KC high school students reflect on race, education with ‘American Promise’

By | March 11, 2014

Broadcast students at the Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts took part in an advance screening of the documentary “American Promise,” which follows two African American boys from preschool to high school graduation. At age five, best friends Seun and Idris are accepted at Dalton, one of the most prestigious private schools in the…

Kansas City earns high marks from credit agencies

By | March 9, 2014

Kansas City, Mo., has received high marks for its 2014 special obligation bonds from credit agencies Moody’s Investors Service and Standard and Poor’s Rating Services.

Profile: Rachel Hack Merlo of Google

By | March 7, 2014

Every week I profile individuals active in the entrepreneurial community. This week I sat down with Rachel Hack Merlo. She is Google’s Community Manager for Kansas City, and was recently selected as one of Kansas City’s most influential women of 2014 by KC Business Magazine.

KC health commission expands anti-violence effort

By | March 6, 2014

For several years, the Kansas City, Mo., Health Commission has delved into the city’s violent crime problem by trying to stop the spread as if it’s a communicable disease. The commission’s main vehicle for this approach has been the Aim4Peace program, which (among other things) sends trained “interrupters” into the streets to help curb the…

Kansas City team CropRate competes in Startup Bus semi-finals

By | March 6, 2014

Each year, Startup Buses around the country head towards Austin for the South By Southwest Interactive Festival. Startup Bus is a competition where businesspeople, designers and coders — buspreneurs — create a startup, from idea to pitch, while on a three-day bus trip to the finals in San Antonio. Caitlin Cress, reporter for The Hale…

Book about Center School District chronicles academic transformation

By | March 5, 2014

In 2006, Center School District was a struggling urban school district. The district was provisionally accredited and met only six of Missouri’s 14 education standards. Eight years later Center School District has earned state accreditation with distinction and is meeting all 14 education standards on its annual performance review. “Parents and Schools Together” chronicles Center…

1 Million Cups with FEWDM Fitness and Farmobile

By | March 5, 2014

Every Wednesday morning cities across the United States host a 1 Million Cups event. In Kansas City, it is held inside the Kauffman Foundation. This week visitors packed into the auditorium to see FEWDM Fitness and Farmobile.

Kansas training educators to protect student privacy

By | March 5, 2014

A Kansas program that trains educators how to safeguard students’ digital records received national recognition last week during U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s remarks at the Common Sense Media Privacy Zone Conference. “As you know, though, many of our school systems have work to do to bring (privacy) policy into line with fast-changing technologies.…

Day 2 of Startup Bus Midwest delayed, detoured by ice

By | March 4, 2014

Each year, Startup Buses around the country head towards Austin for the South By Southwest Interactive Festival. Startup Bus is a competition where businesspeople, designers and coders — buspreneurs — create a startup, from idea to pitch, while on a three-day bus trip to the finals in San Antonio. Caitlin Cress, reporter for The Hale…

Buspreneurs face good, bad surprises on day 1

By | March 3, 2014

Each year, Startup Buses around the country head towards Austin for the South By Southwest Interactive Festival. Startup Bus is a competition where businesspeople, designers and coders — buspreneurs — create a startup, from idea to pitch, while on a three-day bus trip to the finals in San Antonio. Caitlin Cress, reporter for The Hale…

Profile: Callie England of Rawxies

By | February 28, 2014

Callie England is the owner of Rawxies, a healthy food startup located in the east bottoms in Kansas City, Mo. She attended the Kansas City Art Institute before going full-time with her business.

‘Buspreneurs’ road-trip to TX for startup competition

By | February 28, 2014

Next week, Hale Center for Journalism reporter Caitlin Cress will be riding on the Startup Bus, an annual competition/road trip. She will be reporting, blogging, Instagramming and tweeting the whole way; follow that coverage, starting Sunday morning, here. A charter bus will leave the Kauffman Foundation parking lot early this Sunday morning. On it will…

Mayor James to travel to Moscow for Global Entrepreneurship Congress

By | February 27, 2014

Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James will be traveling to Moscow next month to take part in the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

The Real McCoy: Harris-Kearney House holds artifacts of KC’s founding father

By | February 27, 2014

Today’s Kansas Citians owe a lot to the clothesline. In February of 1835, John Calvin McCoy submitted the first map of Westport, which he measured out using his wife’s clothesline. McCoy is commonly thought of as the father of Westport and, by extension, Kansas City. “We are the keepers of history of Westport and early…

Kansas City Public Schools work to involve community in middle school project

By | February 26, 2014

As the Kansas City school district prepares to reopen two middle schools next fall, Lead Middle School Principal and Project Leader Dr. Cynthia Johnson is seeking community input on everything from uniform colors to school boundaries to supportive services, like social workers, for students. One way Johnson is reaching out is through a series of…