Adrian Duncan, a night manager at the Y, suggests friendly competitions, such as spelling bees or basketball tournaments, pitting school teams against YMCA teams. The YMCA teams would provide an opportunity for students from different schools and different backgrounds to come together as one. In challenging economic times, organizations that serve youth and work with volunteers can find sustainable funding difficult. LIVA in particular finds it difficult; the YMCA, with greater name recognition and presumably greater economic resources, did not express that finances are a particular concern.

The current economic climate has been challenging not only for Long Island's non-profits, like LIVA and the YMCA, but for its public school system as well. Long Island property taxes are among the highest in the nation, largely because of the costs of funding public education (Rumsey, 2010). The schools, under the umbrella of the Education Working Group, are collaborating with the Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC) to effect reform by improving schools and containing costs. A twelve-step agenda calls for "addressing educational inequities, unfunded mandates, using technology to more effectively in the classroom, restructuring high schools to optimize the educational experience, consolidating school districts and reducing the costs of the public retirement system" (Rumsey).

Reform of public education is important to LIVA's Tracy Murtagh, Youth Education Coordinator. She is troubled by inequality and cites high performance levels by Garden City students in contrast to poor academic performance by students in neighboring Hempstead. Murtagh believes that quality teachers should be promoted and rewarded to create incentives that lead to better academic performance by all students. Murtagh expressed concern about the state of education in the U.S., citing our nation's low ranking in education on a global scale. The YMCA's Adrian Duncan, Night Manager, expressed concern that, although taxes are high, it can be difficult to see how the money is put to use. While he acknowledges that...

Duncan believes that technology has changed the face of education because it has changed students. He believes that the typical eight-year-old today is smarter than the typical eight-year-old of a generation ago. The curriculum must respond to a more technologically-savvy student.
Conclusion

The future of Long Island's schools is important to everyone in the community: teachers, administrators, students, taxpayers, and staff at non-profit organizations. The future of Long Island itself will be dependent upon this generation of students. The community works together, through its schools and its non-profit youth services organizations, to nurture its students and help them develop academically and socially. Academics are addressed through reforms providing incentives for great teachers and curriculum that is designed to prepare students for the global marketplace of the twenty-first century. Students' social development, which includes social responsibility, is a collaborative between the schools and youth services agencies like LIVA and the YMCA. Both non-profit organizations can extend what children learn in school about working with diverse groups of people and working towards betterment of the community. Neither schools nor youth-services agencies can accomplish the broad goal of civic engagement on their own. With a strong partnership, however, they can accomplish much.

References

DiCocco, P. (2011, January). [Interview with Tracy Murtagh, Youth Education Coordinator,

Long Island Volunteer Association].

DiCocco, P. (2011, January). [Interview with Adrian Duncan, Night Manager, Cross Island

YMCA].

Rumsey, S. (2010). Long Island Planning Council unveils school reform plan. Long Island

Press 10/29/10. Retrieved January 31, 2011 from http://www./long-island-planning-council-unveils-school-reform-plan/