“For the past 150 years, we’ve been tinkering with education,” said Scott Himelstein, director of the Center for Education Policy & Law at University of San Diego. “We haven’t evolved … but we’re reaching a tipping point. Things can’t stay the same.”

Education-related issues can spark heated debate – I saw that firsthand at a recent LEAD San Diego IMPACT program in which Himelstein spoke.  The cohort also heard from Sally J. Bennett-Schmidt, director of assessment at the San Diego County Office of Education, who made it clear there is a problem: only 60 percent of students (grades 2-11) are meeting state standards in English and only 56 percent are meeting the standards in mathematics.  Further, barely 40 percent of San Diego County students graduated with the requirements to enter into the University of California or California State University system. These students don’t even have a choice as to whether to go to a UC or CSU school because they don’t meet the requirements. Sixteen percent dropout altogether, and minority populations are at greater risk.

“We are not satisfied with these data,” said Bennett-Schmidt. “Everyone of these students has a face, and their parents are sending them to us with expectations.”

While getting agreement on the causes of our problems in the educational system or  solutions for the future is a daunting task, most people agree that something has to be done.

“At the end of the day, a strong public school system is something just about everybody wants,” said Richard Barrera, board president, San Diego Unified School District.

So how do we get there? What can we – as business men and women, civic-minded individuals, parents, employers and human beings – do? Putting politics aside, there are a few things that are not debated:

• Speak up – don’t let education be somebody else’s problem. This is your education system too.
• Organize with others – parents, teachers, administrators and others should collaborate and work toward solutions. Strong communities make a difference.
• Become involved with your school board – can you name people who sit on your local school board? Most people can’t. Learn about and get involved with your local school board.
• Be accountable – while it’s easy to play the blame game, we all play a role. Do your part to make a difference.
• Invest in our schools – An “investment” doesn’t always mean money. It can also mean investing your time, energy and other resources. For those looking to get involved through volunteerism, the Union-Tribune (client) Volunteer for Education Campaign aims to mobilize, challenge and recruit San Diego County residents to pledge to volunteer in K-12 schools throughout the 2011-12 school year.

Creating an education system that allows our kids and kids’ kids to be successful – regardless of race, background or socio-economic status – is not only the right thing to do, but our future also depends on it.

Teresa Siles (@tsiles) is vice president and director of social media at Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, a full-service public relations firm in San Diego focused on creating conversations and building relationships to help clients succeed.

As an extension of the conversations started at Wine Wednesday, we will be answering your burning social media questions on a regular basis. Got a question for us? Feel free to leave it in the comments below, send us an email or post it on our Facebook wall. Be sure to check back soon, because your question could be the next one we answer.

Bonnie asked the following question: How do you attract followers on Facebook without spending money on Facebook ads?

Answer: Many organizations are looking for ways to gain traction in social media with limited resources. In NST’s experience, purchasing Facebook ads can be a relatively low-cost way of gaining fans, but it is by no means the only way to up your number of followers.

Start by placing the link to your Facebook page on all of your organization’s communications platforms, both online and offline. Include it in email correspondence; place it on your website’s homepage and any other place your existing fan base is likely to see. Don’t forget the effects word-of-mouth can have – tell all employees, volunteers, and friends and family to spread the word, too.

It’s also important for your brand page to follow other pages – think of who your key stakeholders or gatekeepers are and have your brand page “like” them on Facebook. By engaging with pages that have a following similar to the fans you desire, you’ll be more likely to get some crossover “likes” on your page.

Offer Facebook-only specials, deals or promotions to your Facebook fans – like a coupon, discount code or important information – highlight that on your custom landing page. Give potential fans an incentive to “like” your brand’s page, and you’ll likely see an increase in your followers.

Lastly, remember to be strategic and consistent in your Facebook posting. Your existing and potential fans will want to see that they receive access to valuable content by visiting your page. Post updates regularly and engage with fans to keep them interested in what you have to say. What information do your fans like? Review your Facebook page analytics on a regular basis to find out what content gets the most likes and comments. This will help guide the content on your page so you are posting engaging information your followers want to read.

The NST team will be traveling “over the river and through the woods” to visit our family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. While we will be spending this time with each of our personal friends and family, we want to pause for a moment and give thanks to the friends and partners of NST.

We are lucky to work with so many wonderful and caring organizations on a daily basis, including our clients, community and industry partners, media partners, and people we simply call our friends. Collectively, these groups give each of us a reason to come to work every day with a smile on our face.

From our Thanksgiving table to yours, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s hard to believe, but one tiny bug is capable of wiping out California’s $1.8 billion citrus industry. The aphid-like insect is called the Asian citrus psyllid and it can carry a disease that kills citrus trees. There is no cure for the disease, and once a tree becomes infected, it will produce bitter, inedible fruit and eventually die.

Three years ago, members of our state’s citrus industry called on Nuffer, Smith, Tucker to help stop this pest from wiping out California’s beloved citrus trees. The goal was simple: convince homeowners to go outside and inspect their backyard trees for this pest, and report any possible finds to agriculture officials.

Ted Batkin, president of the California Citrus Research Board and NST client, and Kerry Tucker, who has a long history of being involved in strategic planning for the agriculture industry through Food Foresight, recently bylined an article for the agriculture industry publication The Packer. The article explains the approach Nuffer, Smith, Tucker took in combating this issue. Here is a recap of NST’s activities and results:

First we conducted qualitative research to identify the emotional drivers that would help us craft key messages, which led to the formation of a “death sentence” messaging strategy that would resonate with homeowners. Then, NST developed a comprehensive outreach plan that included a combination of broad-reaching tactics and hyperlocal activities in areas where the Asian citrus psyllid has been found.

Recent statewide media tours reached an audience of more than 1.3 million. Another 39.4 million impressions were earned through public service announcements, and radio and traffic spots aired throughout the Southern California region. The message is making its way to homeowners. With continued outreach, we can help save California citrus from a dangerous pest.

Read Tucker’s full article to get a more in-depth look at the strategies involved in raising awareness of the Asian citrus psyllid, and learn more about the pest by visiting CaliforniaCitrusThreat.org.

LEAD President and CEO Vicky Carlson has called the IMPACT program an “MBA in San Diego,” – on Oct. 20 the cohort got its first official course and it was on the green economy.

While we didn’t become experts in one day, we certainly learned a lot about what the “green economy” really means and the role we play in the future of a green San Diego. While many people tie the green economy to global warning, Reo Carr, editor in chief at the San Diego Business Journal, who served as the day’s moderator, challenged this notion.

“Whether global warming exists is irrelevant to our considerations … to link the green economy to global warming is a huge mistake,” said Carr. He argued that being “green” is about much more than global warming. It’s about the impacts on our environment that we see every day. Carr said that people are moved by what they see on a local level.

Things like plastic bottles washed on the shores of our beaches and the San Diego riverbed fouled with pollution are examples of negative impacts on our environment that can’t be ignored. Unlike global warning, you can see these physical manifestations, and they impact what our future looks like.

“The green economy will become as fundamental as any industry we know today,” said Carr.

So what does that mean for me and my IMPACT cohorts? Does that mean we should abandon our fields and jump on the “green” bandwagon? Not so, but there are implications for all of us. In fact, Jim Waring, co-founder of CleanTECH San Diego says every business can be a “green” business.

“I don’t care what you do. It’s about being the best you can be with your resources,” said Waring. “It’s about doing more with less, and it’s in the best interest of the world.”

Some argue that at its most basic level, being “green” is about just that – doing more with less. But in San Diego, we are doing more than the status quo. We are putting our stake in the ground as being a recognized leader in green technology. But are we ready?

“We need to develop our competitiveness,” said Chuck Flack, research director for the San Diego Workforce Partnership. “There is excitement around ‘green,’ but do we have the workforce needed?” The answer isn’t simple. While there are certainly individuals, organizations, educational institutions and businesses dedicated to improving the green skill set of our workforce, there is still work to be done. It’s an evolving process that has no end.

The takeaway for leaders: we all play a role, not only in doing our respective parts to use resources more wisely as individuals and within our respective organizations, but also to ensure the workforce is equipped with the green skill set needed now and in the future.

Teresa Siles (@tsiles) is vice president and director of social media at Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, a full-service public relations firm in San Diego focused on creating conversations and building relationships to help clients succeed.