More than 30 years after the Great Society initiatives, poverty continues to put large numbers of students at risk of school failure. The challenges to education and life success are most severe for children in the nation's poorest rural counties, the 535 rural persistent poverty (RPP) counties. This digest provides background on RPP counties and…

This paper reviews the literature on the noneducational impacts of rural schools on their communities and provides an annotated bibliography of sources. Taken as a whole, the literature suggests that the school-community relationship is multifaceted. Community schools have positive economic impacts related to local employment, retail sales, and…

This document presents the activities that received Future Farmers of America's (FFA's) Model of Innovation awards in 2001. The booklet begins with an overview of the FFA National Chapter Award program and a list of the 2001 Models of Innovation Winners. The next three sections profile award-winning activities in the following areas of the three…

The purpose of this qualitative, historical study was to investigate the impact of the Arts and Crafts Movement, the Settlement Movement, and the Progressive Education Movement on the handiwork at Hindman Settlement School (formerly W.C.T.U. Settlement School, 1902-1910) located in the eastern Kentucky Appalachian Mountain region. Three themes…

The search for community and the development of democracy through civic participation are the binding glue of the nation. The Cooperative Extension Service was formed in recognition of that fact, and its goal was to preserve community as technical capacity increased. During the 20th century, community has been lost to cyberspace and commercialism,…

This book contains selected presentations from a conference on urban Appalachians held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in September 1995. The papers present diverse perspectives on the migration from rural Appalachia to industrial centers, questions of Appalachian culture and identity, community development in Appalachian neighborhoods, and rural Appalachian…

Universalizing primary education for girls and children in disadvantaged areas remains the most challenging task for developing countries in Asia and the Pacific. This evaluation report reviews the processes and outcomes of the Pilot Project on Promotion of Primary Education for Girls and Children in Disadvantaged Areas in Gansu Province, China, a…

Describes a simulation game whose objective is to help students understand the part played by water in the environment from both the physical and the social viewpoint. Journal availability: see SO 507 285. (Author/CK)

Calling study-service a kind of nonformal education with potential to generate other kinds of nonformal education, the author describes Nepal's National Development Service to explain this scheme in developing countries. All degree-level university students must complete a year of community development service in rural areas before their final…

The part the university plays in the building of a nation in the post-independence period is described and illustrated by means of a detailed study of Malaysia. The impact of economic, socio-cultural, and political factors are analyzed and the objectives of higher education in contemporary Malaysia are articulated. (Author/MLW)

Describes a study to find out the impact of education on rural adults and their families through surveys of farmers in two villages in India, with and without educational facilities. Results clearly indicated improved agricultural practices and positive educational attitudes for the educated villagers, with implications for improved rural…

The impact of establishing Belgium's Louvain Catholic University in a rural area is discussed in terms of: increased population and spending power; employment and economic activity directly and indirectly related to the university; and collective equipment and its repercussion on social-cultural evolution. (JMF)

After struggling through the recession of the 1980s, Powell, Wyoming, like many other small towns in rural America, has bounced back and experienced economic and population growth during the past five years. Fueling this growth is the town's attractive location for urban refugees, economic development efforts aimed at attracting small businesses,…

Partnerships with communities help universities respond to contemporary societal issues, enrich educational experiences, and offer opportunities for research and faculty service. At Georgia State University, three health-related programs link campus and community in projects for grandparents raising grandchildren, migrant farm workers, and…

Describes Catholic priest's founding and operation of Servol, grassroots community assistance and development center in Trinidad. Describes Servol's low-profile service-oriented approach to creating education and health services, programs, and facilities. Describes Servol's difficult transition from quixotic neighborhood project to national and…