Fourteen Outstanding School-Business Partnerships Honored at Annual Reception

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Fourteen Outstanding School-Business Partnerships Honored at Annual Reception

By Joshua Klinski

On May 21, 2003, business leaders, educators, students, parents, and members of the government and nonprofit communities filled the New York Ballroom at the Sheraton New York Hotel to recognize and celebrate the importance of school-business partnerships. The 7th annual School-Business Partnership Recognition Reception, organized by the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance and The Mentoring Partnership of New York, honored some of the noteworthy contributions made by businesses to student learning and career preparation in New York City public schools. This year fourteen outstanding partnerships were selected for recognition, featuring a variety of businesses that represent the financial, automotive, technology, retail, legal, entertainment, and health industries.

Joel I. Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and Robert B. Catell, Chairman and CEO of KeySpan, presided over the ceremonies as Honorary Co-Chairs. Each gave remarks from the stage that pointed to the strong, positive results that accompany business involvement in public education. Chancellor Klein spoke about his decision to establish the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the Department of Education, headed by Caroline Kennedy, in order to increase business participation in the school system. Robert B. Catell articulated the business voice by discussing the ever increasing levels of skills necessary to be a successful employee, and the ways employers can help impart these skills through involvement in the education sector. He also explained that when businesses invest time and resources in education, they see returns in the form of a stronger future workforce.

IBM Corporation was selected as the top honoree at this year's reception, specifically for its partnership with P.S. 19. P.S. 19 is the lead individual school partner in IBM's New York City KidSmart effort, which reaches across Districts 1 and 2 in Manhattan. The IBM/P.S. 19 partnership centers on using the KidSmart program to assist the school with using technology effectively in its early elementary classrooms. This innovative program includes a state-of-the-art computer inside a Young Explorer workstation especially designed for young students, award winning software, training materials for teachers, and a web site that provides a host of resources on early childhood learning for teachers and parents.

Marianne Cooper, Vice President of IBM Public Sector, Americas, accepted the partnership award and echoed the feelings of Chancellor Klein and Robert B. Catell in her speech. She explained that while industry experts and educators are both knowledgeable groups, their ability to impact student learning multiplies greatly when they combine their resources and work together. Following Ms. Cooper's speech, Ivan Kushner, Principal of P.S. 19, took the podium and glowed about the positive effects IBM has had on his school. Other businesses that were recognized this year included: Duane Reade Drug Stores, for its sponsorship of the Duane Reade Educational Center at Harry Van Arsdale Jr., Career and Technical High School, where a student staffed drug store incorporates a business model into the educational curriculum; Davis Polk & Wardwell, a business law firm, for its ten-year mentoring partnership with Bushwick High School; and Moody's Corporation, which provides technology for students and professional development for teachers at the High School of Economics and Finance.

Arista Records and The Recording Academy, two music entertainment companies, received awards for their work with Long Island City High School. Bio-Rad Laboratories, a California-based medical technologies corporation, was recognized for its contributions to the Med-Tech Classes at Tottenville High School. The partnership between Mercedes-Benz USA and Automotive High School, which involves technical assistance in the designing and updating of course curricula to reflect industry standards, was also highlighted at the reception.

Non-profit organizations were also honored for their contributions to public schools. Girls Career Workshop, Ltd., a group of young professional women who volunteer their time to expose girls to the wide variety of careers open to them, received an award for their work with Satellite Academy High School. The Green-Wood Cemetery was honored for providing students from Brooklyn High School of the Arts with a hands-on opportunity to study the wealth of artistic structures and historic subject matter on its grounds.

In addition to being formally recognized on stage by Tom Pendleton, Executive Director of the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance, and Ann E. Ensinger, Executive Director of The Mentoring Partnership of New York, each one of the fourteen partnerships organized a display table in the Hotel Ballroom to exhibit the unique and special characteristics of their school-business activities. Exhibits included photos, videos, and student projects. During the exhibit portion of the evening, Dr. Lester Young, Senior Executive of the New York City Department of Education's Office of Youth Development and School-Community Services, visited each table and presented honorees with certificates. Florence Jackson, Executive Secretary of the Advisory Council for Career and Technical Education, assisted with the presentation.

A very special award was given to Francine Nyari, an individual who has devoted much of her career to furthering the relationships between businesses and schools. Francine Nyari, Director of Youth Programs Emeritus, New York State Department of Labor, has participated in the New York City Youth Council, the Department of Education's Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education, and several industry commissions of the Advisory Council. She graciously accepted the special award and spoke highly of her experience working for this cause.

Music for the event was provided by the Brooklyn High School of the Arts Band. Students from the High School of Graphic Communication Arts welcomed guests and handed out programs. Many other students helped represent their partnerships at the exhibit tables.

This is the seventh year that the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance and the Mentoring Partnership of New York have hosted the School-Business Partnership Recognition Reception. Each winter, schools receive forms to nominate their business partners for recognition at the event, which takes place in the spring. Major funding for the event was provided by funds from a School to Work Opportunities Grant and corporate sponsors. Nearly 400 business leaders, educators, students and parents were in attendance.

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Summer 2003 Issue

> Fourteen Outstanding School-Business Partnerships Honored at Annual Reception

> Highlights: Spring Events

> School to Work Alliance Launches School-Business Partnership Building Workbook