a good cause!

UPDATE to the story below:
Thanks to generous donations, the “gap” (missing funds to cover Cheryl’s Ellis tuition for her final year and a half at Ellis) is down to about $3000. That could grow again (because there’s 1 remaining pledge which may not ultimately be only partially fulfilled), but it is now clear that Cheryl will be able to attend Ellis her Senior year, and graduate from there. Meanwhile, I’ll continue working on the raising funds to eliminate the rest of “the gap.” (Presently, as of 1/10/2010, at about $3000).

the story…
Two and a half years ago, in my East End Cooperative Ministry tutoring-program coordinator job (which I still do), I learned that a very cool young African-American student, Cheryl S., who came/comes to EECM’s Tutoring Program (and was/is tutored by a Pitt Law School instructor) had been accepted at the Ellis School for Girls, which is an amazing local private school. Unfortunately, Cheryl did not have the funds to attend (nor did Ellis have enough scholarship funds to give her the full ride she would require to go—they had already given out their limited scholarship funds). Cheryl is an only child, and her grandmother is her guardian. She is a young person who, despite challenging personal circumstances, has always worked hard at school, and cultivated a rich curiosity about the world.

In a very last-minute effort, I asked Ellis to go ahead and give her an aid grant, to see if I could somehow find donors who might pledge the difference, and make Ellis possible for her. The school gave her about a 25% tuition grant, and somewhat miraculously, with much help, we were able to find donors who did just that. Ellis admitted her on the condition that funds were in place to cover tuition for all 4 years; at that point, they were.

Cheryl has now completed 2+ years at Ellis, and is in her Junior year. The director of the Upper School, Robin Newham, describes Cheryl as having made “extraordinary progress,” and having “an outstanding work ethic” and “an exceptional attitude.” (see letter below) The school has been a stiff challenge for Cheryl, but she’s worked tirelessly to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.

Unfortunately, in late August a piece of the promised funding was lost: some pledged funds were lost for the final 2 years. We were told this 2 days before school was to start again. In talking to some remaining donors, we felt like it would be wrong to “pull the plug” on Cheryl so suddenly (she would have been devastated), since she & her grandmother had not made other plans for school this year (she could attend public school, of course, but hadn’t looked into those options.)

So, I’ve been looking for a larger number of smaller donors to help make this possible (by covering the gap left by the loss of 2 larger donors). We’ve committed to at least allowing Cheryl to finish her Junior year at Ellis—whether the Senior year is possible remains to be seen.

Any gift toward this purpose is tax deductible (it would go initially to the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation, which sends letters of acknowledgment to donors, and then forwards the funds on to the school.)

I’m personally contributing significantly as well. So far we’ve found replacement donations to cover about 40+% of what was lost, but we still have a ways to go. I like the idea of finding many small donors to make this possible.

Please feel no pressure, and also feel free to send me any further questions you might have ( brad@bradyoder.com ). If you would like to contribute, directions are below. Also, if you’d like to pass this story on to others who might be interested, that would be great.

I hope that we’re able to allow her to finish there, and I’m trusting that, although it’s a tough time to find funds to make up what was lost, that something will work out. Being able to attend Ellis is a dream come true for Cheryl, and has already had a huge impact on her life, in terms of what she’s been able to learn, how she’s matured, and the kinds of opportunities which are now open to her.

thanks much,

brad
EECM tutoring program coordinator / folksinger

All donations are tax-deductible, and donors will receive a written acknowledgment from the PLF, (as well as a thank-you from Cheryl). Donations can be made in the form of a check to:

“the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation,”
with the memo “Cheryl S. Ellis School Tuition Fund,” and mailed to:

Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation
re: Cheryl S. Ellis Tuition Fund
100 Ross St., 4th fl.
Pgh, PA   15219

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Here’s a letter from the Director of the Upper School, on Cheryl’s behalf:

July 31, 2009
To Whom It May Concern,

Those of us who have the pleasure of knowing Cheryl S., a rising junior at The Ellis School, are keenly aware of her special qualities – she is a young woman of character who is honest, bright, principled, earnest, and genuine. I am proud to be among the fortunate adults who have come to know Cheryl. As Director of the Ellis Upper School, I am compelled to write this letter in support of Cheryl’s continued education at Ellis. I see Cheryl every day during the school year, and I recognize the progress that she has made since arriving at the start of her freshman year. Her academic growth is nothing short of extraordinary.

Cheryl came to us with significant gaps in foundational math and writing skills. Because she immediately presented herself as a hard worker who took seriously her responsibilities as a learner, she embraced our expectations and accepted the challenge – to work as hard as ever to succeed. Not for a moment did Cheryl take her education for granted. The road has not been a smooth and easy one. Nonetheless, Cheryl has persevered, never once showing signs of debilitating frustration or complacency. Rather, she seems energized by the challenge, and she turns her disappointment in a lower-than-expected grade outcome into motivation to do better at the next opportunity. Cheryl knows what is expected of her and holds high self-expectations.

Cheryl’s contributions to our school community include participation in several clubs, including Spanish Club. She has pursued clay as an art medium, and she has found this to be an excellent vehicle for her creative voice. Cheryl balances her hard work throughout each school day with such activities to enrich her school experience, thereby enriching our school community with her interests and talents. I expect her to continue, and even expand, her co-curricular involvements in the coming years.

In summary, I recall my first meeting with Cheryl in my office in August of 2007. When she saw the signed photograph hanging on my wall of Commander Pam Melroy, an astronaut in the NASA shuttle program who has visited Ellis on two occasions, Cheryl’s eyes lit up. She told me of her fascination with space exploration in an animated conversation that impressed me greatly. Even as she works hard to gain ground in her skill acquisition, I am confident that Cheryl has the potential to soar to the heavens someday – as astronaut, artist, educator, or other pursuit. She is worthy of our confidence and encouragement, and I look forward to seeing Cheryl realize the success story in the making that she represents.

Sincerely,
Robin O. Newham
Director, Upper School