Computers for Youth Winter 2007 Newsletter (The html version of this newsletter is at www.cfy.org/newsletter/winter07/winter07.html -------------------------- 'Tis the Season! During the holidays, and indeed throughout the year, we receive letters and emails from our families thanking us for their "gift" of a home learning center. It is our pleasure to pass these sentiments of gratitude on to you, our supporters, because it is really YOUR generosity that makes our work possible. In this season of giving, we thank you, and we are "Ho Ho" Hopeful that you will consider making another financial contribution to support our work. For extra convenience, we've created the festive link above to make your gift via credit card (this link can also be found on our website at www.cfy.org). Thank you once again! -------------------------- A New Milestone A New Milestone December 1st marked a new first: CFY served families in our three cities simultaneously! In New York City, Philadelphia and Atlanta, more than 300 families attended one of our Family Learning Workshops where they learned how to use a CFY home learning center to do better in math, science, English and social studies. At the end of these workshops, the home learning centers became theirs to keep. This milestone will be replicated many times over during the remainder of this academic year—and all school years to follow. But we'll never forget the first time CFY touched so many lives—at one time—on one day! -------------------------- Student Software Team Kicks Off Who will win this year's CFY Family Learning Software Award? The process of selecting the winner has begun! In November, software experts from around the country recommended more than 30 products for review. Then, CFY auditioned students for its '07-'08 Student Software Team and selected more than 15 sixth- and seventh-graders from Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. Already, the team has demonstrated exceptional collaboration, enthusiasm, intelligence, and—what we want the most—"Kid-Smarts." By the middle of February, the team will select 15 first-round finalists. On February 19, 2008, the team will demonstrate these titles to Education Executives from the most prominent school districts in the United States. "I like to test software and want to gain more knowledge" says Team member Samuel Fok. His teammate Diamone Moon added: "I was here last year and it's cool to be viewed as an expert by all the Executives." -------------------------- SAVE THE DATE! CFY's third annual Tech Leadership Awards will take place on June 17, 2008 -------------------------- CFY needs more than 4,500 computers! Is your company or organization interested in donating computers to CFY? CFY accepts donations of 30 or more complete computer systems (CPU and monitor) at a time. Donations to CFY, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. Contact Louis Edwards at ledwards@cfy.org for more information. -------------------------- Donor Appreciation CFY is proud to work with Cablevision, a company that shares our commitment of providing access to technology to enhance learning at school and at home. Cablevision has made a generous gift of financial support and is now our partner at Bronx school MS331, where we are working together to see how broadband Internet access enhances our home learning centers. Watch a segment about CFY on Cablevision's Neighborhood Journal program, airing in December on channel 118 or catch CFY's PSAs running on Cablevision in the Bronx and Brooklyn. We are also proud to announce that CFY is a recipient of a $100,000 Innovation Generation Grant from the Motorola Foundation. These grants are designed to fund education programs that spark a love of science, technology, engineering and math in today's youth. “Motorola's partnership with Computers for Youth helps extend our mission of igniting a passion for science and math in students," said Eileen Sweeney, director, Motorola Foundation. "Our Innovation Generation Grant program helps children make the connection between the cool technology they enjoy every day and the educational foundation they will need to invent the next great thing." CFY appreciates the investment that these companies are making in our youth's future—and salutes their corporate generosity. -------------------------- CFY People CFY is pleased to welcome a new member to its staff, Kenneth Singleton, Executive Director of CFY-Philadelphia. Ken manages the day-to-day operations of CFY’s Philadelphia office with a focus on fundraising and building the local visibility of CFY’s work. Prior to joining CFY in December 2007, he worked as the Executive Director of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter. Before working in the non-profit sector, Ken spent over twenty years as a banker in the Philadelphia area. As a volunteer for the American Diabetes Association, Ken was awarded the Charles H. Best Medal for service, a national achievement award. Ken holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Widener University. -------------------------- THANK YOU! CFY extends a huge thank you to all our hard-working volunteers who help transform the lives of hundreds of low-income students across NYC, Philadelphia and Atlanta. -------------------------- Spotlight: Ines and Bryanna Rivera In an interview for Family Circle magazine, CFY parent, Ines Rivera, reported on the impact the CFY program has had on her daughter, Bryanna. "The (CFY) Workshop was great. The computer and educational software has definitely become an integral part in [Bryanna's] smooth transition to middle school. The CFY computer made her more independent and she's more mature about school—she goes to her own computer without having to be told to study. This year [Bryanna's] first report card GPA is 93. The whole process was nice all around. CFY didn't just didn't give us a computer and let us go, but took the time to show us how it works and how to use it properly." -------------------------- Did You Know? Studies show that, by pre-adolescence, many of the academic benefits of Head Start fade out. There is therefore a great need for CFY’s interventions in the middle-school grades. -------------------------- We could not do our work without your help. To make an online gift to support CFY visit www.cfy.org. If you would like to send a check, please make it out to "Computers for Youth" and mail to: Computers for Youth 322 Eighth Avenue, Floor 12A New York, NY 10001 Attn: Development Department THANK YOU! -------------------------------------------------------- You have received this newsletter, either at your request or at the suggestion of a friend, to inform you of the activities of Computers for Youth, a non-profit organization that helps low-income children do better in school by improving their learning environment at home. If you do not wish to receive any further mailings from Computers for Youth, visit http://sub.ezinedirector.net/?fa=r&id=55981024&c=964766692 to cancel your subscription or send an email to remove-956606397@ezinedirector.net. Your email address will not be lent, sold or shared. If you have any comments or questions about the content of this newsletter, please send them to info@cfy.org. Copyright © 2007 Computers for Youth. All rights reserved. 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