COLUMBIA, S.C., April 16 -- The South Carolina Education Oversight Committee issued the following press release: Today's release of the 2009 School and District Report Cards provides little evidence that improved student academic performance in South Carolina Schools is occurring at an acceptable rate. While 373 (32 percent) of schools earned an Absolute rating of Excellent or Good in 2009, much of the results in the release are troubling. * Average student performance, as measured by inde  more

AUSTIN, Texas, April 15 -- The University of Texas issued the following news release: "Sixty Years of Integration: Civil Rights Then and Now" is the theme of this year's Heman Sweatt Symposium on Civil Rights to be held April 22-23 at various locations on The University of Texas at Austin campus. It is the 24th such symposium held in honor of Heman Sweatt, the first African American admitted to the university's School of Law. The Supreme Court ruling that allowed Sweatt to enter the law sc  more

CONWAY, S.C., April 16 -- Coastal Carolina University issued the following news release: The Coastal Inspirational Ambassadors, Coastal Carolina University's student gospel choir, will host a Gospel Extravaganza at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 25 in Kimbel Arena/Williams-Brice Recreation Center. The event is free and open to the public. Other groups scheduled to perform include Francis Marion University's Young Gifted and Black, Furman University's Gospel Ensemble and others. Performances  more

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 16 -- The South Carolina Educational Television Network issued the following news release: Throughout the month of May, ETV explores the diverse terrain of arts and culture with a stellar lineup of arts-related programs. The first in the series of special programming is Your Day on the Road: Exploring the Arts. Airing on Sunday, May 2 at 1 p.m., the program takes a look at the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor Region I Art Trail. ETV spotlights the resident ar  more

LEWISTON, Maine, April 16 -- Bates College issued the following news release: As Bates College begins a yearlong celebration of the 25th anniversary of its Edmund S. Muskie Archives, two panel discussions in May examine topics close to the late U.S. Sen. Muskie and to the college itself. Muskie, a member of the college's class of 1936, was a Maine governor, U.S. senator and U.S. secretary of state whose achievements included landmark environmental legislation. The changing meanings of Eart  more

WASHINGTON, April 15 -- Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y. (10th CD), issued the following news release: U.S. Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns (NY-10) released the following statement today on the passing of Dr. Benjamin Hooks, former executive director of the NAACP and longtime civil rights leader: "It is with a heavy heart I pause to remember the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks. "A pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Hooks fought for more than half a century to open doors   more

BOONE, N.C., April 16 -- Appalachian State University issued the following news release: Ground-penetrating radar and an electrical resistivity system are being used to confirm the location of African-American graves in the Boone Cemetery. The cemetery, located just south of Hardin Street and adjacent to the Appalachian State University campus, is divided into two sections, locally referred to as the "white" (east) and "black" (west) sections. The west section is the larger and contains h  more

ORLANDO, Fla., April 16 -- Central Florida Community College issued the following news release: "Southern Journeys: African-American Artists of the South," "Florida Journeys: African-American Artists from the Sunshine State" and "American Masters from the Private Collection of John and Jean Wilkinson" are three temporary fine art exhibitions open during May at the Appleton Museum of Art of Central Florida Community College. Other special programs include folk singers Sparky and Rhonda Rucker   more

LARAMIE, Wyo., April 16 -- The University of Wyoming issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi and Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal will be among speakers during University of Wyoming commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday, May 7-8. Ceremonies for the individual colleges are scheduled Saturday, May 8; College of Law ceremonies will be held Saturday, May 15; and UW/Casper College Center ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday, May 13. UW is scheduled to accord degrees upon m  more

BETHLEHEM, Pa., April 15 -- Moravian College issued the following news release: The Moravian College Women's Chorus, under the direction of Eduardo M. Azzati, will perform a concert of sacred and secular music by American composers on Saturday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Foy Concert Hall. The main course of the secular portion of the program will be the Winter Cantata Op. 97 (Cantata No 2) for Women's Chorus, flute and marimba by Philadelphian Vincent Persichetti, one of the most prolific Am  more