Samuel Meisels, president of the Erikson Institute, is leaving the institute in June. He will become the founding executive director of the University of Nebraska’s new Buffett Early Childhood Institute. Among his accomplishments in his 11 years at Erikson: establishing the Center for Children and Families, opening a state-of-the art campus in the River North neighborhood and expanding partnerships with CPS. Before Erikson, Meisels spent 21 years at the University of Michigan, where he is now professor and research scientist emeritus. Previously, he was a faculty member in the Department of Child Study and director of the Eliot-Pearson Children’s School at Tufts University. A search for Meisels’ successor is underway.
Natasha Patterson, resident principal of George Armstrong Elementary, has been named a member of ASCD’s 2013 class of emerging leaders. ASCD was formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The Emerging Leaders program helps young, promising educators build their leadership skills. Patterson will be enrolled in the program for two years and be paired with a mentor who will provide support and help guide her development.
Free Spirit Media News On the Road, a youth community partner with CAN TV, won a national Hometown Media Award. The group won in the student news category for its program focusing on Yollocalli Arts Reach, a Chicago youth initiative of the National Museum of Mexican Art. Free Spirit Media introduces youth to best practices in journalistic reporting, research and live news. Neighborhood based media programs can be viewed online.