Brock Prize Symposium Set for March 14 in Oklahoma City

he 2013 Brock Prize Symposium is set for Thursday, March 14, on the campus of Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and will feature Dave Levin, co-founder of KIPP, or the Knowledge is Power Program, a nationwide network of schools that serve low-income children.

Levin, along with KIPP co-founder Mike Feinberg, received the 2013 Brock International Prize in Education. The Symposium theme is “Education for the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities” and will include Oklahoma Secretary of Education Dr. Phyllis Hudecki as moderator, and panelists Dr. Robert Sternberg, OSU Provost and Senior Vice President; Dr. Keith Ballard, Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent; Dr. Gregg Garn, Dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma; and Tracy McDaniel, KIPP Reach College Preparatory, Principal. 

The Brock International Prize in Education, named for Oklahoma natives John and Donnie Brock, is awarded annually and recognizes individuals who have made a specific innovation or contribution resulting in a significant impact on the practice or understanding of the field of education.  Levin and Feinberg will receive a $40,000 prize in recognition of their achievements.

KIPP is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. Feinberg and Levin co-founded KIPP in Houston, Texas, in 1994 after completing their two-year commitment to Teach For America. Over the last 18 years, the network has grown to 125 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia. KIPP schools serve more than 39,000 students nationwide, including 600 students at two schools in Oklahoma. KIPP builds a partnership among parents, students, and teachers that puts learning first. By providing outstanding educators, more time in school learning, and a strong culture of achievement, KIPP is helping its students climb the mountain to and through college. 

The Symposium begins at 1:45 p.m. in the Student Center at OSU-Oklahoma City. For more information about registering for the Symposium, go to www.brockprize.org. The event will also be streamed live online at http://education.okstate.edu.

PHOTOS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66238541@N06/8139275916/in/photostream

CUTLINE:  Mike Feinberg (left) and Dave Levin, co-founders of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), are the recipients of the 2013 Brock International Prize in Education.