This fiscal year is our fourteenth year of operation, and while it has brought us
new and at times major challenges, the organization has matured and established to its
greatest level yet of sustainability and productive support for the High School Art &
Design and its students. Our accomplishments and benchmark numbers for this year just
completed tell our story.
-
34 volunteer tutors from our membership provided HSAD students nearly 4,000
hours of tutoring in virtually
every core subject offered by the school.
- Learning Leaders, a tutor accrediting organization working with the NYC
Department of Education for more
than 50 years, named FAD’s tutoring program
as the best in the city.
- The in-school music program which we originated and continue to support,
arranged for five concerts for the
students, all performed by professional
musicians who accompany their presentations with explanations and
dialogue
with the audience.
- Our volunteer chaperones, without whom such field trips would not be possible,
escorted groups of 10 – 25
students to such venues as Lincoln Center, The Japan
Society, Metropolitan Museum of Art, El Muséo del
Barrio, Museum of Modern
Art, Walter Reade Film Center, The Guggenheim Museum, Carnegie Hall, The
United Nations and the Museum of the Moving Image
- FAD’s College Application Program, in coordination with HSAD’s College
Counseling Office, assists juniors
and seniors with their efforts to be accepted in
higher learning institutions. This was enhanced with FAD
members providing help
with application essays and this year we provided modest financial assistance
to
42 needy and deserving students to provide application fees, transportation for
campus visits and in
some cases appropriate clothes for interviews. HSAD is a
Title One school which means that a great
percentage of the families of students
have an annual income of less than $20,000. FAD volunteers also
assist students
in need of financial assistance with the lengthy and complicated process of
qualifying for
scholarships and aid.
- Achievement awards were presented to 5 juniors and 7 seniors for outstanding
artistic achievement, for
community service and for overall academic excellence
providing added incentive to achieve as well
as recognition beyond what the
school can provide.
- FAD donated financial support for the HSAD extra-curricular Arts Club to provide
live models and supplies.
The activity is led by a faculty volunteer outside school
hours.
- With the help of students and a technical professional from our board, we up-graded our web site and
provided funding for the
school’s new web site as well.
- Due to partial deconstruction of the school building in 2008-09, FAD restrained
use of its funds for
material enhancements in the school. Now, the building, like
many others in the City is on hold to
be rebuilt. FAD must re-evaluate this policy
and plan for the coming years of re-development at
the school site.
- Through our various fundraising efforts, we raised over $20,000 in support of our
goals and missions.
We also received a matching challenge grant of $25,000 from
a private donor which we confidently
expect to take full advantage of by its
expiration in January 2010. We also launched a new
fundraising effort dedicated
to the process of getting HSAD students on their way to career and
higher
learning institutions.
- Added emphasis on fundraising will come from an enhanced effort at grant and
major donor solicitations.
- A formal budget for the new fiscal year was approved showing planned spending
in support of our goals
and mission in the amount of $42,000. Just 10% of this is
needed for operating and administrative
expenses, thanks to the efforts of our
corps of volunteers.
