MAY 2008 E-NEWSLETTER
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Monday June 9, 2008 is SCORE! The Second Annual Bowl-A-Thon to benefit Common Cents. It’s not too late to sign up for this fun evening of bowling, food and drinks. Visit www.commoncents.kintera.org for more information about how you can help benefit the NYC Penny Harvest all while spending a fun evening with family and friends. Staten Island students unite to celebrate Accomplishments
Staten Island, NY— “I learned that if you care enough about something, you can make a difference,” explains Justin, a Penny Harvest student leader from PS48 when asked what he learned most from his participation on a Philanthropy Roundtable. On May 6th, Justin joined 250 of his peers from schools across Staten Island at this first ever borough-wide event celebrating the difference each of them have made in their community. Hosted by the two Philanthropy Roundtables at IS 76 Rocco Laurie School and spearheaded by the tireless efforts of IS 76’s Penny Harvest Coach Cliff Hagen, the enthusiastic group of elementary and middle school students were joined by Penny Harvest Coaches, Common Cents staff, representatives from Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan’s office, Congressman Vito Fossella and State Senator Andrew J. Lanza, as well as five of the community based organizations to which Penny Harvest children in Staten Island gave money. This was the first time an entire borough united specifically to celebrate the work of Penny Harvest students. This gathering was about celebrating achievement and also sharing ideas. Penny Harvesters had the opportunity to meet their peers from other schools, learn about each other’s grant decisions, and also share with one another the difference they were making in their neighborhoods, their borough, and ultimately in all of New York City. Click here to read the full story. PS 247 named honorary Staten Islanders of the Week by NY1
The donation will be used to build an animal surgical suite in Tommy’s honor. Impressed with this public display of support for a community outside their borough, NY1 recognized PS 241 Roundtable students as honorary Staten Islanders of the Week. Click here to read the full NY1 story. Common Cents, which was named the 2007 New Yorker of the Year by NY1, congratulates the students at PS 241 on this honor and for their thoughtful contribution in Tommy’s memory. UN representative praises NY Capital Region Penny Harvesters at Global Youth Service Day event Albany, NY (Capital Region)—Penny Harvesters in the Capital Region of NY came together last month to celebrate Global Youth Service Day, a day when millions of young people in countries everywhere highlight and carry out thousands of community improvement projects. In Albany, the event took place at the Empire State Plaza. The National Educational Leadership Institute, who administers the Penny Harvest in the Capital Region, invited students from four Penny Harvest schools to the event. Keynote speaker Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations praised students for their community involvement and civic engagement and encouraged them to continue to be a force for peace and understanding every day. Tom Gallant, a Scotia-Glenville High School student in Grade 12 said that Chowdhury "inspired me to continue my work of giving back to the community that has given so much to me as an adolescent. I was reminded that even though we have done a lot of beneficial work, it is not okay to accept what we have done, we must continue to push to make this world a better place for everyone to live." Penny Harvest co-Founder speaks on youth Philanthropy Washington, DC—Earlier this month, Common Cents co-founder Nora Gross was featured at the National Council on Foundations Annual conference. Nora participated in a panel discussion titled, Seeding Our Future: Growing the Next Generation of Givers, which focused on youth philanthropy. Nora shared her early experiences with philanthropy. The discussion focused on how foundations are engaging youth in philanthropy. Nora spoke on the topic of how to reach large numbers of young people efficiently while also making sure that the philanthropy becomes part of the educational system. She also addressed how to ensure that all young people gain a feeling of social responsibility and belonging. Nora Gross is a graduating senior at Princeton University who will be teaching in the Chicago public schools next year. |
The Ledger (Florida) - 05/25/08 The Wave (Rockaway Newspaper) - 05/23/08
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Brooklyn, NY—Last year, Tommy Monahan, a nine-year-old boy from Staten Island died in a fire while trying to save his dog and class pet. Penny Harvest Students at PS 247 in Brooklyn (the “Champions for Change” Roundtable) heard about Tommy and were deeply troubled by this tragedy. As a way to respond, they decided to make a donation of $1,500 (three-quarters of their Penny Harvest grant money!) to Staten Island's Animal Care and Control Center.
