LA School Kids Learn “Lesson For All”

I just came from visiting with a group of 5th graders at Normandie Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles. Their teacher, Angela Benson-McDaniel, is leading them in an Earth Day science lesson planting cilantro, poppies, and petunias. Along with cleaning up the earth this month, these kids are taking on another of the world’s most daunting problems — the 75 million children who cannot attend school.

Angela is using curriculum called “Lesson For All” created by 1Goal, “a campaign seizing the power of football to ensure that education for all is a lasting impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”

On Tuesday, I’ll get to join the kids again and watch them perform skits about global education for other classes.

Critical Timing: Historic Education Announcement Next Week

This coming Wednesday, a press conference call will take place announcing historic legislation that will help pave the way toward reaching Millennium Development Goal #2: achieving universal primary education by 2015.

On April 17, these same hard-working fifth graders attended Community Services Unlimited Earth Day where they unfurled an enormous 1Goal banner for the people to sign in a show of support. There was also a chance for community members to sign letters to congress supporting the Education For All legislation.

1Goal’s campaign has drawn worldwide attention and the support of important public figures such as Queen Rania of Jordon, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, entertainers including Jessica Alba, Bono, Kevin Spacey, and scores of soccer players throughout the world. See a full list of 1Goal Ambassadors and supporters here.

Whatever you do — Join 1Goal today!