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Quarterly eNewsletter
Spring 2009
Volume 6, Issue 1
Dear Friend,
Good news is in short supply these days so we hope to fill the void with this newsletter. Thanks to so many of you reading this, Worldfund is weathering the storm well. What Worldfund board and benefactors are telling us with their actions and continued support is that a practical, high quality education is key to the future of Latin America. Today's acute challenges are not holding us back from from making critical educational investments needed to spur economic growth and create equality of opportunity in Latin America. Nothing, including a deep recession, can take away one's educational attainment.
As you can read, below, Worldfund is thrilled to announce its first 7 figure gift from Steve Shindler. Many of you may remember Steve from our Education Leadership Dinner last June, when he and his company (NII Holdings) were honored for their commitment to raising education levels in Latin America. As inspiring as Steve's dinner comments were, they pale in comparison to Steve's actions. Steve has been working tirelessly in his new role as Worldfund board Chair. The Worldfund board, under the prior leadership of Mary Bourque and Stefano Natella, has been instrumental in Worldfund's growth and is playing an ever growing role in Worldfund's efforts to make a significant, positive impact in Latin America.
Worldfund celebrated the launch of Worldfund Mexico this past month in Mexico City (see article below). The event was hosted by our Mexican-based board of directors and Education Leadership Council, as well as our NYC-based board member, Eduardo Vidal from Hughes Hubbard & Reed law firm.
Invitations are being mailed this week for our annual Education Leadership Dinner this June in NYC. We will be honoring The Coca-Cola Company, represented by President and CEO, Muhtar Kent, and FEMSA, represented by Chairman and CEO, Jose Antonio Fernandez Carbajal. Dinner Chair Donald R. Keough will present the awards. Thanks to an early outpouring of support, we have already raised over US$1 million dollars, but still have a long way to go and very much hope you can join us in June.
Despite press to the contrary, we see the extraordinarily generous side of many Wall Street bankers. Below, we include impressions by Deutsche Bank bankers, Bradshaw McKee and Michael Gelhard, about their recent visit to one of our partner schools in Mexico.
We would also like to highlight the recent publication of a beautiful book of photographs taken of our partner school in Brazil, recently published by Matthew Carasella.
On a more personal note, Worldfund celebrated its first wedding in Mexico. Lucia Perez, our office manager, was married to Alejandro Artola in a beautiful ceremony in Guanajuato. The Mariachi band that played throughout the festivities was so good, that we are hopeful they will play at our June dinner!
We at Worldfund and the thousands of Latin American students and teachers whom you touch thank you.
Warmest regards,
Luanne Zurlo
Founder & Executive Director
Read about our Student of the Month, Juan... |
Factlet of the Month
57% of Mexican 15-year-olds tested at or below the minimum possible level on the 2006 OECD PISA math exam. Of South Korean students tested, only 9% scored this low.
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