Press Release

For further information, contact:
Sue Swaim, 1-800-528-NMSA

August 9, 2005

NMSA Presents Grants to Two Schools to Improve Middle Level Education

COLUMBUS (OH)—National Middle School Association (NMSA), the nation's largest organization focused solely on middle level education, has awarded grants to two schools — Van Buren (OH) Middle School and Neah-Kah-Nie Junior/Senior High School of Rockaway Beach, OR — to implement the principles in This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents. The $1,500 grants are presented by the NMSA Foundation.

This We Believe, NMSA's landmark document on improving education for 10- to 15-year-olds, outlines 14 principles that have proven to advance the academic, developmental and social growth of young adolescents when implemented consistently.

"These schools are focusing on proven concepts that are likely to lead to greater academic and developmental gains for their students," said Sue Swaim, NMSA executive director. "The young adolescent years are the second most significant period in human development (outside of infancy), and the efforts of these schools will pay off for their students and communities."

National Middle School Association is the largest professional organization serving educators, community leaders, and parents who work with 10- to 15-year-olds. With 30,000 members in 45 countries, it has initiated Month of the Young Adolescent in October and released This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents, a position paper outlining 14 qualities that should be in place in every middle level school for students to achieve and grow academically and developmentally.