The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

The 100 Percent Promise: US News & World Report

September 02, 2010 by Jill Willis

U.S. News & World Report's most popular issue, "Ranking Best Colleges," includes a two-page feature on YES Prep Public Schools and our college-bound culture: "The 100 Percent Promise." The magazine is on newsstands now, so be sure to pick up a copy to read more about our students, staff and mission to prepare 10,000 college ready students in Houston!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Excerpts from The "100 Percent Promise"

"In the past 10 years, 100 percent of [YES Prep's] graduates have been accepted to four-year colleges. Marquez was not about to break that track record. 'I'm going to college,' says the freshman at Austin College in Sherman, Texas. 'A lot of my other friends can't say that.'

"The success rate would be remarkable for any public high school, but the

Continue reading The 100 Percent Promise: US News & World Report...

--
1 Comments

The Khaki Pants: A Story of a YES Prep Parent and her daughter’s new school uniform

August 31, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

My daughter spent the last five years of school with no uniform dress code.  She has never really been “into” clothes. Things don’t have to match or be trendy or even be clean for that matter. I feel like I have dodged a bullet for the last five years. It didn’t even hit me that I would have to worry about her putting up a fight to wear a YES Prep uniform.

Khaki pants and a collared shirt. What was so bad about that? Ok, the button-down shirt. I knew I had to come up with something pretty good for that one to get past her. Who wants to wear a dress shirt in the summer heat?

The first day of summer school approached and she started getting nervous and thinking about reasons not to go to school. Her last ditch effort-- the “boring uniform”

What could I say about the uniform? How

Continue reading The Khaki Pants: A Story of a YES Prep Parent and her daughter’s new school uniform...

--
4 Comments

YES Prep South Welcomes the Class of 2017

August 30, 2010 by Sarah Straub

“17… 16… 15… 14…”  began the countdown – an odd number choice to start with, yes… but representative of the guests of honor: YES Prep South’s class of 2017.   On Tuesday, 24 August 2010, over three hundred students, parents, siblings, and teachers gathered at the India House on West Bellfort St. to celebrate a YES Prep tradition – when new sixth grade students have earned their uniform shirts and can now represent their school. 

“… 13… 12… 11… 10…” Parents of students brought in delicious appetizers, entrees, snacks, and deserts which made apparent one of YES Preps Thinks and Acts: “We are a family-oriented school.”  Seventh graders volunteered their time to make sure the ambience was just right, hanging crimson colored streamers, setting up a crimson inspired buffet line and

Continue reading YES Prep South Welcomes the Class of 2017...

--
1 Comments

Best Selling Author Dan Heath Addresses YES Prep, KIPP Houston and Teach For America

August 23, 2010 by Jeremy Jones

 "Companies spend millions of dollars on ways to get our students’ attention for a few seconds. You (teachers) have hours, weeks and months with them. What will you do with that time?"

- Dan Heath, author of Made to Stick, from the 2010 Kinder Excellence in Teaching Awards

It was a grand night to see the power that three great organizations (YES Prep, KIPP Houston, and Teach For America) are having on the educational reform landscape in Houston. On top of all the award recipients, the audience represented a who’s who of school leaders, teachers and supporters of our organization that are enacting true change on Houston. This was not lost on the keynote speaker, best selling author Dan Heath, who lamented that this room was not a representation of what education looks like as a

Continue reading Best Selling Author Dan Heath Addresses YES Prep, KIPP Houston and Teach For America...

--
0 Comments

Five YES Prep teachers receive the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award

August 22, 2010 by Allison Poarch

Last night over 700 faculty and staff from YES Prep, KIPP and TFA gathered at the Hilton-Americas for the Be the Change Dinner. After a cocktail hour and three-course meal, five teachers from each organization were recognized with the Kinder Excellence in Teaching award. This is the second year that Nancy and Rich Kinder have funded this award, and we are truly grateful for their generosity. Below are the 5 YES Prep teachers that went home with a much-deserved $20,000 check for their outstanding work in the classroom:  

Karen Autrey

Ms. Autrey started teaching at YES Prep eight years ago and has since become a role model for YES Prep Southeast. She teaches classes ranging from AP Language and Literature to Spanish III, and her students consistently rank among the highest on campus

Continue reading Five YES Prep teachers receive the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award...

--
2 Comments