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PETER WESTBROOK FOUNDATION 2010 Annual Report 20 years of enriching the lives of children through the sport of fencing The first two students at the Peter FOUNDATION Westbrook Foundation in February 1991, and 2008 Olympic silver medalists Keeth and Erinn Smart carry on the tradition by coaching the next generation of Olympic hopefuls every week. PETER WESTBROOK Table of Contents Letter From the Founder & CEO Page 2 Program Goals Page 2 PWF Programs Page 3 The Peter Westbrook Success Stories Page 5 Foundation, Inc. is a not-for- profit organization that utilizes the sport Community Corner Page 6 of fencing as a vehicle to develop life skills in young people from underserved Endowment Fund Page 8 communities. Summary Statement & Activities Page 10 Sponsors & Board Members Page 11 1 Letter From The Founder PETER WESTBROOK Dear Friends, "We are a As we launch into celebrating 20 years of family and a community. I continuous and remarkably successful service to treat every the underserved communities of New York, it child in the seems fitting to focus on some key principles that program as if have contributed to our extraordinary success. he or she were my own." Teamwork, discipline and gratitude are three - Peter FOUNDATION of the pillars upon which Peter Westbrook Westbrook Foundation is built. Our student athletes (even the most naturally gifted) understand that engaged teamwork allows them achieve success that is beyond the reach of their individual talents alone. They recognize that discipline in all of their including: MIT, Columbia University, Penn State, endeavors prepares them to withstand and and Temple University. overcome adversity in bad times and to capitalize on good fortune and opportunity in good times. I cannot describe the depth of my gratitude to Finally, our students know that maintaining a sense everyone at the PWF from the volunteers, staff and gratitude to all those who have helped them achieve coaches, to the students, families and most success along the way helps to keep them grounded especially to the Board of Managers and donors for in community no matter how lofty their their loyalty, commitment and self-less acts of achievements. generosity. When I founded the organization 20 years ago, The Peter Westbrook Foundation is a family; the goal was simple: Give back in a way that I built on gratitude, discipline, teamwork, understood and that I knew could be successful. I commitment, and loyalty. These are the principles felt certain that children from underserved that have brought us this far and we believe they communities could and would thrive, despite the will guide us through our next 20 years. challenges they face, if only they received the extra guidance and encouragement as I myself received Thank you for joining us on this magnificent during my own formative years. Time and time journey. If you are being introduced to our again, the truths of my beliefs have been borne out: Foundation for the first time, welcome to the family. •Keeth & Erinn Smart winning Silver Medals at the 2008 Being Olympics •Nzingha Prescod three time Junior World Champion (2008 & 2009) •PWF National Champion Gold Medal Teams Peter Westbrook, in M. Sabre, and W. Foil (2010) Founder & CEO Our students continue to excel off of the fencing strip as well. This fall eleven PWF high school seniors will enroll as freshman at a some of the nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges Program Goals The primary objectives of the year-round program • Develop their sense of civic duty and community are to help young people to: service • Foster a sense of community inspired by a • Equip themselves with the life skills that enable common love of fencing them to take control of their futures • Strive for academic excellence Fencing is an ideal educational tool because it • Develop leadership skills promotes development of integrity, honorable • Build self confidence personal conduct, patience and respect for others. • Gain exposure to people from diverse cultural Above all, fencing promotes intellectual growth and and socioeconomic backgrounds maturity because it challenges the individual to think • Learn about healthy living both tactically and strategically to solve problems and overcome obstacles. 2 PWF Programs Participants program are awarded scholarships to defray the FOUNDATION costs of fencing club memberships, coaching, competitions fees and equipment. Girls and boys between the ages of nine and eighteen are eligible for the program. Currently, The athletes are required to attend monthly most participants are residents of underserved meetings conducted by the training staff and a communities and from single-parent households summer training camp, maintain at least a 3.0 grade within the five boroughs of New York City, Long point average, as well as volunteer their time to Island, Westchester County and New Jersey. mentor younger fencers in the Saturday Fencing Approximately 85% of the participants are African- Program. American and Latino youth, with the remaining 15% being of Asian and Caucasian descent. Athletes are trained by the Foundation’s PETER WESTBROOK international roster of coaches, comprised of Saturday Fencing Program Olympians and instructors with extensive competitive and athlete development experience. The PWF teaches the sport of fencing to Each coach acts as a mentor by monitoring each approximately 150 children, ages eight to eighteen. student’s academic performance to ensure that The program is held every Saturday morning from athletes are balancing their responsibilities to study 9:00 am to noon, September through June. as hard in school as they train in the fencing gym. Coaches also chaperone athletes during trips to The Saturday morning program begins with a series domestic and international competitions, often of aerobic, core and fencing specific exercises led by acting as a motivator, cheerleader, friend and PWF Olympians. Following the exercises, Peter counselor to their students. Westbrook or a guest speaker gives an uplifting talk to the entire class and parents in attendance. After Academic Enrichment Program the uplifting talk, children are separated into small groups by age and fencing weapon and led by an The PWF Academic Enrichment Program is the illustrious staff of Olympians, National Champions cornerstone of our educational initiatives. Tutoring and former National Team Members. is offered free of charge to all participants in the Peter Westbrook Foundation, in a space conveniently After School Leadership located around the corner from the training facility. Approximately six hundred students have Program participated in the program over the life of the Foundation. The program continues to grow both in An elite squad of approximately 40 athletes, who the number of students participating, as well as, the show exceptional talent for the sport, are selected for level of engagement by parities involved in the our After School Leadership Program. Athletes train process. For example, the number of participants in year-round in this program and adopt a professional the Foundation taking advantage of the tutoring training regimen of 4-6 days per week, which is program has grown from less than a dozen 6 years designed to prepare them for domestic and ago to an average of 55 students with a waiting list international competitions. All participants in the of 20 students. The number of tutors has grown from 6 to 30. In order to accommodate more students, the program added instructional workshops covering Advanced such topics as: punctuation and grammar review, students literacy, essay writing and academic success demonstrate strategies. The program also hosts prep courses for the finer the Specialized High School Admissions Test points of bouting for (SHSAT) and the PSAT. The program utilizes their industry recognized best practices in order to help classmates. each student realize his or her academic potential. 3 PETER WESTBROOK The Purpose & Benefits The purpose of the program is to strengthen The students’ skills in subject areas needing attention, so effectiveness they may attain academic success. The program and success offers numerous benefits for young people of our academic experiencing academic difficulties, including: program has increased • Individualized attention for up to six hours per dramatically with the week from an experienced educator opening of • A variety of learning environments designed to our tutoring FOUNDATION encourage students, regardless of motivation center. level, to accept an active role in their learning process • Instruction tailored to each student’s learning style and needs Academic Scholarships • Cooperative learning environments, where students are encouraged to accept roles as peer mentors As a result of the overall programs, students have • Positive reinforcement to improve students’ self- excelled both athletically and scholastically. The esteem success of our student athletes has garnered a • Guidance that supports the development of number of academic and athletic scholarship critical thinking and leadership skills. opportunities at exceptional primary and collegiate institutions. A few of the institutions at which the It is required that parents provide copies of all Foundation has helped secure scholarships for report cards, class exams and teacher reports athletes include: throughout the school year in order to monitor the progress of every AEP student. Throughout the Private School school year, parents are also asked to submit • The Dwight School reporting