Contact: Sunny Mindel/Samantha I. Lugo (212) 788-2958
Leonora Wiener/Jennifer Falk, ACS (212) 341-0999
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Administration for Children's Services (ACS) Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta today honored 124 ACS foster teenagers at a ceremony sponsored by New Yorkers for Children, Pizza Hut, Inc. and Pepsico. All of the teens honored at the event will be attending college this fall or have just completed their first undergraduate year.
"I want to congratulate all the young people in foster care here tonight for their outstanding educational achievements," Mayor Giuliani said. "Too many high school graduates never go any further with their education. Only 30% of all high school graduates go on to get a higher degree. And among teens in foster care, one study found that almost 40% did not finish high school. Even though each of you has faced more than your fair share of challenges growing up, you never let go of your values or of your belief in yourself. You are the future of this city and we are very proud of you. Good luck to you in all your future endeavors and know that we are cheering you on."
Commissioner Scoppetta said, "This is a celebration in honor of some truly special young people in foster care. All of us at ACS are enormously proud of your decision to further your education. You've heard it before and I'll say it again: going to school is the single most important step towards success that you can take at this stage in your lives. I also want to thank Pizza Hut, Inc., Bell Atlantic and Old Navy, whose help will allow New Yorkers for Children to provide many of the extra necessities that every teenager should have when going to college."
On January 26, 1999, Pizza Hut, Inc. generously donated $100,000 to New Yorkers for Children, to mark the introduction of Pizza Hut's new "Big New Yorker Pizza." The funds went towards ACS' college counselor program and will also be used to create back-to-school packages for ACS college-bound teens. In addition, Bell Atlantic and Old Navy have donated items, including phone cards and clothing, towards these back-to school packages.
New Yorkers for Children is a not-for-profit organization that works in concert with the Administration for Children's Services to promote the intellectual, social, and emotional development of the approximately 40,000 New York City foster children. Donations help fund mentoring and college counseling programs for foster youth as well as cultural and after-school enrichment activities.