CSF Scholars Win High School Scholarships

It’s that time of year again when our neighbors, Friends of Nick (FON), host their awards ceremonies to announce the winners of the coveted four-year high school scholarships. This year was also extra special because CSF President Darla Romfo spoke about her experience as a FON essay reader.

Friends of Nick is a character-building program created in memory of Nicholas C. Forstmann (brother of CSF co-founder, Theodore J. Forstmann). Many CSF Scholars in New York City attend the FON workshops, and apply for their scholarship through an essay-based contest. Students write about their experience with the program and what they have learned about character. Every year we are eager to find out if any of the CSF Scholars will win!

This year two CSF Scholars were proud recipients of the Friends of Nick Award. Congratulations to Thomas and Isaac!

• Thomas F. from Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School: Thomas has been a CSF Scholar since 2005 and will be attending Xavier High School in the fall.
• Isaac L. from Incarnation School: Isaac has been a CSF Scholar since 2008 and will be attending All Hallows High School.

We are extremely proud of all the students and parents who participated! The ceremonies were insightful and heart-warming, and we are sure that Nick Forstmann would be proud.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Two more weeks, two final chances to vote for CSF

Did you pick the winning Superbowl team yesterday?

Well, even if you didn’t, you now have a chance to vote for a truly winning team – all the 26,500 children across the country who are using CSF scholarships to get a quality education!

Once again, could you please take a few moments to vote for CSF to win $200,000? Here’s the website:

www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote

Voting closes on February 20^th, which means you have only two more chances to vote – this week and next week. If CSF gets enough votes during this crucial time, we could offer many more parents a choice, and give their children the chance at a better education and a brighter future.

THANK YOU!

Dakotah R., CSF Scholar and 6th grader from East Harlem, New York.

You can help CSF win $200,000!

We have some exciting news, and also a favor to ask.

The big news is that Children’s Scholarship Fund has been chosen to participate in Members Project®, a partnership between American Express and TakePart, a social action network, to help people everywhere support charitable organizations – and we have a chance to win $200,000 from American Express.

Here’s where the favor comes in: CSF needs your votes – starting today!

All you have to do is join Members Project, and cast a vote for us each week starting today Monday, November 29^th through Sunday, February 20th. You do not have to be an American Express cardholder to join and vote. After the three-month voting period is complete, Members Project will tally the votes and announce the winners. We want CSF to be a part of that list!

When you go to Members Project to vote, you will be asked to register with your email address and date of birth (you must be at least 18 to participate), and create a username and password. Registration is easy, and once you’re done, you can vote up to once a week for Children’s Scholarship Fund.

The funding will help us offer more scholarships to more deserving families, and it takes just a mouse-click each week to help us win this vital support. Every vote makes a difference. It takes just a small step to begin.

Those who’ve joined Members Project can vote for one charity every week from a list of up to 50 charities (CSF is one of ten charities in the education category). Every three months, the votes are counted and the charity receiving the most votes in each category will be awarded $200,000 from American Express.

To join Members Project and start casting your votes, go to:

http://www.takepart.com/membersproject/vote now!

Thank you so much, and have a great week.

Hundreds of Students Still Need Scholarships

The 2010-11 school year is underway, and we are excited to see what this year will bring. However, we need your help. CSF has awarded thousands of scholarships already, but we are still receiving applications on a daily basis and we have a wait-list of several hundred children.  To read a message from CSF President Darla Romfo about what you can do to help today, please click here. As our Co-Founder and Chairman, Ted Forstmann, has said, “When you save a child, you save the world.”

Welcome Back to School!

On behalf of CSF, we wish all of our students, families

and extended community a happy first day of school.

Let’s have a great year!

Also, the NY Times blog, City Room, is running a special First Day of School photo opportunity. Submit your photos of that very special first day to us here and them there.

1.

1 Day Left: Read Wemberly Worried

to ease your 1st day jitters.

A preview:

Kevin Henkes is amazing. His mouse books are some of the best children’s books ever. Don’t miss Wemberly Worried, or any others. Check out Henkes’ books now!

2.

2 Days Left: Get your backpack ready!

It’s almost here – the first day of school!

Get your newly sharpened pencils and clean notebooks ready!

Feel free to print this out and color it in!

3.

3 Days Left: Make a tin can telephone.

(Always fun for a summer day at the park with your best friend.)

For instructions on how to make your own, click here.

4.

4 Days Left: Visit your local library.

(Finish reading for fun before the required reading begins!)

Photo: Courtesy of Maria, a great friend, and blogger at Stickers & Donuts.