America’s Best States to Live In: Connecticut Ranks Second

The only state that is a better place to live in than Connecticut is Massachusetts, according to a new survey of key data.  Connecticut was ranked second when the website 24/7 Wall St. reviewed three statewide social and economic measures — poverty rate, educational attainment, and life expectancy at birth — to rank each state’s living conditions.  Based on the data analyzed, the state’s motto could easily be “live long and prosper.” Massachusetts, home to one of the nation’s wealthiest and most highly educated populations, followed by neighboring Connecticut, lead the nation in quality of life. Mississippi, the poorest state in the country, trails the other 49 states.

Among the key stats for Connecticut:

• 10-year population growth: 5.8% (10th lowest)
• Unemployment rate: 5.1% (19th highest)
• Poverty rate: 10.5% (6th lowest)
• Life expectancy at birth: 80.4 years (2nd highest)

Quality of life in the United States is heavily dependent on financial status, the survey summary points out. As a consequence, the nation’s best states to live in often report very high incomes. With a median household income of $71,346 a year, fifth highest of all states, Connecticut is the second best state to live in and an especially good example of this pattern, the description of Connecticut’s ranking explains.

The publication notes that “While satisfactory living conditions are possible with low incomes, this is true only to a point. Once incomes fall below the poverty line, for example, financial constraints are far more likely to diminish quality of life.”

Rounding out the top five:  New Hampshire, Minnesota, and New Jersey.  At the bottom of the list: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia and Mississippi.

Education levels are another major contributor to a community’s living conditions — not just as a basis of economic prosperity, but also as a component of an individual’s quality of life. Due in part to the greater access to high paying jobs that often require a college degree, incomes also tend to be higher in these states. In all of the 15 best states in which to live, the typical household earns more than the national median household income of $55,775, 24/7 Wall St. pointed out.

Like the vast majority of states on the higher end of the list, Connecticut is described as relatively safe. There were 219 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 state residents in 2015, among the lowest rates of all states, the survey stated.  Housing markets are also indicative of quality of living. A high median home value, for instance, frequently means high demand for housing in the area. Nationwide, the typical home is worth $194,500. In most of the 25 top states, the median home value far exceeds the nationwide median.

The survey did not take into account more subjective conditions such as climate preference, the presence of friends and family, and personal history.

To identify the best and worst states in which to live, 24/7 Wall St. devised an index composed of three socioeconomic measures for each state: poverty rate, the percentage of adults who have at least a bachelor’s degree, and life expectancy at birth. The selection of these three measures was inspired by the United Nations’ Human Development Index. Poverty rates and bachelor attainment rates came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Community Survey. Life expectancies at birth are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are as of 2012, latest year for which data is available. Unemployment rates are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and are for October 2016, the most recent available month of data.

CT Residents See Improving Economy, Even As Jobs Remain in Short Supply; Millennials Most Upbeat About Business Conditions

Seven in 10 Connecticut residents say overall business conditions in the state are either better or the same as six months ago, according to the quarterly Inform CT Consumer Confidence Survey, and 75 percent expect conditions to either remain the same or improve in the next six months. The latest survey, covering the third quarter of 2016, also found residents are more willing to spend on major consumer items – a sign of a strengthening economy – and less concern about immediate job security.  The survey also found that millennials, ages 22-25, are the demographic most upbeat about the state’s economic progress, with 41 percent saying overall business conditions were better than six months ago.  Those ages 18-21 and 26-35 had the next most positive views.

In a reversal from the previous quarter, 42 percent of state residents surveyed said they were unlikely to move out of state in the next 5 years, compared with 34 percent who described such a move as likely.  In the previous survey, conducted in the second quarter of this year, the numbers were reversed with 42 percent saying that it was likely they’d be moving out of state within five years, compared with only 32 percent who said such a move was unlikely.

The quarterly survey is released by InformCT, a public-private partnership that provides independent, non-partisan research, analysis, and public outreach to help create fact-based dialogue and action in Connecticut.

Tempering upbeat views is the continuing widely-held opinion that there are “some jobs in Connecticut, but not enough.”  Those expressing that view increased to 63 percent in the third quarter, the highest percentage since the survey began.  An additional 24 percent view jobs as “very hard to get.”  Thus, nearly nine in ten view the number of available jobs as insufficient in the state.  The survey also found:

• Less concern about job security: Only one-third (35%) expressed concern that their job or the job of their spouse/partner is in jeopardy, down from 39 percent in the previous quarter and 42 percent in the first quarter this year.
• Continuing strong concern about health insurance costs: Nearly two-thirds of state residents (64%) say they are concerned about being able to afford health insurance.
• Continuing concern about retirement savings: Overall, 50 percent of those surveyed disagreed with the statement “I will have enough money to retire comfortably,” compared with 23 percent who agreed.  Those currently of working age are most concerned about retirement savings.
• Connecticut is a good place to raise a family: Overall, fifty percent of those surveyed expressed that view, compared with 28 percent who disagreed, a ratio that has been relatively consistent in the quarterly surveys.  The two age groups that agree most are now, or will likely soon be, starting families – 62 percent of those ages 22-25 and 60 percent of those ages 26-35.
• Personal financial situation improving: 30 percent of survey respondents said their personal financial situation was better today than six months ago, compared with 28 percent who said they were worse off.

Residents of Windham and Fairfield counties were more likely to view overall business conditions as being better now than six months ago, the survey found.  Twenty-nine percent of Windham residents held that view as did 28 percent of Fairfield residents.  Residents of the state’s other six counties, Middlesex (23%), New London (20%), New Haven (20%), Litchfield (16%), Tolland (16%) and Hartford (16%) had fewer residents expressing that opinion.

Among other consumer survey findings:

• Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed (73%) said that in the next 6 months they were likely to take a vacation outside the state, the highest proportion since the survey began nearly two years ago, and the fourth consecutive quarterly increase.
• The proportion of respondents likely to make a major consumer expenditure for furniture or another product also was the highest in seven quarters, at 43 percent, up from 26 percent a year ago.
• The percentage of respondents who indicated they were likely to buy or refinance their home (16%) or purchase a new car (26%) were both at levels higher than in the 3rd quarter of 2015.

Administered by researchers from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC) and Smith & Company, the analysis is based on the responses of 510 residents across Connecticut and addresses key economic issues, providing a glimpse of the public’s views.  The survey has a margin of error of 5 percent.

ConnectiCare, First Health Insurer to Open Retail Store, Adds More

Holiday shoppers may encounter something new amidst the traditional retail stores vying for attention.  Last month, ConnectiCare opened its first storefront location, a 6,000-square-foot standalone building in Manchester. The company plans to open outlets in Bridgeport, Newington and Orange in the coming days, according to David Gordon, ConnectiCare's senior vice president for strategy and product innovation. "The impetus for taking this step came from listening to our customers," Gordon said. "The key thing that we consistently heard was how they want a choice in how they engage with us."  It is a way of “providing face-to-face interactions with our members and our nonmembers, who feel their relationship with us would work better if we were sitting across a table from each other."

ConnectiCare is apparently the first health insurance company in the state to offer services from a retail storefront location.  Manchester was chosen after a study of ConnectiCare members, traffic and drive-time patterns and general population figures. The selection of Bridgeport also was based on proximity to significant numbers of ConnectiCare members, and the surrounding population, and are tied to a new partnership with CliniSanitas to offer bilingual facilities for the state's growing Hispanic population.

The flagship Manchester location, near Buckland Hills mall, is staffed by 12 people and includes an area for seminars on various health topics as well as space for yoga and Zumba classes.   ConnectiCare's stores in Bridgeport, Newington and Orange will be smaller than the Manchester flagship, which opened in October.

The ConnecticutCare storefronts will be adjacent to CliniSanitas Medical Center locations.  The centers will offer primary care, specialty care, urgent care, laboratory and diagnostic imaging, as well as health education and wellness services. All three centers – Bridgeport, Newington and Orange - will offer extended evening and weekend hours, with walk-ins welcome. The centers are to be staffed with medical and administrative staff who are bilingual in English and Spanish.

This expansion is the result of a strategic alliance between GuideWell Sanitas and ConnectiCare to serve the health care needs of Connecticut's growing multicultural population, while helping to address the long-standing disparities in the health status of people from culturally diverse backgrounds, officials said. ConnectiCare is the only health insurance plan being accepted by the CliniSanitas Medical Centers, which will also serve those paying directly for health care services and those with traditional Medicare coverage, the companies recently announced.

CliniSanitas has more than 40 years of health care experience with over 200 facilities in South America. In 2015, the first stateside CliniSanitas centers were opened in Florida. The company explains that their  model is focused on improving access to quality primary care services, and delivering the best health outcomes while preventing unnecessary high medical costs, encouraging longer appointments aimed at strengthening the doctor-patient relationship.

CliniSanitas Medical Centers is a joint venture between two leading health care organizations – GuideWell Mutual Holding Company and Organización Sanitas Internacional. GuideWell is a U.S.-based not-for-profit mutual holding company and the parent to a family of forward-thinking companies focused on transforming healthcare.

"We're excited to start our journey in Connecticut in partnership with ConnectiCare and GuideWell to bring our proven model of patient-centered care to the diverse community of Connecticut. These new medical centers will build on our successful centers in Miami, Florida, and our experience transforming healthcare in South America," said Dr. Fernando Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer of CliniSanitas.

"The CliniSanitas Medical Centers will help us deliver on our brand promise to make it easy for our members to get the care they need. ConnectiCare is pleased to help bring the people of Connecticut access to the high quality and culturally relevant health care provided by the CliniSanitas Medical Centers," said Michael Wise, ConnectiCare's President and Chief Executive Officer.

A local company for 35 years, ConnectiCare, a subsidiary of Emblem Health,  has a full range of products and services for businesses, municipalities, individuals and those who are Medicare-eligible.  In September, ConnectiCare, the single-largest insurer on the state’s health exchange, announced it would participate in the exchange in 2017.

Commitment to Children Honored in CT

Connecticut Voices for Children has honored community leaders, policymakers and advocates for children at its 14th annual “First for Kids” awards ceremony. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have worked to make a difference in the lives of children in the state of Connecticut. This year’s honorees are:

• Priscilla Canny Research Award - Judith Meyers, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Fund of Connecticut and its subsidiary, the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut., for her leadership to ensure that all children have the opportunity to thrive. The Children’s Fund of Connecticut, a public charitable foundation and supporting organization of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, is dedicated to ensuring that children in Connecticut have a strong start in life with ongoing supports to promote their optimal health and well-being. For over 17 years she has led the organizations' efforts to improve the health, mental health and early care systems for children in Connecticut.
• Public Service Award - Myra Jones-Taylor, former Commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, for her efforts to coordinate and improve the state’s early childhood system. Jones-Taylor, a California native who was the first in her family to graduate from college, came to Hartford in 2012 to lead the planning effort for the newly forming state office. She left the agency in September 2016 and is currently Entrepreneur in Residence at Dalio Foundation.
• Statewide Child Advocacy Award - Sarah Eagan, Connecticut’s Child Advocate, for her work advancing the right of abused and neglected children and children with disabilities. She was appointed by Governor Dannel Malloy to serve as Connecticut's Child Advocate on August 1, 2013. As Child Advocate, she sets priority reviews for the OCA, manages office operations, and publishes vital information regarding the well-being of children and recommendations for system reform. Prior to this appointment, she served for several years as the Director of the Child Abuse Project at the Center for Children's Advocacy in Hartford.
• Youth Voice Award - Kate Matos and her Fourth-Grade Students at Avon’s Pine Grove Elementary, 2015-2016, for their efforts to raise funds for advocacy through kindness and team work.

“Each of us wants our children to have an opportunity to achieve their full potential. Today, at our annual First for Kids celebration, Connecticut Voices for Children is proud to honor four champions who have worked tirelessly to ensure that opportunity is available to all children in our state, regardless of race, ethnicity or family income,” says Ellen Shemitz, Connecticut Voices for Children’s Executive Director. “Children need champions willing to raise their voices to make universal opportunity a public priority. Today’s honorees have led the way.”

“Many children in Connecticut still face considerable challenges to succeed,” says Sharon Langer, Advocacy Director at Connecticut Voices for Children. “Nearly 1 in 3 of our children of color live in poverty, compared to 1 in 20 white children. Our state has one of the largest achievement gaps in the nation based on family income and race. There is a lot of work to be done to close these gaps. We are optimistic that together we can improve the lives of children.”

Connecticut Voices for Children is a research-based policy think tank based in New Haven. The organization “produces research and analysis, promotes citizen education, advocates for policy change at the state and local level and works to develop the next generation of leaders.”

PHOTO:  Judith Meyers, Sarah Eagan, Myra Jones-Taylor

National Cyclocross Championships Arrive in Hartford in January

Hartford’s Riverside Park will play host to the 2017 Cyclocross National Championships January 3-8, 2017, as another popular sport brings a national caliber event to Connecticut’s Capital City.   “The cyclocross national championships are the pinnacle of cyclocross racing in the United States each year,” said Micah Rice, Vice-President of National Events, USA Cycling. Cyclocross is a very specific type of bike racing, as described by Cyclocross Magazine. For the most part, the course is off-road but there are sometimes portions of pavement included in the course. Riders can expect to encounter grass, dirt, mud, gravel, sand, and a whole slew of other assortments and combinations. The races are based on a set time (measured by numbers of laps), not distance. Depending on your category, a race can be as quick as 30 minutes (for beginners), or as long as 60 minutes (for pros).

‘Cross is wildly popular in countries like Belgium and Holland and is currently the fastest growing cycling discipline in the U.S., according to USA Cycling.  Cyclo-cross specific bikes look very similar to a road bike but have more clearance around the tires for mud, have a different type of braking system — either a cantilever or disc brakes — and have wider tires with knobs on them similar to mountain bike tires.

The event schedule for Hartford details a range of competition for various age categories, men and women, 9-10 year olds to seniors, throughout the week, capped by awards ceremonies at the end of each day.  The 2017 USAC National Cyclocross Championships is organized via a three-way partnership between the CT Cycling Advancement Program, Riverfront Recapture, and USA Cycling. As the local organizing committee (LOC), the CCAP and Riverfront are committed to hosting a high-quality event that supports and highlights both organization’s non-profit missions, the regional cycling community, and the city of Hartford, the organization's website explains. "Our responsibilities and activities include the management of the event venue, the management of emergency city services, the recruitment and management of volunteers, and fundraising for the event." Local volunteers are being sought, with a number of opportunities prior to and during the week-long Championships.  

“The USA Cycling cyclocross national championships is an exciting first for Connecticut, and Hartford’s selection is the result of a great partnership between the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, Riverfront Recapture, the city of Hartford, and the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau,” said Bob Murdock, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau’s director of sports marketing.

“Our state capital’s Riverside Park is a prime venue for this dynamic winter sports event and offers many design options for a challenging course that will satisfy thrill-seeking competitors and spectators alike. We look forward to welcoming cycling enthusiasts from all over the nation,” Murdock added.

According to the USA Cycling website, there are two cycling clubs in Connecticut, based in Middletown and Storrs.   The UConn Cycling Team, based at the main campus in Storrs Connecticut, is a recognized club sports team and a member of both the ECCC (Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference) and USA Cycling.

The vision of USA Cycling is to make the United States of America the most successful country in the world of competitive cycling, and the championships planned for 2017 and 2018 underscore that effort.  Reno, Nevada, will host the 2018 USA Cycling cyclocross national championships.

“Going from the East in 2017 to the West in 2018 with Hartford and Reno is indicative of how quickly the sport is spreading from coast to coast, and these two cities will do an excellent job of helping us crown the best in the sport in the coming years,” Rice said.

Connecticut has a long and storied heritage within cyclocross and the annual Connecticut Series of Cross series “seeks to continue that,” according to the 8-race series website.  2016 marks the 5th annual Connecticut Series of Cross, described as designed to encourage true "grassroots CX racing".  All the events are unique and reflect the style and passion that each promoting club/team has for the sport of cyclocross.

​The final event in the series will be December 18 in New Haven, just weeks ahead of the National Championship in Hartford.

New Haven Chamber Spotlights Millennial Leaders in Region

The Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce has recognized 12 distinctive millennial leaders who are "making an outstanding difference in the professional and outside world." In making their selections, the Chamber indicated that "from organizing community events, working with charities on weekends or holidays, or tireless public outreach - these are the people that lead by example to the entire millennial generation and the rest of us."

The Chamber's young professional organization, PULSE, made the selections from those nominated for the recognition.  The announcement was made at a reception at the conclusion of the Chamber's day-long business expo, The Big Connect, held Thursday at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford.

The millennial move makers for 2016 are:

Jack Yeung, a serial entrepreneur, attended St. John’s University for his Doctorate of Pharmacy degree. He started his own pharmacy in 2010, after noting he could offer services that other pharmacies were not offering, such as delivery. Jack who now owns pharmacies in Southbury, Danbury and one in the Bronx, started the Panic Room: Escape Room Entertainment in Norwalk, CT, which challenges participants while providing a safe and fun real-life adventure. Jack’s latest business venture is the opening of The Halal Guys Restaurant in New Haven this fall.

Ashley Calabrese is responsible for developing and implementing effective lobbying strategies and grassroots advocacy campaigns to best suit her clients’ interests. She works with the state legislature, the executive branch, municipal leaders and the Connecticut congressional delegation. Her efforts have created better insurance coverage for more advanced forms of breast tissue screening, including coverage for ultrasound and MRI screening. Through volunteer efforts, Ashley has advanced legislative efforts for ‘Are You Dense Advocacy’ to ensure that women with dense breast tissue have access to an early breast cancer diagnosis. She helped form the Danny Gilman Scholarship in memory of one of their peers. Ashley serves as President of the Association of Connecticut Lobbyists.

Peter Kozodoy is an author, speaker, serial entrepreneur, and the Chief Strategy Officer of GEM Advertising. His work at GEM has been featured in CNBC, Yahoo!, Bloomberg, Reuters, MarketWatch and more, and has earned Telly, Pixie, Communicator, Aurora, Davey and W3 awards in U.S. and international branding, advertising and production. He has spoken for Microsoft, the US Department of Commerce, and CEO Clubs of America on topics like millennials, and global advertising. He serves on the boards of the Greater New Haven Chamber and Junior Achievement in Connecticut. He is also a SAG/AFTRA professional actor, a three-time New England Champion in Men’s Figure Skating, and a black belt in Taekwondo.

Jenn Kuehn began SHiFT Cycling with a vision to create a workout experience that is accessible yet challenging to every rider, no matter where they are in their fitness levels. She left the high-powered world of corporate sales to create an inspirational local fitness experience. In less than a year, Jenn built a reputation for inspiring effective workouts in a judgment-free environment. Still sensing a missing need for a greater connection between motivation, mind and body, she launched SHiFT Cycling in March 2014. In 2015, Jenn and the team evolved and created SHiFT New Haven. In 2016 Jenn launched her newest fitness concept SHiFT Balance, a studio designed for barre, yoga, kickboxing, strength and mediation classes.

Jeremy Race is the President and CEO of Junior Achievement Southwest New England.  Through Junior Achievement, Jeremy is helping young people dream big about their futures and teaching them the strategies to achieve those dreams. Each year, Jeremy has the pleasure of working closely with several JA students in preparation for their speaking roles at JA’s annual Partners in Achievement breakfasts in Hartford and New Haven. At last year’s event, Jeremy was proud to watch Josslyn, a student from New Britain who at one point was on track to not graduate from high school, stand up in front of 400 guests and state that thanks to JA, “I will graduate high school. I will attend college.  I will be successful.” It was a moving moment and Jeremy will never forget.

J.R. Logan has worked as a volunteer to organize the establishment of a trail along the Mill River in New Haven. He serves on the boards of the New Haven Land Trust and Eli Whitney Museum. He led Cluefest for several years and is a cofounder and Chief Maker at MakeHaven, a community makerspace where anyone can participate in 3D printing, laser cutting, wood working, sewing, metal milling, electronics fabrication, programming, mold making, bike repair and more. In this role, he fosters a community of more than 100 entrepreneurs, artists and craftspeople. J.R. is also employed as Director of Digital Resources for United Way of Greater New Haven, where he works to implement organizational learning and technology locally as well as being a significant contributor to technology advancement in the worldwide United Way network.

Angelina Stackpole is a Director at the American Heart Association in Greater New Haven, where she oversees corporate fundraising and wellness initiatives in Greater New Haven. She is responsible for the Greater New Haven Heart Walk, which raises awareness and funds for cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In the past five years, Angelina has increased annual revenue from the event by 50%, and has grown participation to nearly 5,000 area professionals and community members. She is also responsible for starting an annual Connecticut-wide event that provides fun activities, support, and networking to families who have children suffering from congenital heart disease. Angelina currently serves as Chair on the PULSE Board of Directors.

Justin Nash, following his graduation from West Point in 2001, was commissioned as an Infantry Officer where he led an infantry platoon deployed to serve in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals. His military career was cut short due to injuries sustained in the line of duty. He has also served as a project manager in the energy industry where he delivered complex projects over $10 million. Justin is the founder of Veteran Construction Services LLC and serves as president of Til Duty is Done, an organization he founded to help restore and improve the lives of veterans through supportive housing and employment opportunities.

Elisabeth Verrastro has a passion and drive to make live performance accessible to everyone and loves seeing her work come to life when the curtain rises and the audience erupts into applause. She is the Shubert Theatre’s Director of Development & Communications. Over the past eight years, Elisabeth has worked tirelessly to tackle the world of development, while giving birth to two children and exceeding expectations by raising over $1.2 million each year while implementing a campaign to raise over $8 million to celebrate the Shubert’s 100th Anniversary and complete Phase 1 of the Centennial Improvement Project. It is Elisabeth’s mission to continue her work to make Shubert’s Phase 2 of renovations a reality.

Darryl Brackeen Jr. was elected in 2014 to the New Haven Board of Alders (City Council), where he is the first African-American and youngest Alder to have been elected from Westville 26th district. While in office, he has championed the passage of the City of New Haven’s Clean Air Resolution, Domestic Workers Bill of Rights & Janitors Bill of Rights, and supported passage of a Connecticut student loan bill of rights, and countless other pieces of legislation and initiatives. In December 2015, he was named the CT State Director for the Young Elected Officials Network. Darryl serves on the Board of Directors for Greater New Haven Green Fund.

Jennifer Staple-Clark founded Unite For Sight in her dorm room in 2000 as a sophomore at Yale University. Unite For Sight is now a leader in both global health education and in providing cost-effective care to the world’s poorest people. Jennifer is the author of journal articles and book chapters about social entrepreneurship, best practices in global health, and community eye health. Additionally, she serves as a judge in social entrepreneurship competitions, including the Canadian Government’s Grand Challenges in Health. Jennifer is a member of the Yale University President’s Council on International Activities, and on the Operating Board of the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute.

Alex Engler is a Ph.D. student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in Biomedical Engineering at Yale University. While at Dartmouth College for undergraduate studies, Alex’s research focused on developing biomaterials for orthopedics. Outside of the classroom, he led multiple music groups and mentored local middle schoolers for science competitions. Between Dartmouth and Yale, Alex worked in the heart of Boston’s hospital network developing medical devices to treat infants born with birth defects. Alex’s current research focuses on whole lung regeneration and tissue engineering. Outside of lab, he serves as a Director of the Science in the News program. He is also actively involved with the Yale Pathways to Science program and the New Haven Science Fair.

New London’s Hearing Youth Voices is Finalist for Region’s First-Time $50,000 Prize

Hearing Youth Voices, a youth-led social justice organization working to create systemic change in the education system in New London, is one of seven youth organizations in New England with a chance to win a $50,000 grant from The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the largest philanthropic organization in the region focused exclusively on education. The first-ever Nellie Mae Education Foundation Youth Organizing Award honors a New England youth organizing group that has shown tremendous commitment to advancing student-centered learning or redesigning education to meet the needs of all students - specifically focused on public secondary education.

At Hearing Youth Voices (HYV), youth leaders identify issues, research solutions, and run campaigns aimed at making concrete, meaningful changes in their public schools. The core membership and leadership are working class youth of color, many of whom are also LGBTQI, and/or immigrant, and/or have been pushed out of school.

The winner from among the finalists will be decided by online votes of the public, during a month of balloting.  From November 1 at 12:00 PM EST – November 30 at 12:00 PM EST, the public is invited to vote for finalists through email on the Students at the Center Hub and via text message. The organization with the most votes will receive a $50,000 grant to continue the organization's work around advancing student-centered learning or redesigning education to meet the needs of all students.

Hearing Youth Voices describes itself as “a youth-led organization that trains young people of color to organize, fight, and deconstruct systems of oppression in our community.” Recently, HYV youth ran the “We Want to Graduate Campaign,” which focused on systemic obstacles to students graduating, specifically absence-based credit loss and suspensions.

After two years of hard work on the part of hundreds of youth, the New London Public Schools (NLPS) revised its attendance policy to offer supportive interventions instead of punishments for absent students, a change that affected the more than 3,000 students and families in NLPS. Additionally, HYV youth worked alongside a broader coalition of parent advocates, school staff, and Board of Education members to create the district's first-ever Restorative Practices pilot project.

Most recently, HYV successfully advocated for students to become voting members of the Board of Education's Policy Committee, integrating student voice into the highest level of policy decision-making in the district. Youth leaders identify issues, research solutions, and run campaigns aimed at making concrete, meaningful changes in their public schools.

“Our seven Youth Organizing Award finalists are leaders in promoting student ownership and voice as part of school decision-making in New England,” said Nick Donohue, president and CEO of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. “These students have committed themselves to improving educational experiences for their peers while building the knowledge and skills which will serve them long after graduation. I’m proud to offer a well-deserved congratulations on the great work they’ve achieved as well as the impact they are making for future students.”

In a student-centered environment, learning is personalized, competency-based, happens anytime, anywhere and allows students to take ownership of their education. Student-centered learning prepares students to master the academic knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills they need to thrive.

Also vying for the prize are Portland Empowered (Maine), Sociedad Latina (Boston), Granite State Organizing Project (New Hampshire), Young Voices (Providence), Providence Student Union (Providence), and UP for Learning (Vermont).

The HYV website explains that “our work is different- it is about collective action to solve systemic problems. We don't want to make life easier for one young person or one family. We want to go right down to the root of the problem and fix the system so that no more youth and families have that problem! And we believe that the people who have lived the problem are experts on it and need to help define what the solution could be.......and lead the charge to make that change happen.”

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation supports the promotion and integration of student-centered approaches to learning at the high school level across New England—where learning is personalized; learning is competency-based; learning takes place anytime, anywhere; and students exert ownership over their own learning. To elevate student-centered approaches, the Foundation utilizes a four-part strategy that focuses on: building educator ownership, understanding and capacity; advancing quality and rigor of SCL practices; developing effective systems designs; and building public understanding and demand.

https://youtu.be/WtTuHED6TM4

Diverse Hispanic Workforce More Likely to Face Challenges, Report Finds

There are about 24 million workers of Hispanic descent in the United States. While this group is frequently referred to as a single entity, the reality is that these workers come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, each with their own challenges in the labor market. A new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) provides an overview of the diverse backgrounds of the Hispanic workforce, and shows how each group experiences unique challenges in the labor market, specifically in terms of unemployment, wages, poverty, language barriers, and access to health and retirement benefits.

The report, “Hispanic Workers in the United States” also shows that union representation has helped to address some of these challenges. Some highlights from the report include:

• Workers of Mexican descent are by far the largest subgroup of the Hispanic workforce (14.9 million);
• Women make up only 43.3 percent of the overall Hispanic workforce, but they are a majority of several subgroups, including Panamanians (58.1 percent), Bolivians (53.2 percent), and Paraguayans (51.0 percent);
• About two-thirds of Hispanic workers are U.S. citizens – Puerto Ricans (98.7 percent) and Spaniards (90.9 percent) are the groups most likely to be citizens;
• Hispanic workers in general are more likely than workers of any other race/ethnicity to be in poverty. Among Hispanics, Guatemalans are most likely to be members of the working poor (19.1 percent);
• About 30 percent of Hispanic workers do not have health insurance, but over half of Guatemalan and Honduran workers lack health insurance.

Connecticut’s population is 15 percent Hispanic, the 11th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.  The Latino population increased by 50 percent in Connecticut from 2000 to 2010. The highest percentage of Hispanics in Connecticut municipalities are in Hartford, Willimantic, Bridgeport, New Britain, Waterbury, Meriden, New Haven, New London, Stamford and Danbury, according to Zip Atlas. In Connecticut, Mexicans are the second largest Hispanic community in the state behind Puerto Rican residents, CT Mirror has reported. Willimantic, New Haven and Norwalk have the three highest Mexican populations in Connecticut, with 5.24 percent, 2.8 percent and 2.28 percent, according to 2013 data.

The American Immigration Council reports that the Latino share of Connecticut’s population grew from 6.5% in 1990, to 9.4% in 2000, to 14.7% (or 527,163 people) in 2013. In 2009, 94.4% of children in Latino families in Connecticut were U.S. citizens.

Orlando Rodriguez, former legislative analyst at the now-defunct state Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, told ctlatinonews.com last year that Connecticut’s future is largely dependent on how successful Latinos are in getting into the middle class, and how successful the state is in being able to create middle class jobs for them.

“Simply put,” he said, “The numbers are growing, and if Latinos don’t enter the middle class of Connecticut in large numbers, the state’s economy will feel it negatively…and if they do enter it in large numbers, the economy will grow.”

Cherrie Bucknor, author of the CEPR report explained, “Understanding the diversity and challenges faced by Hispanic workers is key to making better policy decisions.”  The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) is an independent, nonpartisan think tank that was established to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives.

Pasta Making Business Continues to Grow, Government Continues to Help

Sometimes, home-grown businesses decide to stay in Connecticut.  That was the case this fall as Carla’s Pasta – an American Dream business success story – reportedly spurned an offer to relocate to a western state, and chose instead to expand in South Windsor, aided by a significant tax abatement. The company produces filled pastas, Italian sauces and pestos, appetizers, and entrees. The brainchild of Carla Squatrito, the business now employs 156 people, including her sons, Sandro Squatrito and Sergio Squatrito, who are vice presidents of business development and operations, respectively. The Italian food product manufacturer, which was launched in 1978, in Manchester and moved to South Windsor in 1997. 

The latest expansion deal, as reported by the Journal Inquirer, will see the town give the family-run Carla’s Pasta a 70 percent tax abatement for seven years, reducing the company’s tax burden by well over $200,000 per year.  The planned expansion is expected to generate 60 to 100 new jobs, and is due to be completed next fall. In 2013, Carla's completed a 30,000-square-foot expansion of its South Windsor facility, the Hartford Business Journal reported.

Town Manager Matthew Galligan, the JI reported, said the state of Utah was courting the company, but Carla’s ultimately decided to stay in town as a result of the deal that was approved by the Town Council.

Carla, a native of the small Italian village of Madonna del’Olmetto, emigrated to the U.S. at age 27.  Her business began as a means of bringing “home-made filled pastas, Italian Sauces and Pestos, made from fresh ingredients, the flavors of her youth” to local customers, retail and later wholesale.  Since 2010, Carla has been recognized by the National Women Business Owners Corporation as an outstanding CEO.

The company distributes its pasta to restaurants, institutions and supermarkets. In 2012, the company estimated that it was making about 2 million pounds of pasta per month, with projections to increase that number by a third.

The company received a bridge loan of $2,175,000 from Connecticut Innovations that year to help purchase and install a fuel cell along with a $750,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund. The state assistance was aimed at supporting the company efforts to be environmentally conscious and energy efficient.

In Oct. 2015, the company launched its own retail brand, Cucina di Carla.  Among the distinctive products inspired by the season:  autumn-inspired cinnamon clove pasta ravioli filled with golden pumpkin, whole milk ricotta and Fall spices.

https://vimeo.com/150720277

Digital Citizenship Summit, Born in CT, Grows on Twitter

A year ago, the first annual Digital Citizenship Summit was held in West Hartford, hosted by the University of Saint Joseph.  This Friday, the second annual Summit will be held in San Francisco, hosted by Twitter at their global headquarters.  The livestream is expected to reach 3.2 million people globally via Twitter Livestream. The mission of the initiative hasn’t changed as the reach has grown - to unite people, organizations, and companies around the world committed to the safe, savvy, and ethical use of social media and technology. The Digital Citizenship Summit, being held on October 28, is described as a global event, with speakers from Australia, Spain, England, Ireland, Canada, and Kenya.  Attendance can be in-person or virtual.

The event includes a diverse range of well-known and emerging voices with “quick and powerful” 10-minute talks, along with a range of panels covering the breadth of digital citizenship.  The three themes for the Summit are: Citizenship, Literacy, and Advocacy.

Organizers say “the Digital Citizenship Summit isn’t a conference, it is a movement - away from fear and distrust, and towards educating, empowering and engaging all groups.”  The Summit will share best practices and insights, and promote collaboration, bringing together educators, parents, students, organizations and industry.

The initiative was launched by West Hartford’s David Ryan Polgar and academician Marialice B.F.X. Curran.  Dr. Curran's teaching, scholarship and service focus on digital citizenship and social media in K-12 teacher education. She was named one of the Top 10 Digital Citizenship bloggers to follow in 2014 by Common Sense Media. Polgar, an attorney and college professor, is a frequent speaker (three-time TEDx) and tech commentator on television and in print, focusing on digital citizenship, creativity, cyber ethics, tech balance and humanizing the online experience.

“Millions of people are struggling with modeling safe, savvy and ethical behavior online.  Beneath the surface, there are major conflicts between parents, students, educators and administrators that span personal safety to politics.  The Digital Citizenship Summit bridges the gap between what we want to see online and how to actually be the digital change,” organizers point out.

The event will be emceed by Kelly Wallace, a digital correspondent and editor-at-large for CNN. It is also serving as the kick-off for US Media Literacy Week. The Digital Citizenship Summit will be livestreaming from Twitter headquarters from 9 AM PST to 5:00 PM PST. It can be seen on the Summit website or from Twitter's @Safety account. Individuals do not need to register in order to watch the live stream, but all registrants will receive post-event videos and resources, according to organizers.

Joining internationally renowned speakers, there will be student voices – “passionate voices from elementary school students to college-age advocates who are already leading us into the future as positive role models.”  Among the speakers is Jim Steyer, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Common Sense Media, the nation’s leading non-partisan organization dedicated to improving media and technology choices for kids and families. He is also the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Center for the Next Generation.

In addition to the annual flagship summit event, past digital summits have been held in Ireland and the United Kingdom, with plans for a summit in Australia later this year.