THINK Together benefactor ranked #9 among BusinessWeek's "Top 50 American Givers"

Business Week has ranked THINK Together benefactor Donald Bren #9 on its list of "Top 50 American Givers." In 2008, Bren generously gave $8.5 million to THINK Together after-school programs, one of the largest private donations to after-school programs in California history.

"Teaching That Sticks"

"Teaching that Sticks" is an article written by Chip Heath & Dan Heath, the authors of the best-selling book "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die."

Mayor Villaraigosa gives Shout-Out to THINK Together

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gave a shout-out to nearly 500 THINK Together students and staff during an opening ceremonies rally for United Way LA's HomeWalk 2008 held last Saturday morning just outside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. (Read more: HomeWalk Opening Ceremony)

THINK Together @ HomeWalk 2008 Rally & 5k

Nearly 500 THINK Together middle school students from greater Los Angeles County, accompanied by parents and staff, participated in United Way LA's HomeWalk 2008 to raise money and bring attention to the plight of homelessness in Los Angeles. They were joined by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and close to 7,000 other Southern California residents.

THINK Together united to shine light on homelessness

Students made signs and banners for HomeWalk 2008

Students and Staff walked 5k along streets surrounding USC/LA Coliseum

Students discovered street art mural
honoring President-elect Barack Obama

An expanded photo album of pics that have been forwarded to me from HomeWalk 2008 is available at flickr : Home Walk 2008 Photo Set

THINK Together @ HomeWalk LA

Five hundred middle school students from THINK Together's after-school programs in greater Los Angeles County (they'll be the kids in the bright yellow t-shirts) will participate in United Way LA's second annual HomeWalk tomorrow, Saturday November 15th.

The event which begins and ends at 700 Exposition Park (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum), kicks-off with Opening Ceremonies at 8:30 a.m. The 5k walk will start at 9:00 a.m. Everyone is encouraged to come out and participate.

An estimated 7,000 people and over 250 volunteers are expected to help raise approximately $750,000 through the even to help prevent and end homelessness in Los Angeles County. In addition to a walk, HomeWalk is also an educational journey, helping participants learn more about the crisis of homelessness and what we can do to solve it.

For the last month, as part of their after-school learning, the THINK Together students have been learning about the circumstances of homelessness and gainging a greater understanding of how communities can come together to help people in need.

Details: Schedule, registration, parking, etc.

THINK Together @ Annual Baldwin Park Parade

Staff and students from the THINK Together after-school programs in the Baldwin Park Unified School District took part in the City of Baldwin Park's 52nd Annual Parade, November 1st.

Valleywide Towing & Transport, a local company, loaned the THINK Together crew a flat bad truck which they decorated with three colorful panels created in the spirit of the "Day of the Dead," a holiday with Mexican roots that's celebrated annually on November 1st & 2nd to honor and remember loved ones from the past; similar to All Saints' Day or All Souls' Day.

Katherine Vazquez, LA Region Quality Assurance Coach, spearheaded the project with support from Site Coordinators and Program Leaders. Several students from each school were selected to ride on the float and participate in their community's 52nd annual event.

View Complete Photo Album: THINK Together @ 2008 Baldwin Park Parade

Azusa Students Help Sponsor Banner Honoring Hometown Hero

To celebrate community pride and honor hometown heroes, the Downtown Azusa Business Association in cooperation with the City of Azusa and other local groups has been hanging banners on the decorative light poles along Azusa Ave. Each of the banners features the name of a solider from Azusa currently on active-duty in the military. Families and local groups have raised funds and contributed to underwriting the program.

A ceremony was recently held to hang a banner honoring Steven Padilla, currently serving in the U.S. Army. Padilla's family was in attendance. The banner was sponsored by the Flores Family and students in the THINK Together after-school program at Foothill Middle School in Azusa. Students contributed by raising money and recycling cans and bottles. The students plan to host an event with Padilla when he returns from Iraq.

The Obama Way: Seven Steps to Success

Richard Carlson told us simply, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ...." Steven Covey has his various versions of "Seven Habits;" and now Howard Feinman of MSNBC has blogged about what he calls the "Obama Way: Seven Steps to Success."

Feinman reveals these seven guiding principles were the cornerstones for every decsion or action that had to be taken during Obama's two year campaign for the White House.

And as Feinman suggests, you can bet that these principles will will be a veriftable playbook for Team Obama's decision making in the White House going forward.

The "Obama Way"


1. Be Decisive
2. Have a Tight Circle
3. Stick With the Plan
4. Sweat the Details
5. Understand Your Brand
6. Go Digital
7. Use Caution

Survey Says: Banners Increase Awareness, Bring Results

We conducted a follow-up survey to find out how the new THINK Together banners we distributed in September to each school site were working out.

Here's what we learned ...

At those sites where the banners are displayed routinely, 70% of site coordinators indicate they’ve seen some recognizable benefit to the program. More than 80% of those sites indicate the banners have resulted in increased awareness among parents; and 70% say there’s increased awareness among teachers and staff.

At sites where banners are displayed daily, two-thirds saw an increase in applications and nearly one-third realized an increase in the number of calls and inquiries about the THINK Together program.