Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

“I Have A Dream” Foundation Celebrates 35th Anniversary Gala
  • USA - English


News provided by

"I Have A Dream" Foundation

Jun 02, 2016, 11:35 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX


The "I Have A Dream" Foundation Annual Gala is an opportunity to recognize education advocates who are continuing the legacy Mr. Lang started 35 years ago--breaking the cycle of poverty for thousands of families across the country.

Post this

New York, NY (PRWEB) June 02, 2016 -- On Thursday, June 9th, the “I Have A Dream” Foundation will celebrate its 35th Anniversary with its annual “Spirit of the Dream” Gala at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. This year’s honorees are: Philanthropists and education advocates Lauran & Justin Tuck, Founders of Tuck’s R.U.S.H. (Read, Understand, Succeed, and Hope) for Literacy; U.S. Diplomat and member of the original 1981 “I Have A Dream” class Juan Martinez, Esq.; and the and the CBS Corporation, which catapulted the Foundation into the national spotlight with a 60 Minutes profile in 1986 and has continued to propel awareness of the organization through the “CBS Cares” public service campaign, which has been seen by more than 175 million viewers. Tying back to the historic 1986 broadcast, the night will be hosted by Bill Whitaker of 60 Minutes.

The “I Have A Dream” Foundation began in 1981 when businessman Eugene M. Lang returned to the elementary school he had attended 50 years earlier, P.S. 121 in East Harlem, to address the graduating sixth grade class. He intended to tell the students, "work hard and you'll succeed." But on the way to the podium, the school principal informed Mr. Lang that three-quarters of the school's students would probably never even finish high school, inspiring Mr. Lang to make an impromptu change to his speech: he promised college tuition to every sixth grader who stayed in high school and graduated. Of the 54 original students who stayed in the area, 90% graduated from high school, at a time when high school dropout rates in New York City schools were as high as 52%.

Eugene M. Lang’s promise in 1981 went on to become the “I Have A Dream” Foundation, which has served over 17,000 students, called “Dreamers,” providing a comprehensive program of social, emotional, and educational support to students from low-income communities starting in elementary school and continuing with the same group of Dreamers all the way through college. The “I Have A Dream” Foundation is now active in 16 cities in the U.S. and New Zealand.

“The ‘I Have A Dream’ Foundation Annual Gala is an opportunity to recognize education advocates who are continuing the legacy Mr. Lang started 35 years ago--breaking the cycle of poverty for thousands of families across the country and making the dream of a college education a reality for all children,” said Donna A. Lawrence, President and CEO of the National “I Have A Dream” Foundation. “We are immensely proud of our honorees and to have renowned journalist Bill Whitaker as our host this year. We’re also grateful to the entire CBS family, for their ongoing support of our work to actively serve 10,000 Dreamers by the year 2020.”

Juan Martinez, this year’s “Spirit of the Dream” Award recipient, was the P.S. 121 class valedictorian on that day in 1981 that started it all. He now serves our country as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State.

“I am living proof of what can happen when you invest in someone at an early age,” said Martinez. “Being a Dreamer has truly been one of the most positive experiences in my life. And the college education I received has been essential in helping me get to where I am today. I have no doubt that future groups of Dreamers will make good on the opportunity that this Foundation has opened up to them. Just as I did.”

Retired New York Giant Justin Tuck and his wife Lauran will receive the Eugene M. Lang Lifetime Achievement Award for their ongoing work to ensure that opportunities are available to low-income youth in New York, New Jersey, and Alabama. Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy began with a simple book distribution, then grew to include an essay contest and supporting materials, as well as grantmaking.

“It is an honor to be recognized with the 2016 Eugene M. Lang Lifetime Achievement Award,” shared Lauran & Justin Tuck. “Like many education rights advocates, we have been inspired by Mr. Lang’s vision for creating opportunities for young people through emphasizing the importance of a high quality education. We share in Mr. Lang’s vision for a more just society where a child’s potential is not limited by the circumstances they are born into.” Justin recently retired from the New York Giants after a successful 11-season career with the N.F.L.

“The ‘I Have A Dream’ Foundation’s Annual Gala is a great opportunity to shine light on improving education for young students in under-resourced public schools,” said Josie Thomas, ‎Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, CBS Corporation. “We are pleased to accept this award from this wonderful organization and to have helped boost its mission of providing access and educational support to children in need.”

View an interactive map of 35 Years of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation’s history at ihaveadreamfoundation.org/35-years. Visit ihaveadreamfoundation.org to learn more.

# # #

About “I Have A Dream” Foundation:
The “I Have A Dream” Foundation (IHDF) is a national non-profit organization focused on breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty through a comprehensive program of support that follows the same group of young people (“Dreamers”) from elementary school all the way through college. Founded 35 years ago through the vision of Eugene Lang, IHDF operates in 16 cities and has served over 17,000 Dreamers.

The numbers: 51% of students in U.S. public schools—over 25 Million children—are low-income, and only 9% of low-income students earn a bachelor’s degree, compared to 77% of their high-income peers. 90% of Dreamers complete high school, compared to 70% of their low-income peers, representing an additional $2.9 Billion in earnings over their lifetimes. Dreamers are nearly 3 times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than their low-income peers. Without this level of support, the cycle of poverty continues: 65% of children whose parents have no more than a high school diploma live in poverty. Now, 35 years after Eugene M. Lang’s life changing promise, Dreamers have children who are attending college themselves.

Kaitlin Archambault, "I Have A Dream" Foundation, http://www.ihaveadreamfoundation.org, +1 (203) 592-1005, [email protected]

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.