Have you thought about getting into the biz? DWS Drone School, Inc. is here to help! Drone Workforce Solutions, a global drone and virtual reality employment and staffing company, is dedicated to helping small, unmanned aircraft pilots and everyday businesses work together to find innovative solutions. DWS offers customized workshops to all kinds of businesses; from utility companies to real estate companies and now they’re looking to empower Memphians to become future drone pilots!

They’re located at the Agricenter at 7777 Walnut Grove and have been approved by the state’s Higher Education Commission to provide drone pilot training. They’re kicking off their curriculum with three courses on drone training, virtual reality, and even agriculture and forestry. Students who sign on to the drone training course, for example, will learn everything from flying mechanics and aviation safety to all of the aeronautical info needed to become certified and licensed commercial drone pilots. The course also teaches students how to create their own drone businesses, editing, and provides hands-on in-field flight coaching. 

“Our students will receive a top-notch education in drone technology that will help them seize job opportunities in this $100 billion dollar industry,” said DWS President, CEO and General Counsel, Theophilus R. Nix Jr. Jobs. “We intend to start a Tennessee pipeline of talented commercial drone and virtual reality operators to expand these technology sectors and increase sustainable employment for men and women from diverse backgrounds.”

You’ve probably heard how Memphis is one of the best places for entrepreneurship and that our city is an epicenter of culture, business, tech, and so much more. Organizations like DWS are getting Memphians prepared to be a part of the next big developmental wave for many different industries. According to one study, DWS reports, the expansion of commercial drones could add $82 billion in economic value over the next ten years and by 2025 employ an additional 100,000 Americans. With businesses dealing in everything from construction companies and agriculture to law enforcement, media, utilities, infrastructure, cell towers, entertainment, and real estate many industries smartly identifying drones as a key investment to make their operations more efficient and effective, commercial drones are well on the way to being a great addition to our local and national economy.

Want to learn more about DWS and becoming a drone pilot? Be sure to check them out at dwsdroneschool.com!

You may also be interested in: Memphis Art: Best places to see public art in Memphis

The post Fly High, Memphis!: DWS Drone School Courses appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Professional Training:  Starting Your Own Business

Have you every dreamed of starting your own business but may not know where to begin?! In this class, you can learn everything it takes to bring your dream to reality! This class will introduce you to the thinking of an entrepreneur, showing you how to recognize your first opportunity, develop proven marketing tricks, and how to give your new business an online presence and website! This class will also expose you to the world of financing your project, as well as share important aspects of management, and everything you will need to know about running your business efficiently. Discover the secrets to success and find your spot in the business world!

Class Length: 6 Weeks

Cost: $115

Communications: Creating WordPress Websites

Have you ever dreamed of showcasing your creativity on the web, but don’t know the first thing about coding? “Creating Word Press Websites”, is an informative and creative class that will introduce you to the process of crafting a sleek, interesting, and sophisticated blog on the worlds most popular website publishing platform. WordPress is one of the easiest web solutions that will give you the opportunity to learn, execute, and create your own professional website without the additional cost of hiring a web professional by becoming one yourself! 

Course Length: 48 Course Hours

Cost: $199

Math: Algebra

Have you wanted to brush up on your math skills but have had a slightly difficult time understanding how a mathematics system such as Algebra can fit into your life and the world around you? Well, look no further. This continuing education class which focuses on Algebra will introduce you to the usefulness, and understanding the way math is integrated into the real world, and how it relates to subjects like History, geography, biology, and even the humanities. 

This class will teach you a huge variety of math skills that will stoke your desire to understand how math works in the real world, and work through any math problem.  Brush up on your understanding of the Order of operations, algebraic equations, fundamentals of accounting and scientific notation. 

By the end of this class, you will not only have a strong foundation in Algebra, but also a stronger understanding of numbers in your life.

Course Length: 6 Weeks

Cost: $115

Arts: Discover Digital Photography

Do you have a spark for capturing moments on your phone, but don’t quite know how to fully express your talent? Discover Digital Photography is one of the best classes you can take online to fully explore the uses of your Digital camera, in order to expose the timeless photographs, you have only dreamed about taking.

This course will teach you all  of the details about using your DLSR camera, as well as techniques to use your smart phone camera to its highest potential! Learn about the technical aspects of sizing your photographs for online forums, tricks of gathering a following on social media, and even how to properly scan, showcase, and preserve your traditional film photographs.

Course Length: 6 Weeks

Cost: $99

Biology: Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II

Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II is a full spectrum course that explains the mysteries of Nature, the human body, and the way all of the systems of the human body connect to form life. 

This two-part class will share and explain in complex detail how the human body really works, explaining step by step how each physiological system works and connects to each other, from your skin tissue to your circulatory system. The course will also explore the process of generational genetics, showing how traits are passed from generation to generation, how the body fights off disease, and even how your digestion works! This is a fantastic class for anyone who has ever wondered, just how we work, and why we look like our parents!

Course length: 24 Course Hours

Cost: $199

Are you taking any classes right now to further your education or start your dream business? We’d love to hear about it – let us know!

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The post Ongoing Education: Online College Courses to Further Your Knowledge appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Timed to this week’s St. Jude marathon, we are announcing a special collaboration between St. Jude and CodeCrew as one of our final celebrations of A New Century of Soul.

“One of those special things that happens at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is we work with our patients through the medium of art to tell their stories and bring that to life so we have all this amazing creativity, and I’m so excited through the Memphis Brand and the Bicentennial from Memphis that we’re showcasing this, in a whole new way.”

–Emily Callahan, Chief Marketing & Experience Officer, ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Our partner CodeCrew with the innovation team at OSX built this technology whereby you see a physical piece of art and use your phone to experience that art ‘coming to life’ in surprising and delightful ways. 

Imagine looking at a beautiful backdrop, downloading our app, and experiencing the joy of a hummingbird coming to life and interacting with the scene the way the artist wanted you to experience that scene. 

1. First step is to take your phone over your camera scan the QR code, and it will direct you to download the app. You can also go to this [link] or search in your app store forMemphis 200 App.
2. Once you open the app, then the artwork comes to light. Go around town and see these beautiful pieces of art created by St. Jude patients from all over the world and learn a little bit more about their story and also how important it is to have a supportive Memphis community that makes the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital possible.

We’re here to blend art, stories, and technology together and unique and different ways, download the Memphis 200 App today and become a part of a new century soul.

You might also be interested in: Small Businesses To Support in Memphis This Holiday Season 

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What Veterans Have to Offer Growing Businesses

In Memphis, local unemployment rates are at the lowest in 16 years. According to a Bloomberg analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Memphis is one of the top three large U.S. metro areas in job creation. But—and it’s a big one—46% of all employers say they can’t fill open jobs, giving us the highest reported talent shortage in the U.S. in the past decade. And this is despite businesses continuing to increase wage rates in an effort to fill open jobs. While employment growth always sounds like good news, it’s becoming more difficult and expensive. 

Time to spill the tea: every year, over 250,000 veterans leave the armed services to pursue a new life as civilians. Unlike moving to a new base or post, where the military helps them adjust when veterans separate from the military, they have to find new ways to join or create a social community. Beyond the difficulties in finding compatible jobs, it’s tough for veterans to overcome the misperception that their skills are limited to the battlefield. 

Here’s another way to look at the potential contributions veterans could make to the workforce. Joining the military is a commitment, and veterans are likely to bring this same dedication and discipline to a civilian career—if you know how to find and harness these qualities. After all, business owners and entrepreneurs share a very similar sense of purpose, drive, and mission. By offering veterans opportunities and investing in them as team members, you’ll reinforce a positive and supportive culture that also improves your company’s bottom line. 

10 Tips on Hiring Heroes

To take the first steps in solving the Memphis talent shortage and bring an untapped candidate pool into our growing economy, local employers should be aware of the diverse skill sets that veterans possess and know where to find great candidates. Here are 10 tips to get you started filling jobs with qualified vets as well as supporting veterans looking to join the jobs market #getintoit:

1. Expand Your Recruiting Strategy. Start by attending job fairs on military installations, or posting open positions on military job boards. And speaking of job boards, Military.com’s Careers Channel is the perfect place to start. Other sites include HireVetsFirst.gov, TurboTap.org, HelmetstoHardhats.org, and USAJobs.gov. The best part, you can post open positions free of charge! #ballinonabudget
2. Utilize Existing Government and Private Initiatives. A great local resource,  Veterans Community Partners (VCP) is right here in Memphis. Partnered with the Veterans and Military Student Services Department at the University of Memphis, VPS provides an on-site service delivery model that supports veterans and military students with their transition from military to university life and beyond. Other local resources include the TN.Gov and Memphis.va.gov.
3. Offer Job Openings Specifically Tailored to Veterans. Target veterans by including a helpful tool that allows potential candidates to match their military experience to applicable civilian jobs on the career section of your website. By inputting their service branch and military job title, job seekers can then fine-tune their search to find specific opportunities that are most in-line with their personal aspirations and past experiences. Companies across all sectors can use this framework when looking for talent, thereby bridging the gap between military veterans and civilian jobs.
4. Set Veterans (and Your Company) Up for Success. From their time in the Armed Forces, veterans have become adept at translating large-scale goals and directives from supervisors into actionable objectives and day-to-day tasks. To help a veteran apply this same way of thinking to any workplace, managers should be transparent about how individual tasks fit into the bigger picture.  
5. Offer Opportunities for Career Advancement Frequently. Even following the post-9/11 GI Bill, only 39% of all U.S. veterans take advantage of their education benefits. Offering affordable and easy ways to further a veteran’s education through the workplace can make the process less daunting and is a step in the right direction for your business. 
6. Know How to Translate Military Jargon into Civilian Skills. Tell our veterans they’re in the right lane by using them as mentors for new recruits. The mentors can help prospective employees translate military skills into skills that civilian employers will understand. Military.com offers a skills translator that can translate these military skills.  
7. Consider Providing Transportation. Visit the VA volunteer transportation network for information on accepting alternative options for transportation of eligible veterans. Get involved by volunteering your time or the use of your vehicle for veterans in need.
8. Help Fight Homelessness, Eviction, Foreclosure among Veterans. A strong Memphis economy also means rent prices are rising, more than 12% for the average apartment in just the past six months. Unfortunately, vets continue to face foreclosure, eviction, and homelessness. It’s just a reality. To help our heroes, you can also volunteer with the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, donate your time and effort to Homes for Our Troops, or even provide financial assistance to veteran organizations to prevent the eviction of a military family. These programs can help transform lives—and also economies. We need continued leadership, collaboration, commitment, and a sense of urgency from communities across the country, including ours. 
9. Volunteer at Veteran Organizations. Break protocol and encourage your workforce to volunteer with a veteran organization to make a difference. These organizations depend on volunteers to keep costs down. Clerical work, answering phones, organizing, and stepping in to help with menial work can make an enormous difference. 
10. Offer Free Services to Help Vets in Need. Don’t be humble with your skills, whether these are IT skills, tax preparation training, or medical training, you can support veterans by offering your skills free of charge. You will be able to use your knowledge to help veterans who need these skills right now and who may have limited financial resources to pay for this type of assistance. Often these services can be the first step in getting veterans ready to join the workforce. 

The post Programs that Support Veteran Career Development appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Figuring out where you want to go for college can be a really hard decision. Not to mention an expensive one. The good news is that Memphis offers an array of options for everyone. The following list is a simple breakdown of the different institutions Memphis has to offer. 

University of Memphis

The University of Memphis, formerly Memphis State, and informally known as U of M, is a public research university. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 21,000 students and is considered the premier commuter college in our area. Over the last decade the U of M has expanded its footprint in nearly every area including performing arts, technology and sports. 

Recently, the University of Memphis received national recognition as one of the Top 12 Universities in graduating African American students. Notable alumni include NBA all-star Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway who is now the coach of the Men’s basketball program. Best hangs around campus include R.P. Tracks, The Bluff and Brother Juniper’s. For more information, you can visit https://www.memphis.edu/. 

Rhodes College

Rhodes is a national, four-year, private, coeducational, residential college committed to the liberal arts and sciences. With three tiers of priorities, intellectual engagement, service to others, and honor among ourselves, Rhodes campus sits beautifully in the heart of Memphis. Notable alumni include Dixie Carter and Priscilla Presley. Best hangs near campus include Overton Park, Alex’s Tavern, Dino’s Grill and Crosstown Concourse. For more information, you can visit https://www.rhodes.edu.

LeMoyne-Owen College

LeMoyne–Owen College (LOC or simply “LeMoyne”) is a private historically black college located in Soulsville. With the tagline Leadership, Opportunity, Change, LeMoyne-Owen College seeks to provide a transformational experience educating students for urban-focused leadership, scholarship, service and professional careers. LOC’s vision is to be an exemplary historically black college providing an excellent liberal arts education that transforms urban student, institutions and communities. Notable alumni include Benjamin Hooks who led the team of lawyers that defended the LeMoyne and Owen College students arrested during the sit-ins at Memphis public libraries. He was later appointed the first African-American criminal court judge in Tennessee history. Mr. Hooks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bush in 2007. Best hangs around campus include the Four Way Restaurant and STAX. For more information, you can visit https://www.loc.edu/. 

Christian Brothers University 

Christian Brothers University (CBU) is a private Catholic university located in the heart of midtown. From undergraduate to graduate tracks, CBU is consistently rated one of the best Universities in the Southeast and in the nation. It is the oldest collegiate degree-granting institution in the city. Year after year, CBU earns recognition for excellence by some of the best college and university ranking publications. Read more about this year’s rankings in this CBU news story. Notable alumni can be found here. Best hangs around campus include the Cooper Young Historic District, which boasts many restaurants and places to shop. For more information, you can visit http://www.cbu.edu/. 

University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is a public medical school located in the emerging medical district near downtown. It includes the Colleges of Health Professions, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. Since 1911, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has educated nearly 57,000 health care professionals. As of 2010, US News and World Report ranked the College of Pharmacy 17th among American pharmacy schools. Notable alumni can be found here. Best hangs around campus include restaurants and galleries in the medical district. For more information, you can visit http://uthsc.edu/. 

Southwest Community College 

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a public community college. As the product of a merger between two colleges in 2000, the school has two campuses in Memphis and several satellite centers across the city. It is operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents and oftentimes acts as a feeder school to the U of M, UTHSC and CBU. Notable alumni can found here. Best hangs around campus include restaurants and galleries in the medical district. For more information, you can visit http://www.southwest.tn.edu/

Whatever college or university you choose, in the end you are choosing Memphis, and that’s never a bad decision. Welcome! 

Jeff Hulett is a freelance writer, musician, and PR consultant in Memphis. He lives in the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood with his wife Annie, two girls Ella and Beatrice, and two dogs Chalupa and Princess Freckles. 

You might also be interested in: City of Memphis 

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Here are the most important details you need to know:

WHO:

YOU are invited to be part of this incredible event! It is open to anyone, but if you are an educator or a business professional, you are especially encouraged to attend. Come make a lasting impact on the next generation of leaders and innovators in this country who could look back on this night as pivotal in their career.

WHAT:

Pitch Night is the exciting, fast-paced culmination of a 16-week finalist program. It is a fun opportunity for hard-working high school students to showcase the ventures they’ve created to build the future of Memphis. You will be invited to engage with the innovations and the leaders who created them. Vote to select the grand prize winner, and have a direct hand in helping to select thousands of dollars in additional funding for the best student ideas.

Light refreshments will be available.

Even better: Encourage students to use their full potential to change the world.

WHERE:

Join us in the McCallum Ballroom, Bryan Campus Life Center at Rhodes College. Address: 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, 38112

Free parking is available in the Rhodes campus parking lots. There are two lots within a short, one-minute walk to the Bryan Campus Life Center.

Tickets are $10 per person, with all proceeds benefiting the skills development and entrepreneurial ideas of future LITE students.

WHEN:

Thursday, December 6, at 5:30 p.m.

• 5:30 – 6:00: Hear from 27 different students as they share elevator pitches at their booths.
• 6:00 – 7:00: Watch eight finalists pitch on stage for the chance at funding.

WHY:

Because you could inspire a student to dream big  AND improve a city you love. What could be better than that?

LITE has been named one of the five most innovative grassroots organizations driving change in the country by The Renewal Project. Forbes magazine has named it one of the 20 ideas that can change the world. This program has already helped over 2,000 students in Memphis develop and strengthen their entrepreneurial skills.

WHY WAIT?

Get a head start! Between now and Nov. 30 at 11:59 p.m., you are invited to vote for your favorite ideas here. Meet the young innovators and help decide who should pitch on the Pitch Night stage! These students want your vote!

Purchase your tickets here. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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Imagine that after a long job hunt, you’ve landed a position with great benefits. After three months with the company, you attend a benefit enrollment session. The HR representative gives you a heavy packet and says all needed information can be found inside. What would you do if you couldn’t read the information provided? Would you ask for help in a room filled with your coworkers or stay silent? Would you take a guess at the best option hoping it’s the right plan for you and your family?

Basic literacy skills are required to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Think about reading prescription labels, medical paperwork, and job applications. The ability to read and write at a 6th-grade level is a quality of life issue affecting more than 100,000 adults in our community.

The ability to read and write at a 6th-grade level is a quality of life issue affecting more than 100,000 adults in our community.

Now, imagine you’re a 4th grader who reads on a 2nd grade level. You’ve managed to make it this far despite the stress, anxiety, and isolation that often comes with low literacy. What would you do if the language on your standardized test, in your textbook, and your daily worksheet was too difficult to understand? What if your parents also read at a 2nd grade level? Would you become the class clown so everyone would focus on your behavior and not your schoolwork?

76% of 4th graders in Shelby County left 3rd grade without reading on grade level. 3rd grade is the final year students are taught to read. It is assumed and expected that all students are reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Shelby County.

Literacy Mid-South is transforming Grind City into a community engaged in lifelong learning.

Literacy Mid-South provides education resources to children and adults of all ages and backgrounds. They serve as a literacy hub for local nonprofits by providing them with the tools needed to influence literacy education in Memphis. Literacy Mid-South provides a platform for local organizations to collaborate and maximize their impact on the community. They address low literacy through two programs: The Adult Learning Program and Read901.

Literacy Mid-South is the only organization in Memphis providing adult basic education services to the 100,000+ adults reading at or below a 6th-grade level. They have a dedicated team of 250+ trained volunteer tutors facilitating both one-on-one and classroom sessions for over 600 Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning learners. More than 80% of learners have reached their personal and academic goals.

The Adult Learning Program supports learners like Darlene, who dreams of one day becoming a Pharmacy Technician. Darlene always knew she struggled with reading, but never imagined she was on a 3rd grade level until entering the Adult Learning Program. Darlene was matched with a one-on-one tutor and quickly began making progress. She moved up 3 reading levels every year for four years and exited the program reading at a 10th-grade level!

Read901 is a citywide initiative on one of the most important indicators of academic success: grade-level reading by the end of 3rd grade. Read901 combines the strength of community-based organizations, funders, city agencies, and corporations around 3rd grade reading proficiency. Through partnerships with the Boys and Girls Club, Memphis Athletic Ministries, the Refugee Empowerment Program, Streets Ministries, and many others, Read 901 provides out of school time literacy education to over 3,500 students in Shelby County.

Read901 helps partner organizations bridge the gap between student’s current reading levels and their academic success. Without their support, students like 9-year-old old Sandibel would continue to fall behind in school. When Sandibel entered the program, she tested at a very low reading level. She has since made great strides, even surpassing some of the students that entered the program with her. Now, Sanidibel has empowered herself to become an extremely successful reader and wants to be a police officer one day. Her love of reading has also impacted her family. Sandibel reads a bedtime story to her two baby brothers every night! A love of reading like Sandibel’s is contagious, and Literacy Mid-South is helping it spread to every corner of the city.

Want to join Literacy Mid-South in transforming Grind City into a community actively engaged in lifelong learning? Click Here to get involved!

Sign up to participate in the upcoming New Tutor Training Session on November 10th.

Visit their website at www.LiteracyMidSouth.org to learn more or contact the Literacy Mid-South Team.

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Being a future-oriented city means starting early. Building upon the fact that Tennessee has sought to step up the quality and accessibility of STEM education at the primary and secondary levels, Memphis has made some contributions of its own. Indeed, two Shelby County schools—Maxine Smith STEAM Academy and Whitehaven Elementary School—are now designated as STEM schools by the state, while the Memphis Virtual STEM Academy invites talented high-schoolers from around the county to study with teachers who have engineering degrees and access to laboratory facilities.

Efforts such as these are designed to make the transition to college-level STEM studies a smooth one, but there is also a need to facilitate the move from college to the working world. With this in mind, the University of Memphis partnered with the National Science Foundation to create MemphiSTEM, a program that offers STEM majors academic support, provides research and networking opportunities, helps students remain in rigorous majors and works to ensure that such students graduate with job prospects in hand.

Manufacturing, logistics and shipping have always been a core focus of port city economics, which is something the Tennessee and Egyptian iterations of Memphis have in common. With an increasingly automated manufacturing sector to contend with, the Bluff City’s workforce will need new engineers and analysts to keep up with today’s need for efficiency. What’s more, businesses following the lead of nationwide and even global companies that have established hubs in Memphis will need STEM majors’ assistance to meet logistical and technological challenges with elegant and innovative solutions.

If you’re looking for a STEM-related job in Memphis, chances are good that someone’s looking for you—and if you’re interested in earning a STEM degree, Memphis is a great place to do it.

You might also be interested in: Discover Memphis’ Cooper-Young Beerfest

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FedEx is offering free tuition for Memphis-based employees to earn an online degree from the University of Memphis. The partnership will also allow employees who lack a high school diploma to earn a high school-equivalent degree. According to the University of Memphis, about 11,000 employees will be eligible to take advantage of free tuition inspired by FedEx (LiFE) program. The online program will be a big help to Memphis-based FedEx employees as the university offers 60 graduate and undergraduate degree programs online.

For more information regarding this story, click here!

You might also be interested in: Memphis is transforming STEM education and workforce opportunities!

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Fortunately, businesses can’t pay to be included on Expertise.com, which means you can trust the site’s findings. This independent company researches more than 100 business categories in approximately 1,000 cities across the U.S, using criteria such as:

• Availability: Consistently approachable and reachable
• Credibility: Accreditation, awards, licensing
• Experience: A history of practical experience and education
• Professionalism: Respected locally for honesty and reliability
• Reputation: A history of good service

It’s all about art

Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.
-Edgar Degas

Human beings across time and place have created art for a variety of reasons—to express ourselves; to help others understand what we see, hear and feel; to validate who we are to ourselves and more. Whether this takes the form of acting, ceramics, textiles or watercolors, nurturing and developing an artistic passion is important, but it can be tricky to know where to start.

That’s where we come in. Check out this list of 10 establishments helping artistically inclined residents find and recreate the beauty of Memphis:

1. Art Interior Murals & Design: Commercial and residential decorating, as well as private/semi-private art lessons
2. Broad Strokes: Furniture decor creation classes and workshops
3. Collierville Arts Academy: Fine arts, martial arts, performing (acting/modeling) arts programs
4. Fine Art from Anne Enochs: Drawing/advanced painting classes, private lessons
5. Flicker Street Studio: Drawing, oil/acrylic/encaustic painting and watercolor classes and workshops
6. John Helms Gallery: Gallery and painting classes, including classes for adults and beginners
7. Mery Pera: Beginner through advanced classes and events
8. Pitter Potter Studio: Paint-your-own pottery parties and events
9. The Art Project: Classes for kids in-studio or outside, art camps, adult workshops, events
10. The Shorty Gul Art Shop: Drawing, arts and crafts, textiles, glassware/pottery/ceramics, furniture, traditional and digital art classes

Photo Credit: Pitter Potter Studio Facebook

Looking for more stories on what makes Memphis great?

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Stunning and breathtaking. The talent and poise of @collagedance always inspires us. Follow their page to see how these diverse Memphians showcase the beauty of ballet and dance. ——— : @collagedance ——– Want to be featured on our page? DM us! #BringYourSoul #WeAreMemphis

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“Memphis Heritage Trail will be another great addition to our city as we educate and celebrate our rich cultural history,” the mayor said, and you’ll get no argument from us! The trail and the simultaneously-launched Memphis Heritage Trail app make it easier than ever to find historically significant and culturally rich sites in Memphis—of which there are many.

Heritage and history

One of the greatest (and most overdue) accomplishments of the Memphis Heritage Trail is the fact that it highlights African-American history and achievement. From the National Civil Rights Museum and the Blues Hall of Fame to the Clayborn Temple and the historic Mulberry Street shotgun houses, examples of the city’s African-American history are at the heart of the Memphis Heritage Trail.

The trail is a great way for Memphians to connect with our shared history, but it’s also more than that. This ongoing revitalization project will renovate existing structures and attract tourists to the area, all while revitalizing historically rich yet often-underserved parts of the city. As Felicia Harris, manager of planning and development for the trail, explained, “It’s about educating our future, our children, and our residents and our visitors alike about all the beautiful assets that Memphis has to offer.”

Exploring the trail

To start exploring the Memphis Heritage Trail, be sure to download the app, which makes it easy to find your way to historic sites across the city. There’s also an online map on the trail’s official website and, for those who are less technologically inclined, a printable driving brochure is available as well. After you set off, you’ll see wayfinding signage, beacon technology, art installations and historical markers along the trail, many of which provide historical information in addition to pointing the way.

Keep in mind that the Memphis Heritage Trail is a work in progress with two of the four planned trail loops currently open. The Civil Rights Loop and the Entertainment Loop are each about 2 miles long and include nearly 30 historic sites. Of course, there are many more miles and sites to come as progress on the trail continues.

To learn more about the Memphis Heritage Trail, download the app today and start exploring! The trail offers everyone from visiting tourists to longtime Memphis residents the chance to connect with the city’s rich cultural history in a deeper way than ever before.

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The post A Memphis-based app that teaches the history of the city is live! appeared first on We Are Memphis.

For starters, you have access to countless Memphis startups, businesses and entrepreneurs—not to mention big corporations with Memphis headquarters—all of which are eager to connect with hard workers who have big ideas straight out of college. Second, there are a lot of prestigious Memphis colleges and universities that look pretty darn good on a resume. Whether you’ve just graduated from any one of our more than 10 colleges and universities, these tips will come in handy as you head out on your job hunt.

1. Start early: If you wait until after graduation to start your job search, you’re already late. Many college students start networking with faculty members, lining up internships, taking leadership roles in campus organizations and attending club events as early as freshman year. It sounds crazy, but these are competitive times—get an early start or risk getting left behind.
2. Focus on what you’ve learned: Employers like to see candidates with experience, but as you’re no doubt aware, it’s hard to show experience when you’re looking for your first real job. If you don’t have a long employment history, focus instead on your life experiences. What have they taught you? How would you apply those lessons to a new job? How did they make you a better, more well-rounded person? If you can answer these questions with conviction, you’ll impress most employers more than you would by simply reciting a laundry list of previous jobs.
3. Polish up your social media presence: When it comes to social media, there are two things you should keep in mind. One, it offers a great opportunity to show off your professional skills, network and connect with people who can help you in your budding career. Two, if your mom has a Facebook page, chances are your future boss does too, so be careful what you post.
4. Learn to budget: Your college days are behind you now, and so is the “work-hard-play-hard” ethos that came with them. It’s easy to see your first real pay check as your ticket to new clothes and nights out at the bar, but that attitude is a great recipe for a hangover and an empty wallet. Landing a job requires focus, and staying out of debt requires learning how to manage your money. After all, that first job might not last forever.
5. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams”: Although it’s been a while since Henry David Thoreau penned that famous quote, it’s stood the test of time. Even as it becomes more difficult to secure the type of safe, permanent job that defined past generations, there’s never been a better time to start your own business and follow your own unique vision. Decide what you want and go after it.

Memphis has a reputation as the best city for startups, a friendly place for businesses, and a city that supports arts, music and all things creative. If you’ve just graduated from college and are working on figuring out your next move, you couldn’t have a better launch pad. We wish you the best of luck!

Looking for even more job opportunities? Check this out!

You might also be interested in: Memphis-Based App Teaches the History of the City You Live In!

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McKissick, now age 79, is a Memphian through and through. A native of North Memphis, she graduated from Douglass High School and received her teacher training through her years studying at historically black LeMoyne-Owen College and the University of Memphis, then known as Memphis State.

Like McKissick’s teaching career, Georgia Avenue, which closed several years ago, was brand new in 1960. McKissick, who comes from a family of teachers, entered the classroom with tremendous enthusiasm and passion for education.

But she also felt a strong sense of duty to nurture and provide a safe space for the children entrusted to her care each day, particularly during a time of tremendous upheaval in Memphis.

In 1968, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. traveled to Memphis to support the sanitation workers’ struggle for equal pay and safer working conditions, McKissick was teaching at Lincoln Junior High, located in an impoverished African American community.  All 800 students at the school were black, as were all faculty members, except for four white teachers.

“The kids did know, in a sense, what was happening, but they weren’t as aware because they didn’t have television — we didn’t have that much news,” said McKissick, who taught at Lincoln for 14 years. “There was not a lot of discussion around it, but we knew something was going to happen for the sanitation workers.”

McKissick had first-hand insight into developments in the community because of her father’s involvement in the civil rights movement.

“He wanted us to be part of the movement, as he was when he was a Firestone worker,” she said. “We watched him create changes there at Firestone. He’s the one who integrated the cafeteria there.” There were eight kids in my family, and we were aware of the struggles – the segregation and everything that was going on, maybe more so than other young people because of our dad.”

McKissick said civil unrest spread throughout the community, and the NAACP began organizing Black Monday boycotts against Memphis City Schools. Students and teachers throughout the city protested inequality in the classroom by boycotting schools on Mondays, and black workers from various sectors across the city joined them in a show of solidarity.

“We started to have turmoil throughout the communities,” she said. “On Black Mondays, teachers and staff members were encouraged to stay away from school to honor what was going on at that time.”

McKissick, however, remained at Lincoln on Mondays for children who needed a safe space.

“I did not stay away,” she said. “I would go to school but still honor what was going on…I felt I needed to be at school with my kids because I knew they were fearful, and they felt safe at school. Our school didn’t have many kids who were absent during those turbulent times because a lot of our teachers were at school. It was scary, but we assured them we were there to keep them safe.”

On April 4, 1968, McKissick learned through a radio broadcast that Dr. King had been assassinated at the Lorraine Motel.

“We were stunned that it happened,” she said. “The children had questions about why it happened and what was going on, and we tried to get them to understand that things were changing, as Dr. King had talked about in his speeches. Change had to come, but he wanted things to be peaceful. And we told them we wanted everything to be peaceful at school.”

During her 58 years in Memphis’ public schools, McKissick has witnessed more change than any other educator in the city – from segregation to integration to re-segregation.

“Things have changed quite a bit — from bussing kids from their communities to other places in an attempt to bring about some equality in education so they can all be prepared for the future. For some it worked well, while others found themselves back in their previous situation, in the re-segregation of schools, because many white kids did not attend those schools.”

Today, McKissick is principal of Avon Lenox High School, where she works with young adults with special needs.

“I love what I do and believe I made a difference in the lives of a lot of kids. I would say to young educators that there is hope. We have a lot of work to do. It’s our responsibility to prepare our children.”

You may also be interested in: 3 Young Civic Leaders Cultivating an Ecosystem of Impact in Memphis

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One of the many areas affected by institutional racism was education, and we still see the consequences in our school systems across the country today through segregated schools and barriers to education. The aftermath of school segregation has been linked as a cause of an educational gap. Now, Memphis is driving innovation through a variety of non-profits and initiatives that work to close this gap and make quality education a reality for all students.

Fast Facts

• The city of Memphis has presented a plan to potentially pump $6,000,000 into Shelby County pre-kindergarten programs, using funds from property tax revenue without further affecting taxpayers. If approved by the city council, this effort would work towards increasing the accessibility of pre-k for an estimated 1,500 more students.
• Tennessee is also allocating $30 million this year to promote summer-reading programs across the state, which also aims to increase literacy proficiency in young students. Memphis students will directly benefit from the summer reading and pre-k program funding.
• Along with increasing this budget, by 2022 Memphis is planning to raise the full-time hourly wage for school employees to $15 an hour. These policy changes will help schools provide a more stable foundation for children entering pre-k and for the staff and employees of the schools.
• In a recent report by the University of Memphis, researchers write, “It is important to note that greater levels of education appear to be associated with lower poverty rates particularly among the overall population. It is interesting to note that greater high school completion seems to have a dramatic impact on African American poverty rates.”

Memphis is home to countless educational innovators, with over 4,000 charitable organizations dedicated to ending poverty by promoting educational success for underprivileged students.

“The function of education is to teach one to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of education.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Innovators

The local organization, CodeCrew provides tech literacy for children around the city, furthering diversity within technological fields. CodeCrew strives to ensure that through developmental learning, students have access to technological education on digital systems and software. This education is essential to prepare students for higher academic careers and making sure they are well equipped with modern skills for high paying, high demand jobs (coding, software developers,etc.). CodeCrew holds several after-school programs, summer camps, three in-school elective programs, and special events throughout the year.

Along with CodeCrew, LITE Memphis works in Shelby County Schools to promote the furthering of education. Their vision is for African American and Latinx students to close the racial wealth gap by becoming entrepreneurs and securing high-wage jobs. LITE Memphis begins their program by taking students into a 6-month entrepreneurship program to develop ideas, places students into paid internships, and then helps students inculcate financial success in their communities through entrepreneurship. The organization’s statistics show 2,000 youths empowered through entrepreneurship, $112,000 invested in small business growth, and that over 90% of students have launched entrepreneurial projects since 2014.

Organizations in Memphis like CodeCrew and LITE Memphis are dedicated to disrupting the achievement gap through innovative, modern approaches. Other non-profits working to close the achievement gap in Memphis include The Memphis Lift, Memphis Education Fund, New Leaders for New Schools, Stand for Children, and many more. It is easy to lose hope and become discouraged when staring at the hard truth of injustice, but the soul Memphis and the vision of Dr. King will never be lost, forever paving a path of light across our world.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Somewhere we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of dedicated individuals.” Memphis is filled to the brim with persistent and dedicated individuals – and we thank them for their work as keepers of Dr. King’s dream.

You might also be interested in: The Future of Memphis: How Innovators are Reshaping City Planning

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