Common Cents Mission: Common Cents, creator of the Penny Harvest, nurtures a new generation of caring and capable young people between the ages of four and 24 by enabling them to strengthen their communities through philanthropy and service-learning.

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What's New at Common Cents and the Penny Harvest

COACH APPRECIATION & KICK-OFF PARTY: Check out the photos from our October 16th party at Cole Haan.

FAMILIES: Download your Penny Harvest Family Kit now and then be sure to mail your Family Bonus card to Common Cents.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO ENROLL: You can still sign up and join 858 other NYC schools!

Penny Harvest recognizes 26 New York City  schools as 07/08 Schools of Excellence!

 

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Home > Penny Harvest > Location > NYC / Metro NY > Schools > Schools of Excellence > How to Become a School of Excellence
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HOW TO BECOME A SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
HOW CAN MY SCHOOL BE HONORED AS A SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE? 

 

Download the Judging Rubric and Scorecard used to select the winners and finalists for the Schools of Excellence 07/08 award.

The following are examples of best practices used as criteria to select the Schools of Excellence 07/08.  Schools use these as a guide for strategies and principles to implement in your school’s Penny Harvest.  Every school has the potential to be a School of Excellence!  Save all student work and document your process through photographs if you plan to apply to be a School of Excellence 08/09.  Schools of Excellence applications will be due in May 2009.

Gather Pennies:
Penny Harvest Leaders are recruited from at least 2 grades
Leaders Neighbor Harvest (Neighbor harvesting is connecting with neighbors through the collection of pennies)
Coach and leaders engage the school in school-wide activities.  These may include:

Assemblies, including the Kick-off, Tally Rally and Check Award
Activities, including the Penny Olympics and any other school wide competitions
Wheel of Caring Lesson

Make Grants:
Coach and leaders actively engage community based organizations.  This may include:
• Site visits
• Inviting organizations to assemblies/events
• Partnering with organization on service projects
• Working with organizations to learn more about community issues
• Looking for opportunities to volunteer with organizations
• Sending letters to organizations to update them
• Asking organizations to workplace harvest
Coach and leaders engage the school in school-wide activities.  These may include:
• Assemblies, including Check Award Presentation
Coach, leaders and school actively engage the greater community.  This may include:
• Students interviewing community members for their opinions on issues
• Inviting community to assemblies or other events at the school
• Inviting community members to participate in service activities
• Parents/families chaperoning site visits/helping run service projects

Take Action
School completes at least one Neighborhood Service activity
Party and Plan
Leaders reflect on their experience and plan for the next Penny Harvest through art, writing and/or discussion.

Questions?  Contact Melissa Rozon at mrozon@commoncents.org or 212-579-0579 x113
 
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