BELL 2011 Annual Report

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2011 annual report

talent

Anderson & Arlande I teach at the Kenny School in Dorchester, MA, and I have worked in BELL programs for six years. The unique challenge of my classroom— both during the school day and after school and in the summer—is that I work with students who, like me, emigrated from Haiti.

Anderson and Arlande are cousins who first arrived in the United States two years ago. They could only speak Creole. The time we spend in BELL practicing the language and building vocabulary is helping them pick up English faster.

At first, they were afraid to raise their hands and participate in class. Now, they are two of my most successful and confident students.

Anderson loves to read and isn’t afraid to ask questions. Arlande’s favorite subject is math. I see so much potential in them—Arlande wants to be a pediatrician, while Anderson has passion for music—and I have no doubt that they will succeed.

Teaching isn’t just a job to me—it’s much more than that. I teach scholars like Anderson and Arlande because they are our future. These scholars are the leaders of tomorrow.

Ms. Prophete, BELL Teacher

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eech Brit tani’s Sp ars old, tani. I am 11 ye rit B is e m na y Hello. M L for three attending BEL and I have been e my favorite and reading ar years. Drawing activities. at I can give of examples th ts lo e tter ar e er Th e become a be has helped m L EL e is B pl ow am r h ex fo rprising k the most su in th I ow t. kn en u ud st t. Do yo e Raf flesia plan the stor y of th l I do. During el W ? a plant is si fle af ch R a t ha w t the plant whi we read abou ar e ye Th st . la ed L er EL B dang forest and is en in ra t e bu th , in ne vi es a liv ers on t has large flow an t pl ou a si ab fle ad af R g to re very interestin no roots. It was I remembered on as re for some d an , t, an pl e th nny thing was about it. The fu ils ta de st of te S ts lo e MCA I was taking th t last year when ve Assessmen si en eh ts Compr fle af R e th (Massachuset out d questions ab l al g in er sw System), it aske rt an like a real expe sia plant. I felt with ease! the questions Scholar Brittani, BELL

My Son, Aries Aries is my son and he is a 4th grade scholar in the Bronx, NY. Today, he just won the “Star Scholar” award because he attends the BELL After School program every day, works hard, has a positive attitude, and gets along well with his peers.

Aries has come a long way since I first enrolled him in BELL three years ago.

He used to have difficulty reading, and that made him very shy in class.

Now, he scores a 100 on every test, or even 105 with the extra credit words.

He’s using fifth grade words and he’s in the fourth grade! He is confident now, and no longer shy about working with other students.

I’m thrilled with Aries’ progress. Ms. Laura, BELL’s Site Manager, hands me progress reports that detail his performance and help me understand what he needs to work on. As President of the Parent and Teacher Association at our school, I’m always asked about what program works for kids, and I say that in my opinion, BELL is the best program for our children. We want BELL to always be here for them.

Annette, BELL Parent

Building Educated Leaders for Life | 3

impact

“My students are more prepared to learn, thanks to BELL.” Principal Farid Reyes, PS 103, Bronx, NY

BELL’s mission is to increase the academic achievement, self-confidence, and life opportunities of children living in under-resourced, urban communities. Because we believe in the tremendous potential of all children to excel, we recognize them as “scholars.”

We pursue our mission because too many children in under-resourced schools and high-poverty neighborhoods do not have a fair chance to fulfill their potential.

Overcrowded schools, a lack of accessible, high-quality educational resources, and a culture of low expectations produce chronic trends of academic underperformance that are particularly pronounced for high-need students. Last year, more than 80% of 4th graders from low-income, urban communities throughout the country were not proficient in reading. To make matters worse, more than 60% of disadvantaged students lack access to high-quality learning opportunities during the summer, causing a phenomenon known as “summer learning loss” that each year widens the academic achievement gap between them and their more affluent peers.

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BELL Schola

r Enrollment

Scholars Serv ed 17,500 15,000

BELL Summer BELL After Sc hool

12,500 10,000 7,500 5,000 2,500 0 2007

2009 Fiscal Year

2011

While BELL is growing across the board, it is rapidly increasi ng the size and scope of its summer learn ing program th ro ugh strategic par tnerships w ith schools an d d istricts. In 201 for the first tim 1, e, BELL served approximately equal number s of students in the summer a did after schoo s it l.

2011* Goals Impact

Actual

Scholars will gain at least three months’ grade-equivalent reading and math skills in BELL Summer.

+3 mo.

+6 mo.

Scholars in BELL After School will demonstrate improved effort and motivation to learn in school.

75%

92%

Scholars will increase their self-confidence.

75%

88%

Parents will increase their engagement in their child’s education.

75%

79%

10,200

15,776

75%

80%

50

72

5

6

Program Scholar Enrollment Metrics Average Daily Attendance School Partners States *(July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011)

Building Educated Leaders for Life | 5

programs

BELL pursues its mission by delivering high-quality expanded learning programs for students during the summer and after school. The BELL Summer and BELL After School programs serve children, called “scholars,” in grades K-8 at public schools. The program models include research-based elements that help scholars excel. BELL works closely with partner schools and districts to design expanded learning opportunities that best meet student needs.

BELL Summer is a full-day summer learning experience that operates five days per week for up to six weeks. The program helps scholars strengthen core reading and math skills, gain 21st century skills, transition between grades, and enter school in the fall ready to succeed. The program is often hosted at the schools scholars will be attending in the fall, which helps them transition into middle or high school, get comfortable in their new surroundings, and meet new friends and teachers. BELL’s summer learning program has been scientifically validated through a rigorous, independent evaluation conducted by The Urban Institute, setting BELL apart as a summer learning provider with strong evidence of impact.

BELL After School provides tutoring and mentorship to equip scholars with the confidence and determination they need to become engaged learners in school. The program operates up to three hours per day, five days per week, for up to 32 weeks during the school year.

Partners deepen the impact of BELL’s core program models.

For example, the Target Foundation is helping BELL scholars read by the third grade as part of its Early Readers Program, because third grade is when scholars shift from learning to read to reading to learn. The Charles Hayden Foundation and the Open Society Institute are helping deliver the Boys of BELL experience, a summer learning program specifically designed to meet the unique learning needs of boys.

Core Elements •• Data-Driven Academic Support: Certified teachers and tutors lead small group instruction using skills-based curricula aligned with state and national learning standards.

Lessons are supplemented with a series of multicultural children’s books that make learning relevant and engaging. Instructors are provided extensive training and are equipped with detailed diagnostic data on each scholar.

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•• Mentorship & Social Skills Building: BELL sets high expectations for scholars. BELL’s program teams are trained to serve as mentors to build the most important capacity scholars need to sustain increased performance—their own belief that they can and will succeed.

•• Enrichment & Community Engagement: Summer and after school time is an opportunity to broaden scholars’ horizons and connect them to their community.

BELL programs feature enrichment courses such as creative arts, science, and health; community service projects; and a wide range of special events.

•• Parent Engagement: Because parent engagement is a major factor in sustaining scholar success, BELL empowers parents to take a more active role in their child’s education by helping them understand and support their children’s needs; increase their communication with school teachers; and access a wide range of resources through BELL’s network of community-based partners.

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•• Measurement: BELL’s use of data to drive instruction and improve quality sets its programs apart from the competition. Standardized diagnostic tests are used at the beginning and end of each program to measure impact.

A web-based assessment platform helps staff to craft individualized learning plans and track progress. Social skills and self-efficacy assessments, and a series of surveys provide deeper insight into program impact and quality.

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school & district partnerships Scholars are best served when BELL, schools, and school districts work together to design and deliver expanded learning opportunities tailored to their needs. Partnerships that mobilize existing community resources and leverage public resources with private investments enable BELL to reach more scholars with a higher-quality program model. In today’s economic environment, public-private partnerships are essential for increasing the scope and scale of expanded learning programs without relying too heavily on any single source of funding.

In the past year, BELL worked in close partnership with schools and school districts in many communities to strategically deliver BELL Summer and BELL After School to the highest-need students and in the most under-resourced schools. BELL is proud to partner with Baltimore City Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, Detroit Public Schools, Newark Public Schools, the New York City Department of Education, and Springfield Public Schools (MA). Grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals are helping make such partnerships possible, including a major, three-year investment from the Smarter Summers Initiative, an effort of the National Summer Learning Association and The Walmart Foundation.

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By forming new partnerships with schools and school districts, and leveraging public resources with private investments, BELL was able to reach more scholars than ever before.

ent assistance Student enrollm ce tment assistan Teacher recrui ditoriums mnasiums, au Classrooms, gy l service Snacks & mea Student data Public funding

ement Program manag supplies t curriculum & en hm ric en & Academic library Multi-cultural agement tendance man at & t en llm ro Student en hiring, training r recruitment, Teacher & tuto service rs, community ke ea sp t es gu Field trips, ment Parent engage evaluation Assessment & ppor t Philanthropic su

BELL ers n t r a p t c i r t s i schools & d t c a p m i r e t a e r g

rved r of scholars se Greater numbe holars of high-need sc t en llm ro en Targeted arning d school-year le an ay -d ol ho sc tion between ormance Strong connec ations and perf ct pe ex gh hi of scholars Shared culture periences for ex m ra og pr More enriching r outcomes Greater schola

Building Educated Leaders for Life  |  9

The Wallace Foundation & BELL

strategic priorities In 2011, BELL launched the newest phase of its strategic growth plan to achieve the following goals: •• Sustainable Growth: Expand impact to reach 50,000 students (cumulative) from 2011–2014 in current regions and new regions. Further increase student achievement, turn around low-performing schools, and advance long-term sustainability.

•• Impact & Evidence Base: Strengthen BELL programs and outcomes by enhancing academic and enrichment curricula; disseminate best practices to increase the quality of summer learning programs throughout the country; and generate additional evidence of impact on student performance.

•• Capacity: Expand ability to deliver world-class programming at scale by leveraging information technology to refine core systems; strengthen communication activities; and inform local and national efforts to strengthen summer learning policy.

Three-year grants from the Wallace Foundation and the Social Innovation Fund with the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, among others, are enabling BELL to build its capacity and invest growth capital to expand into new schools and districts.

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The Wallace Foundation is helping BELL partner with more schools and school districts to deliver summer learning opportunities for more scholars. The Foundation made a three-year investment to support BELL’s growth plan from 2011–2013 as part of its More Time For Learning initiative. The foundation is also facilitating knowledge-sharing by bringing BELL together with other leading providers to advance the out-of-school-time field. Dara Rose, Senior Program Officer at the Foundation, offers her perspective on why The Wallace Foundation supports BELL’s work: 1 Why did the Wallace Foundation invest in BELL? In selecting BELL and a small number of other leading non-profit organizations to receive support to refine and further expand programming, The Wallace Foundation considered findings of a 2009 report by the Child Trends that identified 15 summer programs that aim to help children with core academics and that offer credible evidence of success. The Foundation also considered organizations’ management strength, consistent program quality, and commitment to self-assessment through rigorous data collection and analysis as well as third party evaluation.

2 What does the out-of-school-time field have to learn from BELL’s approach and impact?

Making progress on mitigating summer learning loss will require the work of a number of factors including school districts and non-profits. BELL and a number of other nonprofits are demonstrating ways that partnerships can be productive.

3 What gives you confidence in your investment in BELL? We think that RAND Education’s Making Summer Count usefully highlights a number of features that are common to effective summer learning programs. BELL’s program design is consistent with these findings, which point the way to helping children succeed—our ultimate goal.

Priorities

FY11 Achievements

FY12 Goals

Sustainability

BELL formed new partnerships with Boston Public Schools and Detroit Public Schools, and expanded partnerships with Baltimore City Public Schools and Springfield Public Schools, resulting in increased collaboration, public funding, and enrollment for summer learning programs. BELL formed new partnerships with schools in Newark and New York City, leading to a greater impact after school.

BELL will launch new partnerships in the Carolinas and California in the summer of 2012, and build a pipeline of opportunities that results in at least one additional new regional operation in 2013. BELL is using growth capital to supplement public investments and establish new region operations as the organization generates increased local funding to maintain programming long-term.

Quality

To prepare for an anticipated increase in middle school enrollment, BELL enhanced its academic and enrichment curricula tailored to the learning needs and interests of middle school students. BELL incorporated more nonfiction texts into its Multicultural Readers Library, and piloted science, youth development, and service learning courses.

BELL will pilot an AmeriCorps program to deepen alumni, parent, and community engagement. It will test new math curricula for middle school scholars, and continue to diversify enrichment activities to further develop scholars’ college- and career-ready skills.

Evidence

BELL partnered with the research firm MDRC to complete the design of a rigorous, independent evaluation of BELL Summer’s impact on student success. MDRC piloted the study in the spring of 2011.

BELL will work with MDRC to complete data collection in the 2012 BELL Summer program, and continue collecting in-school performance and engagement data through the 2012–2013 school year.

Infrastructure

BELL continued to build the flexible information technology infrastructure required to efficiently deliver programming that meets the varied needs of a wide variety of partners. Investments focused on strengthening the customized Customer Relation­ ship Management system in Salesforce.com to better support program activities and data requirements. They also helped us launch a human resources information system to facilitate hiring, training, and supporting thousands of educators.

In 2012, BELL will continue to advance systems and processes that ensure consistency in program quality and program outcomes across sites and cities. BELL’s team will focus on finding new ways to harness technologies that empower program staff to deliver individualized instruction, monitor quality, and continually strengthen program delivery at the classroom level, ensuring that teachers and tutors maximize learning time.

Talent

BELL strengthened its team by adding expertise in program development to ensure the continued innovation of its program models, and in school and district partnership development to create a pipeline of new expansion opportunities.

BELL will increase its investment in talent development to support growth, maximize quality, and ensure that its team fulfills its potential. In 2012, BELL’s team will roll out a series of workshops and seminars on themes such as leadership development and employee engagement.

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Sources of Support

financials

Rowland Foundation, Inc.

Foundations 120 Broadway Partners

FY11 Financial Summary

July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011

Support and Revenue Total: $24,514,599 In-Kind & Other (15%) $3,691,053

Public Contracts (55%) $13,518,964

Individuals & Events (1%) $194,584 Corporations (11%) $2,751,500

Altman Foundation Amelia Peabody Foundation

Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

American Eagle Outfitters Foundation

The Helena Rubinstein Foundation

Andor Capital Management Foundation

Highland Street Foundation

Associated Grant Makers of MA

Hoffberger Family Philanthropies

Baltimore Community Foundation

J.C. Kellogg Foundation

Barr Foundation Ben E. Factors Foundation

Total: $23,816,149 General & Administrative (9%) $2,278,870

Fundraising (4%) $880,823

Boston After School & Beyond

Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation

The Boston Foundation t

Lockhart Vaughan Foundation Lone Pine Foundation, Inc. Matilda R. Wilson Fund

Clayton Baker Trust

The MCJ Foundation b

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

George H. & Jane A. Mifflin Fund

Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area

Edmond N. & Virginia H. Moriarty Foundation

Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts Dickler Family Foundation Dorot Foundation Dorothy Mustin Buttolph Foundation Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Evans Family Foundation Fieldstone Foundation Fordham Street Foundation Frank Family Foundation

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Knez Family Charitable Foundation

Bernard Family Fund

Davlin Foundation

Program (87%) $20,656,456

J.P.B. Foundation

The Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Bushrod H. Campbell & Adah F. Hall Charity Fund

Foundations (18%) $4,358,498

George H. & Jane A. Mifflin Memorial Fund Growth Philanthropy Network

Charles Hayden Foundation

Expenses

The Pinkerton Foundation

National Summer Learning Association The New York Community Trust Open Society Foundations Orchard Foundation The Panayotou Family Charitable Fund t Paul & Edith Babson Foundation Robert Treat Paine Association The Philanthropic Initiative

Roy A. Hunt Foundation Adelard A. & Valeda Lea Roy Foundation Samberg Family Foundation Shippy Foundation Thomas & Stacey Siebel Foundation Social Impact Exchange Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation t Staples Foundation for Learning The Foundation To Be Named Later Alvin & Fanny B. Thalheimer Foundation Tiger Foundation United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley Victoria Foundation Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation The Wallace Foundation Walmart Foundation William E. & Bertha E. Schrafft Charitable Trust Yawkey Foundation

Corporations AT&T Foundation Atlantic-ACM h Bain Capital Children’s Charity Bank of America t The Baupost Group Charitable Fund BJ’s Charitable Foundation BlueCross BlueShield Brown Rudnick Capital One

Castanea Partners t Citizens Bank Con Edison Corporate Giving Program Deutsche Bank Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation

Touradji Capital Management b Verizon Foundation Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Warburg Pincus b t WilmerHale t

eCratchit t EMC t

Individuals

Employees of Deutsche Bank

Kate Alessi t

Ernst & Young h First Book National Book Bank FlagStar Bank t Goldman, Sachs & Co. b Goulston & Storrs t The Hartford JP Morgan Chase & Co. Kingdon Capital Management b KPMG LLP h Liberty Mutual Insurance Company MassMutual Financial Group MetLife Foundation Metro Medical New York Life Foundation The PIMCO Foundation Pitney Bowes Foundation Prudential Foundation Raptor Capital Management t The Reebok Foundation Seawall Development Company

Dave Ament Anonymous Paula Arrojo Mike Ascione Jesse & Pamela Baker t Baltimore City Combined Charity Campaign

Richard Donovan t Paul & Sandra

Edgerley t

Timothy O’Neal Pagliuca t

Steve & Judy

Patti & Rick Wayne t

In-Kind

Lornette Weekes

AirTran Airways

Joe & Alison Freeman t

Jim & Kathleen Pallotta

Kent Weldon t

Joe & Ruthanne Fuller t

Tim & Lynne Palmer t

Gloria White-Hammond t

Baltimore City Public Schools

Gregory Galeaz

Susan Paternoster

Theodore Woo

Best Buy

Joseph Gilles

Anne Peretz

Steve Woodsum

Children’s Aid Society

Jason Ginsburg

Chris Piela

Gabriel Gomez

Carole & Art Prest t

Jennifer & David Gorman t

Charles & E. Jeri Queenan t

Brad Gerstner t Larry Greenberg t Gene & Susan Guill b Donna Hale t Barbara Hostetter t Lisa Joyce b Neal & Sue Karelitz t

Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle

Sean Kavanagh

Graig Bears

Robert Kelley

Michael Berk

John Kim & Kathy Choi t

Terence Boga

Debra Knez t

Tomas Bok

Jessica Knez b

Michelle Boyers & Brad Gerstner

Seth & Cindy Lawry t

Peter Kellogg

Brian Quinif b Sarah Quinlan b Pamela & Richard Remis t Robin & Sam Richardson Arthur Rosen b Joshua Ross Justin Sadrian & Lee Kellogg b t Luly & Maurice

Samuels t

Public Sources of Funding 21st Century Community Learning Centers Baltimore City Public Schools

Brian Shortsleeve

The Family League of Baltimore City, Inc.

Peter Lipson

Michael & Wendy Simches t

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Joseph Campanelli t

Donald & Brigette Manekin

Peter & Susan Simon t

Newark Public Schools

Russell Carlson

Harry & Jaimie Manion t

Rhonda & Robert Skloff t

Springfield Public Schools

Dana & Rob Smith t

The After School Corporation (TASC)

Joseph & Susan Buckley Chris & Sylvia Bulger t

Todd

Carlson b

Laraine Levy t

Paul Margolis t

John Carroll

Stephen McAnena

Lauren A. Smith & Jim Boll t

John Cogan & Mary Cornil

Joe & Kathy McCarthy

Richard & Susan Smith

Kenneth & Virgina Colburn

Paul & Susan Meister t

Helene Solomon t

Doug Miller t

Laurene & Scott Sperling t

Karen & Jeff Miller t

Robert & Kathleen Stansky t

Bill Connolly Phil & Lisette Cooper t

Michele & Dave Mittelman t

Sovereign Bank t

Thomas & Line Corcoran

State Street Foundation ht

Heather Crosby t

T. Rowe Price Foundation, Inc.

Randi & Joel Cutler t

John & Mary Ellen Moriarty b

James & Lauren Czapla

Valerie Mosley

Target Corporation

Michael & Julia Dailey b

Ed Mulherin

TJX Foundation

Bob & Susan D’Angelo

Sharyn & George Neble

Deanna & Tony DiNovi t

Soren & Caroline Oberg t

Maryland Food Bank

Organizational Services, Inc.

Office of Jobs & Community Services, Community Development Block Grant Proram Edna McConnell Clark Foundation

Gary & Caryl Shaw

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Boston Public Schools

Detroit Public Schools

Doug & Andi

First Book National Book Bank

Newark Public Schools

Scari t

Shaw t

Detroit Public Schools

Bank Street College of Education

Will & Jodi Scarbrough Robin & Steven

City University of New York (CUNY)

Operation Warm

The After School Corporation (TASC)

Donors listed gave at least $1,000 from the period beginning July 1, 2010 and ending December 31, 2011. This list is accurate to the best of our knowledge. b Be Smart event sponsor t Talent Show event sponsor h Homecoming event sponsor

James Stern b Andrew Suckling b Maureen Sweeney Mark Taber Joe Timilty t Frank Walley t

thank you

Building Educated Leaders for Life | 13

team

Letter from the Chair & TH E CEO In each BELL cl assroom, we m ake a promise to each BELL sc We will help yo holar: u succeed.

In 2011, we de livered on that promise for m exceeded our ore than 15,0 goals by worki 00 scholars. An ng in partnership d we Our promise is with schools an made stronger d districts in si through partne x states. rships.

Take, for exam ple, Springfield Public Schools two summers, in Massachus BELL and the etts. In each of di strict worked to the last learning experie gether to prov nces to schola ide targeted su rs in transition school, and be m mer years between tween middle elementary an school and high retained in grad d m iddle sc hool, and scho e. Leveraging lars at risk of be public funding Springfield Pu in g with private co blic Schools w ntributions, BEL ere able to de produce greate L an liver more hour d r learning gain s of summer le s for scholars. arning and Partnerships pr oduce extraord inar y scholar ou boosted their tcomes. In BEL literacy and m L Summer, scho ath skills by ha School, schola lars lf of an entire grad rs learned at a e level. In BEL faster rate than skills that help L Af ter th eir peers, gain them succeed ing confidence in school. BEL ner schools’ re an d L’s impact is be form plans, as ing integrated targeted BELL in in the school da to pa rtprograms prep y, provide teac are scholars fo hers and princi r scholar perfor le ar ni ng pa ls with data and mance, and su deeper insight ppor t scholars grade. into ’ successful tr ansition from grade to In 2011, we la unched a grow th plan to exte schools and co nd our promis mmunities. Th e to more scho an ks to our partne lars in more districts, and to rships with scho all of the foun ols and school dations, corpor our work, we ex ations, and indi ceeded our go viduals who su als for 2011. W partnerships, ppor t e served more sc and worked in holars, formed more commun great deal alon more iti es than ever befo g the way to he re. And we lear lp us be even ne da more ef fective.

As we look forw ard to 2012, w e state the sa will help you su me promise to cceed. each BELL scho lar: We Laurene & Tiff any

Laurene Sperlin g Chair, Board of Directors 14

Tiffany Gueye, Ph.D. Chief Executiv e Officer

Board of Directors

Events Spotlight

Laurene Sperling, Chair

•• Talent Show: In November, BELL hosted its inaugural Talent Show in Boston. Friends gathered at the Park Plaza Castle to celebrate the talents of BELL scholars, who performed with local artists including American Idol Finalist Siobhan Magnus, Urban Slam Poet Ashley Rose, and America’s Best Dance Crew’s Phunk Phenomenon. Rafanelli Events delivered a fresh, colorful, and festive event that drew more than 300 guests. A special thank you goes out to all of the sponsors who helped make the gala such a success, and whose generosity will help us reach more scholars in BELL Summer in 2012.

Nicholas Bogard J. Nicholas Arthur Tiffany C. Gueye, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer, BELL Gene Guill Deutsche Bank Kathleen Kelley John J-H Kim, Vice Chair District Management Council; Harvard Business School Debra Knez Richard & Susan Smith Family Foundation Donald Manekin Seawall Development Company Doug Miller Soren Oberg Thomas H. Lee Partners Prof. Charles Ogletree, Jr. Chair Emeritus, Harvard Law School Chris Piela FCCI Insurance Group Justin Sadrian Warburg Pincus Dr. Lauren Smith Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health

Evaluation Advisory Board Duncan Chaplin, Ph.D. Senior Researcher, Mathematica Policy Research Leslie Goodyear, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate Education Development Center, Inc.

•• Be Smart New York: In March BELL kicked off a series of fun, social engagements in New York City with a trivia night at The Avenue. Guests were challenged with a barrage of New York City history—with scholars joining via video to ask some of their own trivia questions. Thank you to the Be Smart New York sponsors and planning committee.

•• Homecoming: In October, BELL’s new Young Professionals Council (YPC) hosted its inaugural Homecoming friendraiser at Space with a Soul in Boston’s Seaport district. The event introduced the next generation of volunteers, board members, investors, and partners to BELL’s work.

Denise Huang , Ph.D. Senior Research Associate National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing Priscilla Little Research and Evaluation Consultant Beth Miller, Ph.D. Director of Research & Evaluation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation Elizabeth Reisner Founder, Policy Studies Associates, Inc.

Building Educated Leaders for Life | 15

serving scholars, families, and schools in the following states: Maryland Massachusetts Michigan New Jersey New York North Carolina

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