Jonah Edelman facts for kids

Jonah Edelman (born October 9, 1970) is an American who works to make public education better for all kids. He helped start and now leads an organization called Stand for Children. This group helps students across the United States, with offices in many states.

His Early Life and Studies

Jonah Edelman grew up in Washington, D.C.. His parents are famous for helping people. His mom, Marian Wright Edelman, was a civil rights leader. She worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and started the Children’s Defense Fund. His dad, Peter Edelman, also helped people in government. Jonah's brother, Ezra Edelman, is a filmmaker.

Jonah went to Yale University and earned a degree in history. While at Yale, he received the Alpheus Henry Snow Prize. He then studied at Balliol College, Oxford in England, thanks to a special Rhodes Scholarship. He earned two advanced degrees there, focusing on politics.

A big moment for Jonah happened during his first year at Yale. He volunteered to help a six-year-old boy named Daniel Zayas learn to read. This experience made Jonah realize how important it was to help children get a good education.

Jonah Edelman is married to Charese Rohny. They have twin sons and live in Portland, Oregon.

Stand for Children Organization

Jonah Edelman helped organize a huge event called "Stand for Children Day" on June 1, 1996. About 300,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.. It was the biggest rally ever held in the U.S. to support children. Many important speakers, including Jonah's mom, spoke at the event.

The very next day, Jonah Edelman and Eliza Leighton started Stand for Children. They wanted to create an ongoing group to keep helping kids. More "Stand for Children" events happened in 1997 and 1998 across the country.

What Stand for Children Does

Stand for Children works to make sure all students get a great education. They especially focus on kids who might be overlooked because of their skin color, where they live, their first language, or if they have a disability.

The group's main goals are:

• Helping more students graduate from high school.
• Preparing students for college and careers.
• Improving reading skills for students from low-income families.
• Making sure schools have fair and enough funding.

Successes and Programs

Over the years, Stand for Children has helped pass many laws that benefit students. They have also created programs to boost academic success.

For example, in Oregon, they helped pass a law called Measure 98. This law provides millions of dollars to schools. It helps schools offer programs that stop students from dropping out. It also supports career training and college courses.

In Washington state, Stand for Children helped pass a law about Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This law helps make sure all students have a fair chance to take challenging AP classes. They also played a big part in getting funding for full-day kindergarten in Colorado in 2019.

In 2017, Stand for Children started the Center for High School Success. This center works with school districts in different states. It gives teachers and schools resources and training. This helps more ninth-grade students stay on track to graduate.

Awards and Recognitions

• 1992: Rhodes Scholarship
• 1992: Alpheus Henry Snow Prize, Yale University
• 2005: Hunt Alternatives Fund Prime Mover
• 2007: Ashoka Fellow