October 28, 2011-January 29, 2012

Press Preview, Thursday October 27

BROOKLYN, N.Y., July 8, 2011 — The Brooklyn Museum will present the first wide-ranging exploration of American art from the decade whose beginning and end were marked by the aftermath of World War I and the onset of the Great Depression. Youth and Beauty: Art of the American Twenties, which includes some 138 paintings, sculptures, and photographs by 67 artists, will be on view from October 28, 2011 through January 29, 2012 prior to a national tour.

American life was dramatically transformed in the years following the Great War, as urbanization, industrialization, mechanization, and rampant materialism altered the environment and the way people lived. American artists responded to this dizzying modern world with works that embraced a new brand of idealized realism to evoke a seemingly perfect modern world. The twenties saw a vigorous renewal of figurative art that melded uninhibited body-consciousness with classical ideals.

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Studies show that students lose months of reading and math skills over summer vacation. That knowledge loss adds up — especially for children of low-income families — but it can be mitigated by keeping students engaged all year long.

NEAL CONAN, host: This is TALK OF THE NATION. I’m Neal Conan in Washington. School’s out, and many children have traded schoolbooks for swimsuits. When these students return to school come the fall, many will have lost some of their reading and math skills.

Some argue that’s no big deal. Kids need time to recharge and just be kids. Still, studies show that those losses can add up and have lasting effects, especially for students in low-income families, who may not have access to libraries, museums or Internet over the summer vacation.

We want to hear from teachers today. If you have a traditional school year, how bad is it when kids come back in the fall? And parents, what do you do to keep minds engaged over the summer? Give us a call, 800-989-8255. Email us, talk@npr.org. You can also join the conversation on our website. Tha

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Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Amherst Systems business unit has announced the winners of its fourth annual Northrop Grumman Engineering Scholars program, which awards two $10,000 college scholarships payable in $2,500 installments over four years to local area high school students interested in pursuing a career in engineering.

“Northrop Grumman is committed to providing support for math and science education in our local communities,” said Joe Downie, interim president of Northrop Grumman’s Amherst Systems business unit. “Through this scholarship program, we are helping promising young adults interested in engineering careers achieve their goals.”

To be eligible for the Engineering Scholars program, applicants had to be residents of Erie or Niagara counties, graduating seniors in the spring of 2011 from a public or accredited private high school, and attain established SAT and grade point average requirements. Candidates must be planning to attend an accredited college or university as a full-time student in an approved engineering program.

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Students in Broward and Palm Beach counties earned average scores on the new Algebra 1 exam, state officials announced Wednesday. See the results.

Broward students, as a group, earned a 51 on a scale score of 20-80, with 40 percent of students in the high range. In Palm Beach County, the district score was 50, with 38 percent of students in the high end of the scale.

A 50 was considered average on the scale.

The test, which replaced the ninth-grade math FCAT, is the first standardized end-of-course exam to be debuted by the state in its multi-year effort to ramp up graduation requirements.

Passing an Algebra I course has been a graduation requirement in Florida for years. This year, scores on the new algebra test count for 30 percent of a ninth-grader’s final course grade.

State officials warned that scores on the new test would likely be low the first year.

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As part of its seventh annual Engineering Scholars program, Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced the two graduating students in the greater Rolling Meadows community who will be awarded $10,000 college scholarships payable in $2,500 installments over four years.

Kevin Cascino from Saint Viator High School and Bryan Filippelli from Rolling Meadows High School both received the merit-based scholarship for their excellent academic achievement and community involvement. This fall Cascino will attend the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and Filippelli will attend Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.

“Northrop Grumman recognizes the United States’ need for engineering talent both today and in the future,” said Jeff Palombo, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s Land and Self Protection Systems Division.

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MILWAUKEE, June 30, 2011 — The Milwaukee Art Museum will host a panel discussion on contemporary art and political topics on Thursday, July 7 at 6:15 p.m. in Lubar Auditorium.

Join Melissa Chiu from the Asia Society, New York, Barrett McCormick from Marquette University, and Kathryn Kanjo from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, among other panelists, as they discuss issues surrounding art and politics, including the recent detention and release of contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

“It is part of our mission to educate and inspire the community, and we l it is our role to foster dialogue around all art-related issues, including contemporary art,” said Daniel Keegan, director of the Milwaukee Art Museum. “I encourage people to come and participate in the discussion.”

“Ai Weiwei: The Collision of Art and Politics” is free to the public, and falls on Target Free First Thursday, when admission to the Museum is free for individuals.

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