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2000 Newsletter
November, 2000
Hello Friend!
What a joy it is to share the news of the year 2000 with you! We can't help thinking that Ennis would truly be happy knowing that his dreams for those who have learning differences continue to live so actively in the works of the foundation. Our appreciation for those who have made this possible is boundless.
This September, we began the Ennis William Cosby Graduate Certificate Program entitled "Young Readers at Risk: Identification and Intervention." Drs. Johanna Uhry and Margaret Jo Shepherd, two of Ennis' former professors, direct and advise the program, held at Fordham University's Graduate School of Education. Twenty-four New York City public school teachers (kindergarten through third grade) were selected to receive a full scholarship for the sequence of six graduate courses. These courses will help them address the needs of young readers at risk in their own classrooms. In this our first year of the program, more than 400 of their own students will directly benefit from the program, and countless more in the years to come. In addition, the teachers are tutoring twenty-four at-risk students two afternoons each week in a supervised lab school setting. This "hands-on" training provides the kind of learning experiences that excited Ennis so much as a graduate student.
Our film, Ennis' Gift: A Film About Learning Differences, is now out in the world, doing its work of sharing a message of hope and understanding. It has been reviewed in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald, advertised in a full page ad in O Magazine, and described as "a national treasure" by Tom West (author of the wonderful book In the Mind's Eye). This morning, a school counselor who had just seen the film called to say "Ennis' Gift is a wonderful gift that blesses all of us." The film will be shown next fall on the HBO family network.
The film premiered on the East Coast this October at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston to a sell out crowd of 450, with over a hundred more people turned away. Russell Cosby, Ennis' uncle, and Don Winkler, CEO of Ford Motor Credit, and several of the children featured in the film joined us that evening for a discussion about learning differences. A poignant question came from a young man with learning differences who asked, "How can we get every teacher in the country to watch this film?" We are showing the film at national and regional conventions for educators, and are contemplating a 15 cities tour with the film this spring. Perhaps you know of a parent or teacher group or family who would benefit from seeing it. We would love to hear from you personally if you would like to sponsor a showing in your region.
If you would like to purchase the film, please call (800) 343-5540. A reminder that Ennis' Gift brings a remarkable cast to address the topic of learning differences: host Ed Bradley, actors Danny Glover, James Earl Jones, Lindsay Wagner, and Henry Winkler; business leaders Charles Schwab and Don Winkler; artist Robert Rauschenberg; athlete Bruce Jenner; MacArthur genius award winning paleontologist Jack Horner; polar explorer Ann Bancroft; and Bill Cosby's brother Russell along with children, educators, and others.
We're also pleased to announce that Hello Friend baseball hats and t-shirts can be purchased on our web site.
This past spring, we held our first New York City fundraiser at Cipriani's 42nd Street, hosted by Bill and Camille Cosby and Ennis' four sisters, and attended by more than 600 people. Lou Rawls filled the hall and our spirits with his music, and Stevie Wonder sang a song dedicated to Ennis. Sotheby's ran our auction with comedic contributions by our emcee, Alan King, who framed the evening with love and laughter. We all had an extraordinary evening, and left having made new friends dedicated to our common goal. Plans are underway for our second annual New York City fundraising event to be held this spring.
Finally, Russell Cosby, Ennis' uncle, and Carolyn Olivier, our Education Director, have continued their public awareness efforts by speaking to parents, teachers, administrators and children with learning differences around the country.
We send you our warmest thanks for the accomplishments you have given life to this year through your support. With your continuing efforts, we can make a reality the vision that all children ö including those with the "gift" of seeing the world differently - will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and give back to a world that needs new contributors and solutions to its many problems. Your support means the world to us!
Sincerely,
Phillip D. Caputo
President and Executive Director