Beat the Odds - Children`s Defense Fund

Beat the Odds®
Children's Defense Fund Greater Cincinnati
258 Erkenbrecher Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45229
phone 513 · 751 · 2332
fax 513 · 751 · 2003
web www.cdfcinti.or g
Copyright © 2002 Children's Defense Fund Greater Cincinnati.
All rights reserved.
2002
we couldn’t beat the odds without:
A special thanks to those faithful supporters
who have made this program possible and have
made our mission at the Children’s Defense
Fund complete:
Juanita M. Adams*
Amelia Beck
Susan Bolich*
Ellen Boling
Brooke Cassman*
Kathy Christmon*
Alva Jean Crawford*
Ron Cross
Erin Ehlinger
Gail Garcia
Jan Jacobs*
Paulette Keys*
Barbara Kreines*
Leslie Kreines*
Minda Matthews
Dorothy McCutchan
Mona Morrow
Carole Rigaud*
Dick Rosenthal
Reba St. Clair*
Shawn Tyson
Josh Whitehead
Christine Wuest
Cheryl Youngblood*
Our heartfelt appreciation to:
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center
The Procter & Gamble Company
Dr. John Bryant
Honorary Chairperson
Digi France Schueler
Core Committee Chairperson
David Rose
Time Warner Cable
Master of Ceremonies
Rabbi Thomas Heyn
Banquet Chaplain
Darrin Hunter
WCPO-TV Channel 9
Photography & Graphic Design
Sam Caufield
Banquet photography
Gina Fries
Catering
Gerry Schrott
* denotes Steering Committee Members
A/V Technical Support
Many thanks to the women of the Junior League for their careful
preparation of beautiful gift packages for each Awardee.
cordially welcome you to
The 7th Annual Children’s Defense Fund
Beat the Odds®
celebration.
We are grateful to the team at WCPO-TV Channel 9
who donated their creative energies and time to this
afternoon’s wonderful videos:
Bill Fee, General Manager
Mona Morrow, Community Affairs Director
Peter Kasprzycki, Producer/Director
Caryl Hefley, Andy Gruelich, and Troy Jarvis, Videographers
...and you! You keep our boat afloat!
Thursday, April 25, 2002 — The Albert B. Sabin Education Center
2002 Beat the Odds
SPONSORS
PROGRAM
Champions of Children ($5000 or more)
Welcome
David Rose, MC, Reporter / Anchor, WCPO-TV Channel 9
Invocation
Rabbi Thomas Heyn, Chaplain, Cedar Village Retirement Community
Patrons of Children ($2500—$5000)
Neediest Kids
of All
THE KAPLAN FOUNDATION
Lunch
State of the Children’s Defense Fund
Eileen Cooper Reed, Director / Advocate
Children’s Defense Fund, Cincinnati & Ohio
Acknowledgements
Eileen Cooper Reed
Presentation of the Beat the Odds Awards
Dr. John Bryant, Former Director, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative
Friends of Children ($1000—$2500)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing
North America, Inc.
Mrs. Leslie Kreines & Mrs. Carole Rigaud
The Cincinnati Chapter of Jack and Jill
of America, Inc.
Mr. Jim Reed
Concordia, Inc.
Episcopal Society of Christ Church &
Christ Church Cathedral
Cinergy Foundation
Provident Bank
Western & Southern Financial Group
It would be impossible for us to Beat the Odds
without your generous help. Thank you all!
Presentation of the President’s Awards
Eileen Cooper Reed
Closing Remarks
David Rose
Thank you for joining in our celebration of six outstanding young people.
We greatly appreciate your company. The tax-deductible portion of today’s luncheon is $14.
Children’s Defense Fund congratulates the following
2002 Beat the Odds Award Nominees
Through the kind generosity of our sponsors, Children’s Defense Fund
was able to provide each nominee with a $100 U.S. Savings Bond.
Markita Bales
Shannon Barker
Kyle Barry
Amber Begley
Zachary Bohannon
Tiffany Boles
Gia Calhoun
Ebony Capell
Brian Carraway
Adrienne Carter
Nicole Cissell
Marvin B. Cox Jr.
Laura Davidson
Dustin Dean
Tiffany Detty
Jillian Dubois
Kristian Durham
Tara Eagle
Michael Evans
Heidi Fogt
Amanda Garcia
Joe Gastenveld
Cassie Gettelfinger
Emily Glassmeyer
Patrick Gleason
Alisha Glenn
Roberta Marie Hais
Xin Hao
Lori Harp
Samantha Hollingsworth
Nathaniel Jacob Houser
Joshua Jacob
John Melvin Jarvis, Jr.
Julie Theresa Jones
Lee Ann Kayes
Thomas Kayes
Chelsea King
Casey Lang
Katherine Lay
Susan Lyons
Meghan McGee
Tim Miltner
Renee Moore
Lisa L Mulroy
Christopher Oliver
Adam Plybon
Daniela Porembka
Angel Poynter
Heidi Rose
Joshua Rose
Courtney Schipper
Shauntel Stripling
Allison Thurman
Tamara True
Caroline Wells
Christopher Wera
Wayne Wertz
Camara Najuma Williams
Children’s Defense Fund Greater Cincinnati
is proud to honor the following
2002 Beat The Odds
Scholarship Recipients
Dana Bryant
Noraa Hill
Jasmine Keyes
Moriah Israel
Faye Jenkins
Jessica Sneed
CDF Fact: Healthy Start
9.2 million children in the
United States, age 18, have
no health insurance. 9 out of
10 uninsured children live in
working families.
Dana Bryant
Age: 17
School: North College Hill High School
Biography highlights:
National Honor Society, Yearbook,
band, baby-sits siblings, assists the
visually impaired in arts and crafts
activities at the Clovernook Center for
the Blind, was awarded a Young Women
Writing for Change internship, and the
Artworks poetry award for Best Junior
Writer.
Study Goals: English Literature and minor in Photojournalism
College: University of Cincinnati
“I know there are a lot of people out there that care about
us. I can feel it. There are always people out there that
care, even though it can seem that there’s not.”
CDF Fact: Head Start
Child care for a 4-year-old in
a child care center in an urban
area averaged $5,672 per year
in 2000. This was more than the
cost of public college tuition
in Ohio – $4,258.
Age: 16
Noraa Hill
School: Roger Bacon High School
Biography highlights:
Honor Roll student, Student Senate &
Leadership Council, president of the Via
Nia club (promoting cultural diversity),
cast member and host of “The Learning
Tree” (a cable program developed and
produced by youth), “Bacon Buddies”,
Students Against Destructive Decisions,
Kairos leader, attended Hugh O’Brien
Youth Leadership conference, volunteer
at Good Samaritan Hospital and the
Cincinnati Red Cross.
“Being involved in different activities has taught me to
appreciate myself, others and life in general. If you want
something, you have to work hard. Nothing falls in your lap.”
Study Goals: Law and a minor in Psychology
College: Xavier University
Age: 18
Jasmine Keyes
School: Princeton High School
Biography highlights:
Honor Roll, Treasurer of the Michelangelo
Society (art club), enjoys reading, writing
in her journal, composing poems, drawing
and painting, spending time with family,
going out with friends, baby-sitting the
children at the Bethany House Shelter,
and was awarded Presidential Academic
Award and Academic Excellence Award.
Study Goals: Design/Illustration, minor in Jewelrysmithing
College: Savannah College of Art & Design
CDF Fact: Education
More than 1 in 3 of the nation’s
fourth-graders do not read
at a basic level according
to National Assessment of
Educational Process studies. By
twelfth grade, students in the
United States have fallen behind
their counterparts in many other
countries in science and math
proficiency.
“I gained so much from [my hardships]. For example,
responsibility, releasing bitterness from my heart because
it wears you down, team-work, compassion, patience, and
totally being able to put myself in God’s hands. I try to
stay positive, stay true to myself, dreams and goals…”
CDF Fact: Fair Start
The average poor family with
children has just $9211 in
total income—about $25 a day.
In the United States, one
in three poor children lives
with someone who works fulltime year-round. One in six
children live in poverty in
the United States.
Moriah Israel
Age: 18
School: Withrow High School
Biography highlights:
National Honor Society, Dux Femina (school
and community service group providing
sisterhood and leadership), Urban League
Presidential Mentorship Program, worked at
Paramount’s Kings Island, and attends the
House of Israel in Bond Hill.
Study Goals: Social Work
“I can do almost anything if I put my mind to it. Look at
me now! I am 3 years in remission, out of my wheelchair, and
about ready to graduate from high school.”
College: University of Cincinnati
Age: 17
Faye Jenkins
School: Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School
Biography highlights:
Honor Roll, captain of the volleyball
and basketball teams, school
newspaper, member of the American
Youth Foundation Leadership group,
Cyberstar Program Technician (teaching
youth computer literacy), and volunteer
at the Arts Consortium.
Study Goals: Chemistry and minor in Computer Graphics
College: Alabama State
CDF Fact: Head Start
Children in high quality
child care demonstrate
greater language development,
mathematical ability, greater
thinking and attention
skills, and fewer behavioral
problems in school.
“God has helped me figure out that no matter how much you’ve
gone through there is still goodness in the world and still
goodness in people that you can find, that you can see.”
CDF Fact: Healthy Start
Studies have shown that lowincome, uninsured children
are more likely to have
eye and ear infections,
lead poisoning, serious
dental problems, and chronic
conditions like diabetes and
asthma.
Jessica Sneed
Age: 18
School: Robert A. Taft Information Technology High School
Biography highlights:
Valedictorian and Honor Roll, inducted into the Taft
Ambassador’s Hall of Fame (for academics), Student
Government President, Senior class Vice President,
yearbook, Vice Editor/Sports Editor for school
newspaper, captain of the volleyball and basketball
teams, track and softball, member of the Cyberstars,
interning with Primax Computer Corporation, was
a technician and supervisor for Community Access
to Technology, currently teaches educators how to
integrate computers into class curriculum through
Cincinnati Public Schools and works part-time at a
restaurant.
Study Goals: Computer Engineering or Education
“You must go through hardships in order to be a stronger
person—they’ll force you to do better, to do more, to go
further, to push for that higher grade...”
College: Ohio State University or Howard University
Beat the Odds
The Larger Story
Initiated by the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in 1990, the Beat the Odds®
Awards celebrate the positive potential of our nation’s youth. Too often we
hear about teenagers getting into trouble, dropping out of school, becoming
involved with drugs, crime or gangs, or becoming parents too soon. What
we don’t recognize often enough are the accomplishments of young people
who do well despite facing extreme hardships, such as poverty, violence,
homelessness, family breakup, or substance abuse. Beat the Odds® is a
tribute to those young people.
Beat the Odds® celebration ceremonies are held in Los Angeles, CA;
Bridgeport and New Haven, CT; Atlanta, GA; East St. Louis and Springfield, IL;
Detroit, MI; Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN; Concord, NH; Charlotte, NC; Cincinnati,
OH; Memphis, TN; Missouri City, TX; New York, and Washington, DC. Since
1995, CDF Cincinnati has awarded 44 high school Seniors from the tri-state
area with the Beat the Odds® awards, which includes $1000 scholarships
and other gifts in recognition of their accomplishments.
While we celebrate the individual strength, determination, and courage of
Beat the Odds winners, we also acknowledge caring adults and organizations
that have encouraged and inspired children to beat the odds. In 2002, CDF
Cincinnati celebrates the inauguration of the President’s Award®, dedicated
to those who have served and helped our youth to succeed.
For Children Struggling
to Beat the Odds
Eileen Cooper Reed
Director / Advocate,
CDF Cincinnati & Ohio
Live child—no matter what!
Don’t let anybody or anything stop you—
like the flowers in the crannied walls
squeezing life as ivy, ferns, molds, and yellow buds
stretching towards the sun—
rise from the rocky soil,
cling to the naked bumpy walls,
work your roots into the tiny crevices, nooks and crannies
of the unfriendly walls of race and class and gender that try
to block your way.
Live no matter what—
lapping up sun’s warmth and rain’s drops.
Bend with the wind and dance with the breeze,
crawl up and down and all around,
cover the stone walls with your green coverlet—
going on with your life.
—Marian Wright Edelman
Founder & President,
Children’s Defense Fund
Children’s Defense Fund
The Larger Story
The mission of the Children’s Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind® and to
ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a
Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring
families and communities.
Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) was founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman to
provide a strong and effective voice for the children of America who cannot vote,
lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and
minority children and those with disabilities. Our goal is to educate the nation about
the needs of children and encourage preventative investment in children before
they get sick, drop out of school, or get into trouble.
CDF is a unique organization because it focuses on programs and policies that
affect large numbers of children, rather than on helping families on a case-by-case
basis. CDF educates the public about the conditions of children and successful
programs. We work to shape federal, state, and local policies for children by
identifying cost-effective remedies.
Our main office is in Washington, DC. CDF Greater Cincinnati began its work in
Cincinnati in 1993 under the direction of Eileen Cooper Reed (pictured on opposite
left). CDF also maintains offices in Columbus as well as California, New York,
Minnesota, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas.
CDF is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and advocacy organization
supported by foundations, corporate grants, and individual donations. As an
independent voice for children, CDF does not accept government funds.
Leave No Child Behind
The Movement to Leave No Child Behind®
intends to do what it takes to meet the
needs of children, learning from the best
public and private ideas, and renewing
our commitment to all children. The Act to
Leave No Child Behind, introduced in 2001,
provides a comprehensive picture of what
children need in order to thrive. Read the
act. Join the Movement. Dedicate yourself
to leaving no child behind.
—Marian Wright Edelman
Founder & President,
Children’s Defense Fund