Dear friends,
In just five months, Tulsa will be on the national stage as we inaugurate the summer Institute in the company of nearly 1,000 inspiring young leaders who represent what is best about our nation. We share their optimism and drive to accelerate the pace of change in our country’s education system, and we are excited about what this program and Teach For America mean to our community.
In hosting a summer Institute, Tulsa will be at the epicenter of the education reform movement. Each year going forward, hundreds of corps members (including all those to be placed in Oklahoma) will be trained at the Tulsa Institute. As part of their coursework, they will interact with thousands of Tulsa-area students, who will have the opportunity to enroll in the summer school program that will be offered in conjunction with Tulsa Public Schools.
Through this work, Tulsa is providing a model for communities nationwide for how corps members can work hand-in-hand with community leaders to deepen Teach For America’s impact in diverse and significant ways. Just recently, in fact, when the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education issued charters to KIPP Tulsa and Lighthouse Academies, we tapped corps members and alumni to head up the transition teams. Opening our school system to Teach For America reflects our community’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to a safe, secure and supportive learning environment.
We too are invested in this movement. A central theme of our philanthropic mission is empowering people to cross boundaries and reach their full potential. Education is at the heart of these efforts, and that is why our Foundation has a deeply rooted partnership with Teach For America locally, nationally and, through Teach For All, internationally. We believe that only through equal access to education can all people have the opportunity to flourish, to better their own lives and the lives of others and to contribute to strengthening our world.
We express our deep gratitude to Laura Brewer and her team for their relentless efforts to establish the Tulsa Institute and make what we know will be a resounding success. We also want to thank all of you for being our partners in this vitally important work.
The start of every new year brings with it the promise of fresh challenges and the potential of new opportunities. This year will be no exception as we continue to take significant strides toward strengthening Tulsa’s educational landscape and ensuring our children receive the education they deserve. Here is to a wonderful and successful 2012!
With warm regards,
Lynn Schusterman
Stacy Schusterman
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
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