® Volume 13, Number 4, April 2007 Free Books Program Reaches Students and Teachers t was while searching for background informa- “Once the students get past the thickness of currently a freshman at Huntington University Ition on Ayn Rand that Ms. Yolanda Wilfork, a The Fountainhead,” said Ms. Wilfork, “they get in Indiana. “I had heard of Ayn Rand,” she said, high school English teacher in Georgia, discovered excited about the ideas within it, agree or disagree. “but I had never read any of her books before I ARI’s Free Books to Teachers program. “I first For example, some of my students want to stand was assigned to read The Fountainhead in my heard of Ayn Rand in high school, thirty years ago, tall and firm like Roark, but others don’t want to Advanced Placement English class. The novel and I regret not reading any of her novels then,” probed my thoughts. I liked the aspect of the book Ms. Wilfork recently told Impact. “Her philosophy that promoted the idea of seeking to do the best would have surely helped me understand myself that you can, to be the best that you can be, and to sooner. For that reason, I deemed it necessary to create what you’re driven and inspired to create, share my enthusiasm for Ayn Rand’s philosophy regardless of the pressures surrounding you or with my students early in their pre-adult lives.” what people are going to think of it.” The Free Books project enabled her to do that. Not only did Ms. Bates read The Fountain- Ms. Wilfork is one of thousands of teach- head—she went on to place third in ARI’s 2006 ers who have taken advantage of ARI’s Free Fountainhead essay contest. “My English teacher Books program. Under the program, ARI sends assigned us to write essays based on the essay con- free copies of The Fountainhead and Anthem test questions and encouraged us to submit them to high school English teachers who would like Ms.Yolanda Wilfork, teacher to ARI,” said Ms. Bates. “I did so and was thrilled to teach these novels but are unable to for lack to later find out I had placed third. I am so grateful of school funding. To date, ARI has distributed Ms. Claire Bates, student to ARI’s donors. I have definitely benefited from more than 700,000 books through this project, their generosity.” including 310,000 last year alone and 260,000 pay what they see as the price for being uncom- ARI’s ability to supply books depends on to date in this school year. This means hundreds promising. Either way they become very passion- funding from our donors. We are now soliciting of thousands of students who may not have been ate about the issues.” funds for the 2007–8 school year. If you would exposed to Ayn Rand are reading her books as One of the students who has benefited from like to support this important project, please visit part of their high school curriculum. the Free Books program was Ms. Claire Bates, www.aynrand.org/freebooks. Q & A with Dr. Andrew Student Web Page Launched Bernstein on His ater this month ARI will launch a new Web site capitalism (see at right). Also, Dr. Onkar Ghate, Lfor students, www.aynrandnovels.com. This ARI senior fellow and dean of the OAC, will give Fountainhead Course Web site is part of our plan to develop two content- a recorded presentation on Atlas Shrugged. Both Dr. Bernstein is a visiting rich Web sites—the other will be aimed at teach- courses, as well as a course on Ayn Rand’s novel- professor of philosophy at ers—that will provide a wide array of information ette, Anthem, will be available on the Web site in Marist College; he also about Ayn Rand’s novels and ideas. the coming months. teaches at SUNY Purchase At the core of these Web sites will be courses (which selected him Outstand- for both teachers and students that may contain ing Teacher for 2004) and audiovisual presentations as well as written formerly at Pace University, material. and at Marymount College The student site currently contains information (which selected him Outstand- about Ayn Rand’s life, her novels, her ideas, as well Andrew Bernstein ing Teacher for 1995). He is as information on the Institute’s other activities of the author of three Ayn Rand titles for CliffsNotes: interest to students, such as our essay contests and Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead and Anthem, of the Objectivist Academic Center. We will continue Penguin’s Teacher’s Guide to “The Fountainhead,” to add content to the site, including a “bulletin and of The Capitalist Manifesto: The Historic, board” feature for moderated online discussions Economic and Philosophic Case for Laissez-Faire that will help enhance the learning experience, and (University Press of America, 2005). generate enthusiasm among teachers and students Home page of the new education Web site * * * for the ideas introduced in the novels and courses. Impact: How did you become involved in this Our aim is to create a vibrant online commu- This site was made possible thanks to the generosity of the J.M. Freedom Foundation, which project? nity for young people to explore ideas and interact Andrew Bernstein: ARI offered to pay me! with like-minded peers. This Internet community provided the initial funding. “This Web site will help the Institute build on [Laughs] I’ve been teaching The Fountainhead in will be available to not only students participat- the colleges for about twenty-five years now—I ing in one of the courses—but to other young the successes we have already achieved in offering to students a pro-reason, pro-liberty, pro-American use it as one of the main texts in every ethics people who are curious about Ayn Rand and, more class I teach. I’ve taught it literally hundreds of broadly, the ideas of individualism and freedom. alternative,” said Dr. Yaron Brook, ARI’s executive director. “Now students who benefit from our Free times. That’s why ARI asked me to write the As part of this project, Dr. Andrew Bern- Teacher’s Guide to “The Fountainhead” in the stein has recorded a classroom presentation on Books to Teachers program will have a place to go to learn more about the exciting ideas dramatized in late eighties, as well as the CliffsNotes for The The Fountainhead and the ideas presented in Fountainhead, and why they asked me to do a this novel—with an emphasis on exploring the Ayn Rand’s novels. This is another important step in our ongoing efforts to create a culture of reason.” course on this subject. principles of individualism, productiveness and continued on page 4 “Life-Income” Gift Arrangement Benefits Donor and ARI Long-time Objectivist only the gift portion, not the annuity portion ship—and his employer matches his gifts. (Unfor- and Institute donor Adri which benefits him. $66,052 was the IRS calcula- tunately, neither ARI nor the Anthem Foundation Kalisvaart, originally from tion at the time of the present value of the future meets the criteria for his employer’s matching gift The Netherlands, is an remainder to ARI.The projected remainder to program.) In addition, he has also named the Insti- electrical engineer living ARI after Mr. Kalisvaart’s lifetime, assuming an tute as the primary beneficiary of his estate. ARI is in Rhode Island. average return of seven percent on our invest- deeply appreciative of Mr. Kalisvaart’s immediate He first inquired about a life-income gift in ment of the gift principal, is more than $170,000. support and his far-reaching commitment. 1997 after attending a planned giving presentation As noted above, Mr. Kalisvaart’s cost basis Regarding his support of the Institute, hosted by ARI. in the ADI stock was quite low—it was only Mr. Kalisvaart stated, “Over the years I have Like a bequest, a life-income come to realize what great value gift benefits the Institute after the ideas of Ayn Rand are to me. the donor’s death—but the gift !DRI+ALISVAARTS'IFT!NNUITY They opened a window of under- is completed during the donor’s standing that I did not even know life and provides him with an existed. To bequeath my estate to income stream as well as tax 0ROPERTY ARI is to support those values.” "ASIS advantages. There are three life- For more information about income gift vehicles: the chari- gift annuities and other planned table gift annuity; the pooled gifts, including personalized income fund; and the charitable illustrations, contact Kathy Cross &LEXIBLE !2) at 310-876-1633 or kcross@ remainder trust. There are 'IFT technical differences among $ONOR !NNUITY 2EMAINDER aynrand.org. General information them—for example, whether the TO!2) about planned giving and ARI’s income is fixed or variable, how Atlantis Legacy is available at the income is taxed and how the www.atlantislegacy.com. )NCOMETAXDEDUCTION assets are held and invested. The basic principle is the 'AINSNOTTAXED ARI is committed to providing donors same for all three vehicles: The !NNUALINCOMESTARTSIN with accurate and authoritative donor makes an irrevocable gift information about planned giving. Adri Kalisvaart on vacation in of cash, securities, real estate or Athens, Greece, in 003, with However, we cannot render legal other assets; he receives income; the Parthenon in the distance. or tax advisory services. We he gets a tax deduction; and in urge donors to consult their own some cases, he reduces or elimi- advisors regarding the tax and legal nates his capital gain tax liability.