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Many of your children knew Professor Wynne Wu of BHSEC’s Chinese Language faculty from their language modules as ninth graders or in subsequent Chinese language classes. Wynne was one of BHSEC’s original faculty members and not only helped create the Chinese language program at BHSEC but also taught classes in Chinese calligraphy. She was also a talented pianist (double degree from Oberlin in Piano and East Asian Studies) and taught piano at BHSEC, played in school performances and helped to coordinate the school’s introduction to arts program.

Sadly Professor Wu passed away last Friday after a long battle with cancer. Professor Wu’s colleagues and friends have established the Wynne Wu Fund in her honor to support BHSEC students engaged in cross cultural programs with China and Chinese language study.  The PTA is offering administrative support for the fund and has voted to contribute $500 in seed money.  In addition, the current PTA travel scholarship for the China Exchange Program will be named the Wynne Wu China Travel Scholarship. The scholarship honors Professor Wu for her longtime support of and interest in cross cultural exchange and intensive language learning and her efforts to instill these interests in BHSEC students.

We welcome any additional contributions to the Wu Fund.   Checks should be made payable to the BHSEC PTA, with the notation Wu Fund in the memo section.  Contributions may be mailed to BHSEC PTA/Wu Fund, 525 East Houston St, NY,NY 1002 or left with Carol Turitz in Room 228.

Donations to the Wu Fund will be held separately from general PTA monies and all awards from the fund will be at the direction of the Foreign Language faculty.  For more details on the fund, see the description below. Please feel free to contact us with additional questions.  Your contributions are tax deductible and our tax exempt number (EIN) is 81-0612857.  Your company may also offer a matching gift.  Please check with your human resources department for the form.

Thank you.

Dr. David Clark
BHSEC Language Faculty

Eileen McColgan

President, BHSEC PTA

Description of the Wu Fund

The Wu Fund supports cross cultural exchange and intensive language study by BHSEC students through its awards for the following purposes:

(i) Providing an additional stipend to recipients of the Wu Travel Scholarship to enable them to take full advantage of the China Exchange opportunities either during the recipient’s time in China or to assist in hosting his/her exchange partner;

(ii) Providing additional scholarships for the China Exchange program as funds allow;

(iii) Providing support for BHSEC students to participate in a Chinese language program during the summer.

Decisions on the amount, use and recipients of the Wu Award will be made by the Chinese language faculty in consultation with (1) their colleagues on the Foreign Language faculty and (2) the Office of Student Affairs which administers the Wu Travel Scholarship.  Wu Fund awards will be based on merit and need, using the same procedures and criteria as are used to determine the Wu Travel Scholarship.

Monies in the Wu Fund will be held by the BHSEC in a separate account and administered at the direction of the Wu Fund Administrator, a Foreign Language faculty member, selected by his/her foreign language colleagues. The PTA will provide financial reporting to the Wu Fund Administrator on a regular basis and all disbursements from the fund will require the consent of the Administrator.

More gala than auction, we’ve tried to up the fun quotient and minimize the work. This year we’re planning a night of Salsa, steel drums, and dancing with appropriate refreshments. A limited number of fun and exciting auction events will round out the evening. The planning promises to be as much fun as the party so give us a call.

Shakespeare Spring Break is an in depth arts exploration of the two plays that make the Public’s rep season in Central Park’s Delacorte Theater this summer: The Merchant of Venice and The Winter’s Tale. Each day includes a variety of arts activities building a deep personal connection to the two plays. It is led by the staff of the Shakespeare Initiative and the Public Theater teaching artists. Special guests will visit from The Public Theater’s family of working artists. Each student will be given an opportunity to see one of the plays in the Delacorte this summer.

A Midsummer Day’s Camp- is a two week conservatory for young actors. It gathers people, ideas, and imaginations from diverse backgrounds in an intensive acting program based on Shakespeare’s work. The camp will culminate with a performance for friends and family on stage at The Public Theater. The camp is divided into two different age groups for younger and older teens. Each day explores Shakespeare through a regimen of voice, movement, text, clown, acting and stage combat. Our camp focuses specifically on the works of Shakespeare for two reasons: to train young actors and build community. Shakespeare is the ultimate training ground for the young actor. However, it is the resonance of Shakespeare’s works in the human spirit and the collaborative process of theater that bridges social gaps and builds community.

The four-hour afternoon event, offered as an innovative fundraiser, featured seminars and classes on topics ranging from solid waste disposal to creative writing to teen psychology. BHSEC principal Ray Peterson described the event as “an exciting opportunity for the public and the BHSEC community to join one another in the inquiry of ideas and knowledge.” Despite the cold and snow, Florence Nash, one of the Knowledge College organizers, reported that 137 people paid $50 a ticket (in advance; $60 at the door) for two courses, selected from a total of 12 offerings.

“ I did not think it would be THAT good,” said the father of a BHSEC applicant. “This event exceeded my expectations by far.” Other attendees described the classes as “engaging and intimate,” as well as “inspiring and thought-provoking.” One noted that it was particularly interesting “to see the teachers in action.”

Another of the coordinators for the event, Suzanne Rauffenbart, said one goal was to give the school’s “exceptional faculty” an opportunity “ to showcase their passions.” Faculty for the day included BHSEC faculty, parents of current and former BHSEC students, and a current student. One Knowledge College attendee singled out the Film Noir course: “I really enjoyed the comparison between old films and TV.”

Jean Chan, Operations Coordinator, assembled an enthusiastic group of volunteers to provide plenty of food and snacks to fuel the conference-goers, who filled the school’s halls and classrooms from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Knowledge College not only helped to showcase BHSEC, but also gave parents the opportunity to meet and mingle. Prospective parents also weighed in: “This is the perfect event for this particular school,” one said. “What a showcase of talents.”

Article contributed by: Moira Bailey, parent of Liam, 9^th grader.

PS: The PTA raised $8,015, a success for the event’s first year.

Please remember to send copies of your letters (or notice that you sent them) to Peter Miller at peter@willowpondfilms.com or to the PTA at bhsecpta@gmail.com.

Thank you
Eileen McColgan
BHSEC PTA

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Subject: Advocacy Committee–sample letters
From: “Martha J. Olson” <olson@bard.edu>
To: BHSEC Political Advocacy Committee
 
As discussed, I’m attaching 6 sample letters for parents to send to key
legislators regarding BHSEC’s campaign to restore funding: Speaker
Sheldon Silver; Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson;
Senator Suzie Oppenheimer, Chair of the Senate Education Committee;
Assembly Member Cathy Nolan, Chair of the Assembly Education
Committee; and then two letters, one to the parent’s own state
senator, and one to their own state assemblymember.

It is absolutely critical that each parent put their own name and
address on the letter–home addresses are essential as elected
officials want to see that the letter is coming from a NYS voter.
Parents should also be encouraged to personalize the letters and write
something about their own child’s experience, but that is not essential.
Martha