Dayton Kroc Center Tech Cafe
Ray and Joan Kroc Community Centers
Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, was one of our nation's greatest philanthropists. While alive, she devoted millions of dollars anonymously to many charities ranging from animal welfare to nuclear disarmament to homelessness. Upon her death in 2003, she bequeathed 1.6 billion dollars to The Salvation Army, earmarked for the purpose of building community centers throughout the United States. The mission of these community centers, both then and now, is to provide underserved communities, from San Diego to Staten Island, with education, opportunity, and inspiration. These buildings have become a sign of hope for their respective communities and have helped to transform the lives of the many people they touch. The McCook Field Neighborhood in Dayton, Ohio will soon become home to one of these inspirational centers.
The McCook Field Neighborhood
The McCook Field neighborhood is located within Old North Dayton, home to 1703 Daytonians, and has been a historical community in Dayton since 1917. Named after a local family who sacrificed seventeen men to serve in the Civil War, this community was once home to the Signal Corps Airplane Engineering Department and part of the industrial boomtown that was Dayton in the early half of the 20th century. McCook Field was actually the homebase for the development and consolidation of new aviation advances for the war effort. For many decades the area flourished due to these endeavors but with the failure of a number of industries in the Dayton area over the last twenty five years, McCook Field has become one of the many economicaly depressed neighborhoods in the area. The challenges the people in this community face as they try to provide a happy life for their families can seem insurmountable.
Kiser Elementary School
Kiser, a preK through 8 school located off of Leo Street in Old North Dayton, is the partner school for the Dayton Kroc Center Program. The vision of Kiser School is to become a "...community of learners where all students learn to the best of their abilities; become responsible citizens; and acquire the knowledge, attributes, and interpersonal skills needed to successfully compete in a global society." The teachers here are preparing these students for a brighter future, a future in which they can interact with society on a multitude of levels, including those that require access to and knowledge of the latest technologies.
The problem for many schools in disadvantaged communities such as this one is not of a lack of ambition or ingenuity, but instead one of a lack of resources. The resources and tools readily available to many more prosperous communities in the area simply haven't found their way here. This leaves these students at a disadvantage, but they are surrounded by a community and school dedicated to "...educating the heart as well as the mind."
The problem for many schools in disadvantaged communities such as this one is not of a lack of ambition or ingenuity, but instead one of a lack of resources. The resources and tools readily available to many more prosperous communities in the area simply haven't found their way here. This leaves these students at a disadvantage, but they are surrounded by a community and school dedicated to "...educating the heart as well as the mind."
Old North Dayton
Old North Dayton is a community rich with history and diversity. This was once home to several distinct ethnic communities, from the German immigrants who came with the first wave of immigration in the late 19th century to the Polish, Lithuanian, and Hungarian workers that would follow in the 1900s. Although many vestiges of this multiethnic community remain, from churches such as the Lithuanian Church of the Holy Cross (established in 1914), to the multitude of Polish, Slovak, and Lithuanian social clubs and restaurants such as the Amber Rose, most community members today claim either African American or Appalachian roots.
