JOEL I. KLEIN, NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS CHANCELLOR, WAS HONORED WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR HIS INCREDIBLE WORK FOR EDUCATION REFORM IN NEW YORK CITY.  BETH COMSTOCK, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AT GE, WAS HONORED WITH THE ANN VANDERBILT AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND MARKETING OF GE’S GREEN MOVEMENT.

THE ANN VANDERBILT AWARD IS NAMED AFTER THE FOUNDER AND FIRST PRESIDENT OF BIG SISTERS, INC., WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1908 AND IS NOW KNOWN AS PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN (WWW.PARTNERSHIPWITHCHILDRENNYC.ORG).

PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN, INC., A 501(C)(3) NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, CELEBRATES ITS UNIQUE SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM, OPEN HEART – OPEN MIND, WHICH REACHES OVER 12,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR WHOSE LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES PUT THEM AT RISK FOR ACADEMIC FAILURE.  THE ORGANIZATION’S TEAMS OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS ARE INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY INTO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE EARLY INTERVENTION, PREVENTIVE SERVICES AND COUNSELING TO THOSE CHILDREN WHO NEED IT MOST.    ITS MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN THE EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE SKILLS OF AT-RISK CHILDREN IN 24 SCHOOLS IN ALL OF THE BOROUGHS OF NEW YOKR SO THAT THEY CAN SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, IN SOCIETY AND IN THEIR LIVES.