Beyond
the Desk
There are lots of reasons why.
Creating Beyond the Desk will manifest its benefits in more than one way. The reasoning for the project comes from more than a few sources. The original idea stems from a similar program at Northwestern University for students on financial aid. Following that was a column in The Shakerite with reasoning from social science articles and other media coverage.
The Shakerite
"Helping students participate in extracurriculars not only helps students, but it also builds a stronger school district. With one burden alleviated, more students than ever before would participate and truly take pride in their schools. Students who do extracurriculars build their school up, further its mission and give back to their community."
Read more here.
The Associated Press
"Their average education spending per child jumped 35 percent to $5,210 a year during the recession compared with the two preceding years — and they sustained that faster pace through the recovery. For the remaining 90 percent of households, such spending averaged around a flat $1,000, according to research by Emory University sociologist Sabino Kornrich."
Read more here.
The Daily Northwestern
"Weinberg sophomore Jourdan Dorrell, who is a member of the committee and has held a work-study job, said she hopes the program will aid both low-income students and help wealthier students understand the time commitment required of low-income and work-study students."
Read more here.
The Washington Post
"These expenditures generally complement spending on education. Examples include books, movies, and summer camps. Children learn in the classroom, but that process doesn’t stop there. By giving their children more opportunities to engage in activities that help develop knowledge or inter-personal skills, parents can strengthen the efforts made in the classroom."
Read more here.