2007 Toni Stone Innovative Initiative Award Results

MELANIE STEPHENS WINS CTCNET’s 2007 TONI STONE INNOVATIVE INITIATIVE AWARD

FOR COMPUTER-BASED SPANISH LITERACY PROGRAM

 

Melanie Stephens

Executive Director, Centro Latino de Educacion Popular

The Community Technology Centers’ Network (CTCNet) has awarded Melanie Stephens, Executive Director of Centro Latino de Educacion Popular in Los Angeles, CA, the 2007 Toni Stone Innovative Initiative Award for her leadership in the development of a unique computer-based Spanish literacy program called LEAMOS (Let’s Read).

Centro Latino focuses on teaching literacy and providing educational opportunities to Latino immigrants with little or no formal education. Under Ms. Stephens’ leadership, Centro Latino raised over $100,000 to develop LEAMOS and after beta testing, released it for other organizations to use. Currently, thirty organizations across the country including schools, libraries and community organizations around the country are using the program.

CTCNet accepted nominations for the award in July.  Eight exceptional and inspiring nominations were reviewed by a panel consisting of two CTCNet staff, two members of CTCNet’s Board of Directors, and one former Award winner.  Each member of the panel scored the nominees’ Innovative Initiatives on critieria including Vision, Innovation, Impact, Replicability, and Sustainability.  The panel then met to discuss their scores and recommend a candidate for the award.

Reviewers were especially impressed with Melanie's innovative approach to integrating literacy and technology education, and with the scalability and potential impact of this resource as it is adopted by other agencies.

Click here to read the Press Release.

Click here to read Martin Sweeney's nomination for Melanie Stephens.

Click here for the full list of the 2007 Award Nominees.