Giving Back

One of our company values is Generosity.

We live this value by giving time, talent, and money to special individuals and organizations. This month, we highlight two efforts that deserve your consideration.

The first involves Students Helping Others and the second involves Others Helping Students.

1. Students Helping Others – Justin Maniscalco

Justin Maniscalco is one of two sons of Rita Maniscalco, the secretary/treasurer of the Long Island Coaching Alliance, of which I am president. Rita is an amazing woman and, it is no surprise, her son Justin is just as amazing.

In February 2009, Justin and approximately 70 other students from Long Island Lutheran High School will once again travel (with five chaperones) to Puerta Chuburna, a remote fishing village on the Yucatan peninsula. They will construct roofs on as many homes as they can. Justin and 40 fellow students completed 13 roofs on a trip there in Feb 2008.

While in Puerta Chuburna, the students will have only cold water for showers; they will sleep in hammocks; they will cook their own food; they will bring as many of their own shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers as can fit into the one bag they’re allowed to bring—and they will donate this clothing to the children of Puerta Chuburna when they finish their work and return to the United States.

The cost of the trip is $1500 per student, which covers airfare, food, and building materials. Each student is expected to raise the money him or herself.

This is where you come in. Please join us in sponsoring Justin and his fellow students by making a donation in the form of a check made out to “Long Island Lutheran High School” and mailed to Justin Maniscalco, 7 Joseph Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714. (Please send your checks directly to Justin—not to the school, as they are not prepared to accept them.)

For more about Justin and this effort, read his 2008 trip essay.

2. Others Helping Students — The Earn & Learn Program

Our second opportunity to make a positive difference by giving back is by supporting a privately funded program called “Earn & Learn.”

Earn and Learn offers a work-incentive-mentoring program to help students improve their grades, school participation and ultimately, their self esteem – to build academic as well as life skills.

Earn and Learn is a work-incentive program where each student is “hired” as an “employee” and commits to specific requirements as to schoolwork, behavior, attendance and bi-weekly meetings with an “employer/mentor.” Failure to meet standards could lead to suspension without pay or termination. Students are required to put at least ten percent of their “income” into an education savings account at a local bank. If they save more, Rosmarin will match up to thirty percent.

To date, the program has proven to be remarkably effective and successful in motivating the students to change their behavior, improve academically and receive their checks. In fact, the first three seniors graduated in June 2008 and all are attending college.

Earn and Learn has consistently defied the odds for its at-risk students with a success rate far in excess of the 10% that is predicted by knowledgeable professionals

In order to expand, founder Jefry Rosmarin needs volunteers who can meet with a small group of students for one hour every two weeks during the school year to determine if the students have qualified for their stipend/paycheck.

Volunteers will fill the role of mentor/employer. At the bi-weekly meetings, the volunteer “employer”:
– Leads a group discussion
– Collects and reviews the students’ progress reports
– Distributes the checks – if the students have earned them. (Checks are prepared in advance and provided to volunteers.)

Training is also provided to volunteers to assist in understanding and implementing the program. Your commitment and involvement is crucial in allowing this successful program to continue its expansion and positive impact.

Anyone interested in learning more about Earn and Learn is invited to visit the web site at http://earnandlearnny.org or to contact Jefry Rosmarin at 631.629.4375 or jefryr@aol.com.