| Home | About Us | 21st C. Skills | Information | Programs | Grantmaking | Partners | Get Involved |
The previous recipients of the Bridge Builder Award are: Bill White "If it was not for Bill White's initial leadership, I am not sure if New Tech High would be the success it is today," said David Becker, TechPoint Foundation and TechPoint Board Member. "TechPoint Foundation is honored to recognize a true hero in our city's public education system, and a pioneer in bridging the 'digital divide' that too often separates the haves and have-nots in our innovation-based economy." In 2006, as the Academic Dean of the Technology Careers Academy on Arsenal Tech Campus, Mr. White recognized his students were not prepared with the 21st century skills necessary for success in today's workplace. As Mr. White's began to research successful education reform efforts, he discovered an innovative new education model in Napa Valley, California that was truly changing the lives of its students. Mr. White together with IPS leadership and TechPoint Foundation brought the education model known as New Tech High to Arsenal Tech campus one year later. In the Fall of 2007, with a staff hand-selected by Mr. White, New Tech High @ Arsenal Tech opened its doors to its first class of 100 IPS freshman. "As an educator of forty years I have seen a number of fads come and go. One thing that remains constant however is that when teachers, administrators, parents and community members demonstrate to students that they care for them, the students do better," expressed Mr. White. "I have had many successful years working in education; when I was introduced to the New Tech High model I knew I had found the balance of relationship-building, rigor and relevance necessary for a successful 21st Century school." Today, two years later, New Tech High @ Arsenal Tech continues to exceed expectations. Mr. White's vision and initial leadership has created an environment of trust, respect and responsibility that continues to thrive in the halls of New Tech High today. TechPoint Foundation will make a $1,000 grant to a youth-serving charity designated by Mr. White, in honor of his service to the community Senator David Ford Senator Ford was recognized widely and received numerous awards for his achievements, including TechPoint’s Trailblazer Award in 2004. Rather than seeking awards or recognition, he sought only to do what was right. A close colleague observed “One can measure the caliber of a public servant by a two-part test, character and conviction. Senator Ford was a man of unshakable loyalty to his family and those he served, grace and civility in his treatment of all people, a self-awareness of how his decisions would impact his integrity and other persons, and a strong faith in his Divine Master. He walked the walk, was always true to his word, and lived a life that was an example to all.” Senator Ford was a champion of numerous legislative initiatives to provide technology access and benefits to the underprivileged. His leadership on the Indiana Technology Fund Grant Awards focused state funding on the poorest schools. He also wrote legislation prioritizing the availability of state surplus technology resources to these schools. Over three thousand computers have been moved into classrooms over the last three years at no cost to the schools through his efforts. Senator Ford consistently led the fight in the legislature to provide Indiana funding support to connect local schools to the state broadband network. Senator Ford also had a personal interest in helping inner city youth. Through his work with the Corporation for Educational Technology and the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration, he helped students of Muncie’s Longfellow School improve their skills by providing extensive technology resources to classrooms that had previously had almost nothing. He was also a strong supporter of Indiana’s New Tech High initiative, visiting the classrooms, talking with students and teachers, and encouraging community and statewide leaders to provide 21st Century learning to all of Indiana’s students. Indiana will miss the leadership and character of Senator David Ford, but we will continue to benefit from his efforts and his example. The TechPoint Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to recognize David Ford as the 2008 recipient of the Bridge Builder Award, and to honor his memory and his family through a $1,000 grant to the charity of their choice. 2007 - Daniel Kent In 2003, while still a middle school student, Daniel Kent, founded the Net Literacy Corporation, a 501 (c)(3) "youth empowered" non-profit organization that benefits from adult mentoring and direction. Now a high school senior attending Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Daniel continues to grow and develop the corporation. Net Literacy’s mission is to empower youth to increase computer availability and Internet literacy for underserved youth, families, and senior citizens. Daniel Kent and Net Literacy have been widely recognized by a distinguished list of community leaders and organizations that includes Presidents Clinton and Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senator Robert Dole, the Indiana General Assembly, and the City of Indianapolis. It is with great pleasure that the TechPoint Foundation adds the 2007 Bridge Builder Award to these well-deserved honors. Stefan Anderson is the retired CEO and Chairman of First Merchants Corporation. A longtime business leader, he served for many years as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Mr. Anderson’s many community leadership roles include service as chairman or director of the United Way of Delaware County, the Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, the Minnetrista Cultural Center, the Muncie Symphony Orchestra, Ball Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Indiana Nature Conservancy, the Indiana State Museum, and TechPoint. Stefan Anderson is widely recognized as an effective leader, bringing disparate groups and individuals together to promote significant community progress. Through his efforts, a new coalition of local groups was able to secure a $5 million grant for the Community Alliance to Promote Education. This project had as its primary goal the educational engagement of troubled and underprivileged youth least likely to be successful in a school setting. A major feature of this program was the use of technology hardware and software to enhance the learning process. This program has been “a demonstration of the bridge builder concept and the power of technology to make positive change”, observed Tom Kinghorn, Vice President at Ball State University. “The outcome has been that lives have been changed and both the individuals involved, who may have been rescued from a life of crime, and the community are better for the effort.” Mr. Anderson is a strong supporter of economic development activities, helping to create new opportunity and transition the Delaware County economy to “one that aspires to diversity, entrepreneurship and technology-based jobs”, according to Dan Allen, President of the Muncie-Delaware County, Indiana Economic Development Alliance. “Mr. Anderson exemplifies a true Bridge Builder, one who leads for the good of others, inspires vision, promotes collaboration, and brings out the best in people.” Wil Davis, Chairman & President of Ontario Systems, describes Mr. Anderson as “one of those rare individuals who has seen, understood, and lived the value of ‘service above self’ that permits him and his many philanthropy endeavors to truly build bridges of understanding and opportunity across the region, state, and even nation.” Mr. Davis also described Mr. Anderson’s characteristic humility, warning that “Steve would be very embarrassed to receive this award, given his own proclivity for working behind the scenes to improve the lives of other people.” The TechPoint Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to honor Stefan Anderson as the 2006 recipient of the Bridge Builder Award, and we hope that our $1,000 grant to the charity of Mr. Anderson’s choice will help ease his embarrassment. 2005 - Frances McCollum & Life's Transitions Frances McCollum is the founder and president of Life’s Transitions, Inc., a non-profit organization that started in 1997. Life’s Transitions helps individuals and families with creative programs that empower them to be successful and contributing members of the community. With a focus on youth and education, Life’s Transitions has worked to help students stay in school, raise academic achievement, get parents involved, and find the resources necessary to assist them. Frances McCollum has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in social sciences. She is a board member of two other non-profit agencies, Shalom Health Care Center, Inc. a provider of healthcare for the uninsured and Hoosier Veteran’s Assistance Foundation which provides housing and supportive services for homeless veterans. She is a member of the Northwest Youth Services Committee which a Bridges to Success Site serving youth that feed into Northwest High School. She is also a member of the COMPASS Committee which includes agencies seeking to address the needs of teenagers who are homeless. Frances McCollum has been deeply involved in improving the community and services available in the northwest side of Indianapolis since she served as president of the Eagledale Neighborhood Association in 1996. Under her leadership, a number of unmet needs in the community were identified and began to be addressed. Shalom Health Care Center began providing needed school healthcare. After-school funding was obtained from Safe Haven. Over 300 computers were located and given to low income children. Frances helped sign up an unprecedented number of students for the Twenty First Century Scholars programs through a computer donation initiative from Life’s Transitions, Inc. and Computers for Kids. Community Tech Link, a program of United Way of Delaware County, exemplifies commitment and service towards high impact technology resources that bridge the digital divide for health and human service organizations serving the underprivileged citizens in Muncie and Delaware County. The mission of Community Tech Link is to promote and to coordinate collaborative technology communications and problem solving for health and human service organizations and other non-profit entities. Community Tech Link has demonstrated a commitment to its mission, “to empowering the non-profit organizations that will enhance the capacity to serve at-risk residents in a more efficient method. 2003 - Michael Weisbard 2002 - Rusty Johnson Each of these individuals and organizations has provided an outstanding example of philanthropic activism in the technology community. |
|
 |
 |
 |
| Copyright 2009 Techpoint Foundation | a CICF Partner | ||