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2001 Newsletter
November, 2001
Dear Friends,
With all of the world facing such troubled times, we are grateful for the commitment of those, like you, who make our work possible. Our work – cultivating the capabilities of children whose talents go unrecognized and assuring them a hopeful future where they can make meaningful contributions – seems especially important this year. As we are reminded how each and every single person in the world does make a difference to all, it is critical to reach out to those children who are traditionally left out and left behind too early in their young lives. We need to nurture a culture in our schools that promotes genuine appreciation for differences and respect for all – especially for those who are having difficulty. More than ever, we need models and examples of how to reach every child in school.
We are also thankful to have the circle of support and caring that the Graduate Certificate Program has provided. This September, our second group (twenty-five kindergarten through second grade NYC public school teachers) began their studies (including after-school, evening, and summer classes) in the Ennis William Cosby Graduate Certificate Program at Fordham University Graduate School of Education. With the addition of this new group of scholars, the program will be reaching and helping over 1,000 New York City children this year. Our first group of twenty scholars will receive their Certificates in January 2002.
We are excited to report that the children who participated in the lab tutorial program with the Cosby Scholars benefited demonstrably from their experience. Initially, there was a significant difference in the reading and spelling scores of the selected (at risk) and unselected children. Over the course of the year, many of the "at risk" children caught up with untutored peers!
Most exciting, of course, are the changes of attitudes and growth in the skills of our Cosby Scholars. We would like to share with you, who made this program possible, some selections from their journals and papers:
"I am realizing how knowing makes you responsible.
You can"t lend a deaf ear. You can"t pretend to not know.
What we learn continues to make us want to do more. And we can."
"It is so stimulating when the floor is open to discussion,during class.
It is so powerful and meaningful to hear the triumphs and difficulties that our peers experience each day.
It is a tremendous amount of support for us and our teaching endeavors."
"Thank you for the opportunity and the support. I am a lucky New York City teacher!"
A short (5 minute) video of the teacher training project may be viewed on our website along with several other short film clips - including a publicity piece, and a selection of scenes from Ennis' Gift: A Film About Learning Differences.
Another important development in our support of children's learning involves a collaboration with Scholastic Books, a well known publisher of excellent reading and learning materials for children. Scholastic will donate books to the Foundation through their Classroom's Care project. This fall, the Foundation will distribute a quarter of a million books to kindergarten through second grade classrooms in low income communities in cities and regions such as, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and the Mississippi Delta. We wish we could share with you the excitement of the recipients who are teachers in schools where the per pupil expenditure for materials is $3 per year; teachers who buy their own materials so that their students will have books that inspire them; and children who have never held a new book in their hands.
Our film, Ennis' Gift: A Film About Learning Differences, continues to be shown widely across the country and at national and regional conferences for educators, school assemblies, and parent meetings. A sneak preview of the film can be seen on Friday, November 23 on the HBO family network. The premiere of Ennis" Gift will be in April 2002 as part of a larger parent training initiative that the Foundation is participating in and collaborating with HBO, the HBO family network and AOL Time-Warner. The film is available for purchase by individuals for $29.95 plus shipping and handling by calling (800) 343-5540.
If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing a stellar cast! Ennis' Gift: A Film About Learning Differences features host Ed Bradley, actors Danny Glover, James Earl Jones, Lindsay Wagner, and Henry Winkler; business leaders Charles Schwab and Don Winkler; artist Robert Rauschenberg; athlete Bruce Jenner; MacArthur genius award winning paleontologist Jack Horner; polar explorer Ann Bancroft; and Russell Cosby along with children and myriad professionals.
This spring, we held our second New York City fundraiser at Chelsea Piers. The spectacular evening, hosted by the Cosby family, was a delight to the heart. Master of Ceremonies, Jerry Seinfeld, gave the gift of laughter to all of us, and made a special gift to our Cosby Scholars by purchasing the toast of Broadway auction item and donating it back to the teachers. Our distinguished honoree, Richard Parsons of AOL Time-Warner, reminded us of the significance of reading as the essential and invaluable foundation of education. Music legend Quincy Jones, and his entire orchestra, with Chaka Kahn and Diane Schuur, filled the room with music so inspiring it moved Bill Cosby to take the stage and sing along...well, sort of sing.
All of the accomplishments that we share with you are the direct result of those who have participated in our fundraising efforts. We send you our warmest thanks for your commitment to the Foundation, and hope that you will continue to support our efforts to bring the joys of learning and possibilities of achievement for all children.
Sincerely,
Phillip D. Caputo
President and Executive Director