As business-education partnerships--such as the Change the Equation initiative that promotes high-level of involvement of the nation's top CEOs in education reform--remain central to the Obama administration's vision for education, PENCIL will today mark its 15th year as a trailblazer in this arena with the launch of its 2010-2011 PENCIL Partnership Program during its annual Principal For A Day event.

PENCIL's signature Partnership Program that unites New York City schools and businesses, now 500 Partnerships strong and expanding outside the boundaries of NYC to Rochester and Baltimore, is an effective model for national efforts to emulate. A recent Fordham Institute study captures the essence of PENCIL's work with its finding that NYC's "wealth of resources, including both talent and dollars, combines with determined, reform-minded city and district leadership to create a thriving environment for education reform and a welcoming place for entrepreneurs."

"To create real change in our public schools, there must be strong involvement from and engagement with the private sector," said Michael Haberman, president, PENCIL. "As a leader in creating meaningful, long-term relationships between business and school leaders over the past 15 years, PENCIL salutes the hundreds of volunteers launching Partnerships today and our wide community of Partners from all sectors who are doing their part to give our children the education they deserve."

PENCIL's Partnership Program impacts positive change in schools through the development of results-driven partnerships and strategic matching of private sector leaders with partner schools. By leveraging the unique expertise, talent, and resources on the private sector side, Partners work to address the needs of an individual school and its community. PENCIL's team of dedicated relationship managers supports these partnerships throughout the year with guidance and a host of resources.

A successful model of corporate involvement in schools is the work of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, which is the sponsor of this year's Principal For A Day event. From college preparation, to capital improvements, to career awareness, the companies have engaged more than 100 employees in a variety of projects to meet the needs of their two Partner schools--the Life Sciences Secondary School in East Harlem and the Beekman Hill International School/PS 59 in midtown Manhattan. This year Macy's is launching a third partnership with East Side Community High School in Manhattan.

"Now more than ever, we must invest in our children's education--and how better to do this than by having our employees share their skills and knowledge with our schools," said Macy's, Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Terry Lundgren. "Macy's and Bloomingdale's are proud to support the PENCIL Partnership Program, and work alongside the hundreds of business and school leaders who have joined us in the fight to transform our public schools."

The results can be seen at schools throughout New York City. A recent PENCIL survey showed that the long-term, strategic model fostered by PENCIL had a positive impact in 95 percent of active PENCIL Partnerships, as reported by school principals. "Our Partner is a part of our school family," said one principal. "He deeply cares about our school and has supported all of our students in his years of partnership. He has brought others into our partnership who have contributed to our community, as well."

Private-sector volunteers clearly identify as their top reasons for participating PENCIL's customized model that enables them to leverage their unique skills (92 %) as well as the ability to be involved in a meaningful, long-term commitment with the ability to affect school change (65%).

Participants in Principal For A Day will also be recognized for their partnerships at a celebration luncheon to be held today at 583 Park Avenue in Manhattan, which will feature master of ceremonies Maurice Dubois, Anchor, WCBS TV. Both DuBois and 583 Park Chef John Stevenson have school-based Partnerships through PENCIL. The event will also include special guest Joel Klein, Chancellor, New York City Department of Education.

"New York City's businesses are teeming with talent and energy that can be put to use in our schools," said Klein. "We're thankful to PENCIL for its work over the years to focus our businesses' resources in the city's schools, where together, students, parents, educators and business people are making a real difference. These students will remember the impact the PENCIL partnership made in their lives."

Examples of the hundreds of business leaders participating in PENCIL's Partnership Program at schools throughout the five boroughs include:

Bronx
Robert Arning, Vice Chair, Marketing Development, KPMG
E. Scott Beattie, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Elizabeth Arden Inc.
Madeline Boyd, President, NYMEX Foundation, CME Group
Bruce Carbone, Executive Vice President, Universal Motown Records
David Edelson, Senior Vice President, Loews Corporation
Leslie Frank, Partner, Frank & Stern
Ed Howard, Regional Vice President, ARAMARK
Ella Kim, Vice President, Sales & Merchandising, Doo.ri
Fran Lebowitz
Peter Lehrer, Chairman, Lehrer LLC
Julio Pabon, President, Latino Sports
Joe Profeta, Division Vice President, EMC
Nancy Ruddy, President, Cetra/Ruddy Inc.
Brandon Steiner, Chief Executive Officer, Steiner Sports
Michelle Weston, Co-owner, Selling Style, Inc.

Brooklyn
Frank Bisignano, Chief Administrative Officer, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Michael Fleisher, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Warner Music Group
Daniel Hobson, Director of Diversity, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
Maria Ingardia, Wellness Director, Green Spa NY
Alisa Levin, Principal, Greene Levin Snyder LLC
John Lyons, President, Focus Features
Raymond Gutierrez, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Showtime Networks
John Nugent, Vice Chairman, CBRichard Ellis
Amy Stursburg, Executive Director, Blackstone Charitable Foundation
Gary Turkel, Global Business Manager, Equities, Bloomberg
Michael Wilkins, President, New Millennium Computers

Queens
Husam Ahmad, President, HAKS
Clayton Banks, President, Ember Media Corporation
Richard Daly, Chief Executive Officer, Broadridge Financial Solutions
Joseph Gabriel, Partner, Gabriel & Katsarelis Architects
Jerry Goldman, General Manager/Executive Chef, BR Guest Inc. & James Hotels
Matthew Higgins, Executive Vice President of Business Operations, NY Jets
Elyse Kroll, President, ENK Entertainment
Abbe Raven, President & Chief Executive Officer, A&E Television Networks
Lloyd Robinson, President, Awisco

Manhattan
Dave Barger, President & Chief Executive Officer, JetBlue Airways
Bobbi Brown, Bobbi Brown
Carla Hendra, Chief Executive Officer, Ogilvy North America
Norma Kamali, Designer/President, Omo Norma Kamali
Gabriele Klink, Imagine Global Consulting
Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Macy's Inc.
Soledad O'Brien, Anchor and Special Correspondent , CNN
Liam O'Neil, Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
John Pierce, Vice President, Regional Manager, Caribbean & Latin America, Turner Construction
Jessica Rovello, President & Co-Founder, Arkadium
Rossana Salaris, Principal, Radix Consulting Corporation
John Stevenson, Executive Chef/Owner, Stevenson Culinary Works

Staten Island
Philip Altheim, Principal, Belway Electric
William Goetz, Resident Vice President, CSX
Dolores Morris, Vice President, Family & Documentaries, HBO
Rick Postiglione, Compass Group
Anita Sabatino, Managing Director, IBM
Matthew Signore, Chief Financial Officer, Americas, Warner Music
Thomas Thatcher, General Manager, Con Edison Inc.

To find out how you can get involved in PENCIL's Partnership Program, please visit www.pencil.org. More information about additional participants and their Partnerships is available upon request.

PENCIL

PENCIL

The nonprofit organization PENCIL (www.pencil.org) inspires innovative solutions to the challenges facing New York City public schools by building and supporting customized relationships between business leaders and principals.

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