. Biography is a registered trademark Networks of A&E Television Networks. Photo: ©Bettmann/CORBIS. [email protected] FEBRUARY 2002 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ COVER STORY Award 3 Winner MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN: CHILDREN’S ADVOCATE By POLA ROSEN, ED.D. several branches in key cities that concentrate their own rights as well. “We adults must Growing up in a family of 12 foster children on state and local work, including lobbying for leave no child behind.” tended to by her nurturing mother and minister new laws and helping to implement those that In discussing difficulties in her life, Edel- father, Marian had to care about children. Her have been passed. man cited the balance between work and role as child advocate par excellence for the Edelman was attracted to legal work after family. Her own family in the South stressed past 25 years has finally culminated in the land- being part of the civil rights movement in the that she could be and do whatever she want- mark comprehensive legislation Leave No South. When she saw the great need of the poor ed. Russian history beckoned but the pivotal Child Behind. Both New York senators are people she “followed the need and decided she point was the civil rights movement, which behind it as are 80 House co-sponsors. There is could help best by becoming an attorney.” After gave her an outlet for her anger. still much work to be done before passage. The Yale law school, she went to Mississippi as a Her mentors were those who fought for bill focuses on childcare and health care. civil rights lawyer interested in school desegre- social justice: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “There are 12 million children living in pover- gation, Head Start and the broader social and and Dr. Benjamin Mayes, former President ty and 80 percent live with working parents that economic needs of the community. In the pub- of Morehouse College. have no child care. There is no reason for that lic arena, Edelman soon realized that passing a Edelman grew up with the clarity and in the richest nation in the world,” Wright avers law was one step, making the law work was cohesiveness of the family and community forcefully. She adds, “Bush is using words but another, and that “all adults have to stand up in the South. Religion was a strong force not putting the dollars behind the words.” and speak for children who have no voice.” In and the belief that “every child is sacred.” The Children’s Defense Fund, which Edel- that process, they affirm the struggle for social That has been her credo and inspiration for Marian Wright Edelman man founded and runs in Washington D.C., has justice and enable the children to stand up for her life’s work.# SYLVIA WOODS: Sheila Evans-Tranumn: Associate THE QUEEN OF SOUL FOOD Commissioner of Education By MARYLENA MANTAS BY JOAN BAUM, Ph.D. others can be Growing up as an only child in Hemingway, An interview with Sheila Evans-Tranumn, turned around by South Carolina, Sylvia Woods, owner of the Associate Commissioner for the New York a rigorous acade- renowned Sylvia’s restaurant in Harlem, would State Education Department and a New Yorker mic program. The break candy into several pieces and give it to with solid roots in the public school system, challenge is par- the neighborhood children in exchange for could not be more timely. The big word in her ticularly hers playing with her. Her childish actions indicate challenging professional life is “accountability” since she is that from early days, Sylvia possessed those – the very “A” word Mayor Mike Bloomberg charged with qualities that later helped her pave the way to was invoking in his annual address on the state overseeing state success: determination, business orientation of the city on January 30th. “We must have efforts at school and adoration for good company. mayoral accountability in education,” he said, improvement and “I enjoy people,” says Sylvia. “I try to get adding that his interest is “not about power. This developing action around to as many customers as I can…I love Sylvia Woods is about accountability in education.” He’s all plans for a num- to say ‘meet, greet and let’s eat!’” for “more opportunities for parents to partici- ber of programs, Sheila Evans-Tranumn In August of 1962 Sylvia put her charismatic ask her mother to mortgage her family farm. pate in our educational system,” but he doesn’t including SURR personality to the test and purchased the restau- Fearing that her business might fail, she think a central board or the continuing system (Schools Under Registration Review), New rant, which then was only a small luncheonette, asked with trepidation. Her mother agreed of local school boards is the answer. The Com- York State Pre-kindergarten, Community from her own boss. Fifty years later, Sylvia’s immediately and gave her $18,000 (in 1962). missioner, charged with statewide responsibili- Schools, Extended Day, Improving Pupil Per- has become the landmark of 126th St. and Sylvia became the owner of her own company, ty for “School Accountability” across the formance, Categorical Reading, Early Grade Lenox Avenue and the one place where every- far from the cotton fields of South Carolina. board– from schools performing way above Intervention, Homeless Youth, Parent Involve- one knows they can get a taste of authentic “The Havana Special [an express train] standard to those “furthest from the standard” ment, Reading Excellence, Title I Compensato- Southern Soul food. The restaurant also serves brought me [to New York], but the cotton field says her first priority is to ensure that all chil- ry Education and the Early Grade Class Size to remind the community’s residents that hard drove me out,” she said. “I hated picking cotton dren improve by holding all adults involved in Reduction Program. Though she says she feels work, determination and love of family can with a passion.” the state’s educational plans “accountable.” confident that disruptive incidents do not occur lead to success. She loves cooking, however, especially Though Ms. Evans-Tranumn points out that in schools that are strong in administration and “I want the world to know that I am grateful,” homemade food based on the recipes used by the State Commissioner and Regents have yet to curricula, she is supportive of the three-years- says the 79-year-old, who continues to play an her mother and grandmother. Her food can now issue a policy statement regarding the Mayor’s and-you’re-closed-down policy that now active role in the restaurant, carefully over see- be purchased at most supermarkets, in contain- criticisms, she does indicate that the wider sense applies to failing schools. Local officials have ing every activity and greeting customers, often ers and bottles packed in her plant in New Jer- of who is accountable for student performance, the power to remove 50% of teachers in a poor by their first names. “I would not change any- sey. New customers can get a taste of her cui- as measured by exams mandated at the federal school and start anew or reconfigure. In the past thing—the good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it sine in her franchises in Kennedy Airport, New level, has already made a difference in the city only students were held accountable, she notes. was a part of my success.” York and Atlanta. for the poorest performing schools. She is proud Now it is the “adults.” And, success was not easy to attain for this “I look back and wonder how it happened. I to point out in talks around the country that Ms. Evans-Tranumn, who is a graduate of woman, who was raised by two widows, her am truly amazed at myself, my strength and my New York State annually takes 18 schools off its North Carolina Central University, has a Mas- mother and grandmother.