Students "Dare to Dream" and Win Scholarships, PCs and Software

February 27, 2007

Seven students associated with The Children's Aid Society are awarded prizes in national scholarship competition sponsored by BrainstormUSA

Contact:
Jennifer Braswell 
1-877-275-8754, ext. 2508
Fax: 1-770-587-5841

ATLANTA, GA, February 23, 2007 – Fatoumata Jawo, a 15 year old student associated with the Children’s Aid Society, has won a $5,000 college scholarship in a program sponsored by BrainstormUSA, an Atlanta-based marketer of educational software, videos and computers. Fatoumata Jawo is a student at the Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics and aspires to be a dermatologist. This winning project included a poster and an essay explaining skin diseases and the positive outcome of becoming a dermatologist. The essay was very thought out, displayed knowledge and research on the subject, but most of all it expressed a huge desire to fulfill a dream.

The awards are presented as part of BrainstormUSA’s 3rd Quarter 2006 “Dare to Dream…Expect to Succeed” scholarship program. These projects were chosen from among hundreds of entries.

In addition to Fatoumata winning a $5,000 college scholarship, six other students won prizes in the same competition. The following students each won a personal computer with educational software: Phylicia Conduah, a 10th grader at the Manhattan Center for Science and Math, for a book and essay showing the desire to become a pediatrician, and Raven Carter, a 10th grader at the Frederick Douglass Academy, for a poster and essay conveying the dream of becoming an actress. The following students at the Manhattan Center for Science and Math won a bundle of educational software: Joelle Davis, a 10th grade student, for a painting conveying the dream of becoming a painter, Gerlyne Paul, a 15 year old student, for an essay and poster expressing the dream of becoming a pediatrician, Manushka Paul, a 16 year old student, for an essay and poster conveying the dream of becoming an accountant, and Janelle Adams, an 11th grade student, for a poster and essay showing the desire to become a chief financial officer.

“The Dare to Dream…Expect to Succeed program is designed to show children the value of setting goals, sharing their hopes and having the self-confidence to communicate their vision,” said Joe Galluccio, President and CEO of BrainstormUSA.

The competition is open to students across the nation, from kindergarten to high school. Entries are judged based on the child's age and the merits of the project. The student is asked to describe a personal goal, and how he or she hopes to achieve it. Any form of creative media may be used, like prose, poetry, photography, collage or drawing, depending on the interest of the child. In addition, along with the student entry, parents are asked to describe how they will support their child's efforts to realize his/her dreams. The intent is to increase communication within the family, as well as the parents’ commitment to helping their children achieve their goals.

BrainstormUSA developed the “Dare to Dream…Expect to Succeed” program as a way to encourage students to describe and pursue their dreams. “An integral part of the BrainstormUSA philosophy is to ‘give back’ to the children, schools and communities who cross our path on a daily basis,” says Mr. Galluccio. “We are fortunate and extremely pleased to be able to implement this type of program. We are especially pleased there were so many winners who are associated with The Children’s Aid Society, an organization that provides so many worthwhile services to deserving children in New York City.”

Every quarter BrainstormUSA awards scholarships, computers and educational software to winning students. But children are not the only winners. In addition to Fatoumata winning a $5,000 scholarship, The Children’s Aid Society will receive two personal computers with a variety of educational software titles.

Since its inception in 1999, the Dare to Dream program has awarded over $2 million in scholarships, computers and educational software to students, teachers and schools across the U.S. This has been made possible partly through contributions from leading educational software, hardware and finance companies, including Orchard/Siboney Learning Group, CSI and Hy Cite. Through unique relationships with these and other education-related companies, BrainstormUSA makes available affordable computers and fun, interactive, curriculum-based K-12 learning software and other materials that complement school courseware and help parents participate more fully in their children’s education.

For more information about BrainstormUSA and/or how your child can enter the Dare to Dream...Expect to Succeed competition, please visit the company's website at www.brainstormusa.com, or call at 1-877-275-8754, extension 2508.
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Note to Editors: A ceremony to recognize all these winners will take place at The Children’s Aid Society, Dunlevy Milbank Center, 14-32 W. 118th Street, NY, NY 10026 on Wednesday, February 28th at 6:30 pm. To attend the ceremony or for more information, please call Jennifer Braswell at 1-877-275-8754, extension 2508.