The Effect of Serendipity

Collins58 · 05-14-2008, 08:21 AM

It was an accidental beginning for the IHAD foundation in the year 1981. But that impulsive move sparked a national movement to positively impact the lives of children in low-income communities. In 1981, businessman Eugene M. Lang returned to P.S. 121, the elementary school he had attended in East Harlem 50 years earlier, to address a class of graduating sixth graders. He intended to tell the students, "Work hard and you'll succeed." But on the way to the podium, the school principal told Lang that three-quarters of the school's students would probably never finish high school, prompting Lang to make an impromptu change to his speech: he promised college tuition to every sixth grader who stayed in high school and graduated.

The response of Lang’s proposition was so huge that from the 54 sixth graders who remained in contact with the organization, more than 90% have earned their high school diplomas or GED certificates and 60% have pursued higher. It was the beginning of a revolution which was adopted by other regions as well. Since then, 199 "I Have a Dream" programs have operated in 27 states, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand, together serving over 15,000 Dreamers.

The program was initiated in Dallas by Bill and the late Elaine Farrell in Sept 1986, after reading about it in the Sixty Minutes. The board members of IHAD-Dallas now includes many dignitaries like David Disiere of the Deep South Surplus of Texas, Helen M. Dorsey, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Inc. James W. Loose Galloway-James Inc. and others. The program has been highly successful with more and more children reaching their dreams and achieving great heights in career

Eshta · 05-14-2008, 07:31 PM

Wha....?

Aniseteph · 05-14-2008, 10:37 PM

Well that's certainly off topic.

gisela · 05-15-2008, 02:38 AM

Does he want us to do something or buy something? Or just happy to spread information?

sedoniaraqs · 05-15-2008, 02:42 AM

the link doesn't even work!

Shanazel · 05-20-2008, 04:32 AM

Well. That was... Well. Maybe we could convince him to spark a national movement to positively impact the lives of belly dancers in low-income communities?

05-14-2008, 08:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
Collins58 Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1	The Effect of Serendipity It was an accidental beginning for the IHAD foundation in the year 1981. But that impulsive move sparked a national movement to positively impact the lives of children in low-income communities. In 1981, businessman Eugene M. Lang returned to P.S. 121, the elementary school he had attended in East Harlem 50 years earlier, to address a class of graduating sixth graders. He intended to tell the students, "Work hard and you'll succeed." But on the way to the podium, the school principal told Lang that three-quarters of the school's students would probably never finish high school, prompting Lang to make an impromptu change to his speech: he promised college tuition to every sixth grader who stayed in high school and graduated. The response of Lang’s proposition was so huge that from the 54 sixth graders who remained in contact with the organization, more than 90% have earned their high school diplomas or GED certificates and 60% have pursued higher. It was the beginning of a revolution which was adopted by other regions as well. Since then, 199 "I Have a Dream" programs have operated in 27 states, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand, together serving over 15,000 Dreamers. The program was initiated in Dallas by Bill and the late Elaine Farrell in Sept 1986, after reading about it in the Sixty Minutes. The board members of IHAD-Dallas now includes many dignitaries like David Disiere of the Deep South Surplus of Texas, Helen M. Dorsey, Dr. Pepper/Seven Up Inc. James W. Loose Galloway-James Inc. and others. The program has been highly successful with more and more children reaching their dreams and achieving great heights in career

05-14-2008, 07:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Eshta Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 279	Wha....? __________________ Eshta - South West London Belly Dancer

05-15-2008, 02:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
gisela Moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Denmark Posts: 727	Does he want us to do something or buy something? Or just happy to spread information? __________________ You need chaos in your soul to create a dancing star-nietzsche

05-14-2008, 10:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
Aniseteph V.I.P. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 1,395	Well that's certainly off topic.

05-15-2008, 02:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
sedoniaraqs Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: cultural wasteland of the midwestern US Posts: 533	the link doesn't even work!

05-20-2008, 04:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
Shanazel Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rocky Mountains USA Posts: 3,786	Well. That was... Well. Maybe we could convince him to spark a national movement to positively impact the lives of belly dancers in low-income communities?