The UNCF Empower Me Tour Presented by Wells Fargo, a free, traveling college-and career-readiness road show, will make its second tour stop on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at Dunwoody College of Technology located at 818 Dunwoody Boulevard, in Minneapolis, MN. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the UNCF Empower Me Tour was created in partnership with Wells Fargo to prepare students to go to and through college and inspire them to take control of their future by using education as the foundation for achieving their goals and dreams.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced the award of $9 million for 38 grants to institutions of higher education to train educators to improve the services and results for children with disabilities. In Minnesota, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, was awarded $224,425 to train personnel to serve school age children with low incidence disabilities.

Every election Kids Voting Minneapolis provides an authentic voting experience to Minneapolis K-12 students. Students go to polling places—the same buildings where adults vote—and cast their own ballots that include many of the same offices and issues on which adults are voting. They put their ballot in the box and receive an "I Voted" sticker.

The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Chapter of The Links, Incorporated (The Links) this week launched Links to Success...an African American Leadership Experience, a new program providing innovative and engaging leadership development and college preparation curriculum, mentoring, and exposure to academically high performing girls. The new initiative follows last year's suspension of the Links' Debutante Cotillion Program for the 2011-12 school year. According to The Links President, Marcia Norman Murray, when the Debutant Cotillion was suspended, the organization "committed to come back with a new youth program to recognize high achievers. We believe Links to Success will be that program."

As students enter a new school year, the nonprofit program College Possible is engaging in another year of helping low-income students earn admission to – and succeed in college.

Good in the 'Hood, a Minneapolis-based charity and community enablement organization, announced their latest venture with Normandale Community College. The program is called Campus Cupboard and is designed to serve school families in need.