Maximizing the Momentum – The Legacy of Mendez & Brown

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Hosting Your Community Event

Make the most of your volunteers, connections and get resources.
Maximizing the Momentum
Resources
Link and Leverage

The Community Reception

1 Design and Convene the Core Team
After your event, gather a small nucleus of volunteers (five to 10 people) who will comprise the core team that will provide leadership to sustain and expand the momentum and continue working on the blueprint initiated in the dialogues. The core team will solicit support from other volunteers to carry out the blueprint in each of the four indicator areas. The core team also should select one contact person to serve as liaison to IDRA for support\.

Helpful Tip:

Contact IDRA to get access to the Blueprints for Action community web site.

2 Use Community Web Site for Communication and Support to Implement Your Blueprint
The core team and other volunteers can link to IDRA’s secure community web site to access and update their blueprint plans, communicate with one another, and obtain resources to sustain their local work. The team also can use this site to receive support from IDRA in sustaining the effort.

3 Empower the Core Team
The success of the local effort depends upon the shared leadership of the core team to maintain the vision of transformed schools that will produce success, graduation and college readiness for all. The core team leader(s) should take on a powerful responsibility to ensure that this vision is accomplished in a timely manner. On an ongoing basis, the core team leader should acknowledge, value and elicit continued support from volunteers.

Helpful Tip:

How do I keep this going so my neighborhood public schools work for all children?

4 Monitor, Evaluate, and Update
Because the blueprints reflect the local context, they are active and dynamic documents that must be reviewed and updated on a regular basis with changes made as needed to maintain their viability. The core team is primarily responsible for ensuring this step is accomplished. This involves soliciting feedback from stakeholders and renewing their commitment to the newly revised and updated blueprint action plan.

5 Remain Connected with Students and Educators
Educators are encouraged to learn more about the two landmark cases of Mendez and Brown and incorporate them into classroom lessons and activities. Our web site has information about both cases, reference materials, and other educational links suitable for use with secondary students in the areas of civics, history, or social studies. We encourage you to share their ideas on the web site as well.

Students, as emerging leaders, should have an ongoing voice, providing feedback to adults on the blueprint. Communicate with the school principals to thank them, and ensure student presenters who presented content with their activity in the process and are interested in continuing participation.