Fundraising in Economically Challenging Times

Industry experts say that shock ads are becomming worse than ever. Are they working when it comes to shocking people into contributing to the latest charity cause? Possibly...

But rather than shock ads for charities focused on drinking and driving or drugs, why not focus on charities with a more positive outcome? Like children's education, students and parents in need?

I work with several charities include Children of the City in Brooklyn, and the Joe Dimmagio committee, and my educational website (http://www.roccobasile.net/) details the latest trends in these charities.

We are making such amazing strides in these organizations, and all that is needed at this point is recogition. Once people heard that Gweneth Paltrow was part of our "Champions of Hope" annual fundraiser this last year, the doors open.

If you are interested in learning more so you can help us, go to my website at http://www.roccobasile.net/

Joe DiMaggio Still Supports Students with Learning Disabilities

Joe DiMaggio was a friend and generous supporter of Xaverian High School and was the first person to ever receive Xaverian's highest honor, the Concordia Award, in 1997. DiMaggio died on March 8, 1999, with the honor of being known as "the greatest living baseball player."

Joe played for the New York Yankees baseball team and his nickname was the "Yankee Clipper." How did he get this nickname? In the game of baseball, to 'clip' the ball means 'hit' the ball. everyone knows that Joe DiMaggio was a great hitter! But 'Yankee Clipper' is also the name of a beautiful sailing ship. To the people who watching him play baseball, DiMaggio played as like a sailing clipper ship -- gracefully.

Xaverian's Concordia Award was renamed the Joe DiMaggio Award to memorialize DiMaggio's life-long commitment to the health, educaiton and the well being of America's youth. Dimaggio has an annual award gala in his memory - The Joe DiMaggio Award Gala - a fundraiser for Xaverian High. This is a special program for students with learning disabilities.

The Joe DiMaggio Award's mission, established in 1999, is to memorialize his "lifelong commitment to the health, education and well being of America's youth."

More than 100 young men have graduated from this special initiative and all have gone on to four-year colleges. Because Xaverian is private and tuition driven, all proceeds from the annual Gala benefit its many students. the evening usually always includes a silent auction of rare Joe DiMaggio memorabilia donated by the DiMaggio Estate and Morris Engelberg, Esq.

Earning the Bay Ridge school's highest honor, formerly called the Concordia Award, DiMaggio won it in 1997. The award has since been presented to Dr. Henry Kissinger, Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, former mayor and current presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani, television personality Regis Philbin, singer/songwriter Paul Simon, Sopranos star James Gandolfini, CBS Sports commentator Boomer Esiason and NBC Emmy-Award winning sports broadcaster Bob Costas.

This year's May 2009 Joe DiMaggio Award Gala honors Reggie Jackson. This year's Master of Ceremonies is Jim Ryan, the Legendary Television Reporter and Anchorman.

--Rocco Basile

Middle School Students

About 96 percent of middle school students - that bridge between gradeschool and highschools comprised of grades 7 8 and 9 - believe that it is very important or somewhat important to make good grades. An awkward age, these students are between childhood and adolescence, experiencing the physical, emotional and cognitive changes associated with this stage of human development. Nine in ten (90%) said they felt prepared and expected to succeed.

I remember this age well, because it was before my time as a student at Xaverian High School in
New York. You can find more information on my interests in
educational trends at http://www.roccobasile.net/, where I list many aspects of my charity work via supporting the school's Joe DiMaggio Award Gala where we raise funds for the school. Xaverian includes one of New York City's only International Baccalaureate Programs. Xaverian attracts about 1,400 students annually, and in addition to its reputation for academic excellence, the school is renowned for graduating young men of strong moral character .

According to the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Lumina Foundation for Education, Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) and their KnowHow2Go campaign, commissioned Harris Interactive last March 2007 to conduct a poll called "Voice From the Middle." They polled 1814 seventh and eighth graders who shared their perspectives about current school experiences and expectations for high school. (Source: http://www.pdkintl.org/ms_poll/ms_poll.htm)

The middle school survey also found the following:
• 93 percent of students say there is “no chance” that they will drop out of high school and not graduate. (This is compared to the nearly 500,000 students who drop out annually as estimated by the NCES and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
• 83 percent of students know little or nothing about the classes they need to take to graduate from high school.
• About 32 percent say that they have “quite a bit” or “a great deal” of information about the classes they need in preparation for college.

Xaverian High school Honors Students: Rocco Basile Honored for Non-Profit Work

On June 20 Dr. Salvatore Ferrera, president of Xaverian High (Photo: Right) honored me for my community service and the non-profit work I do with the school, my alma mater, and other organizations at the President's Gala, attended by more than 300 people at the upscale Cipriani 23rd Street Restaurant in New York.

I am honored to have been able to assist this fanantastic school in its fund-raising efforts, and in particular for the school's annual Joe DiMaggio Award, which was established in 1999 by its chairman, Dr. Rock Positano '76, with the approval of the DiMaggio Estate, and in memory of the baseball legend. DiMaggio was a friend and generous supporter of the prestigious Bay Ridge college preparatory school, Xaverian High School, and was the first individual to receive Xaverian's highest honor, the Concordia Award, in 1997.

"Rocco is a great advertisement for Xaverian," said Dr. Ferrera. "Even a quick review of his high school record...as both a scholar (National Honor Society) and extracurricular activities (Intramural sports, Italian Club, hockey and soccer teams, and the Fishing Club) indicates... Rocco is a man who was comfortable with giving much time to his community as well as his school."

Here's how the Joe DiMaggio Award came about. When Joe died in 1999, Xaverian's Concordia Award was renamed the Joe DiMaggio Award to memorialize his life-long commitment to the health, education, and well being of America's youth. This award has been presented to international statesman Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Regis Philbin, Paul Simon, James Gandolfini, John Bello, Boomer Esiason, Bob Costas,Tiki Barber.

Xaverian Higg also honors students from different eras for their outstanding achievements and dedication to their communities and country. The Exploration Honors Program at the high school is designed to cultivate the talents, interests and scholastic aptitude of its ninth and tenth grade students through an interdisciplinary approach to academic study.

Xaverian High School - President's Gala June 20, 2008

No Child left Behind Educational Growth Models

On June 10, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the approval of two high-quality growth models, which follow the bright-line principles of No Child Left Behind. It seems that once the states had developed the framework so they could measure student skills each year, as the law requires, all eligible states were then invited by Spellings to demonstrate progress over time and adapt a more sophisticated measurement system, also known as the growth model or value-added approach.

As I was reading the press release posted on the government's U.S. Department of Education website about the latest growth models on the No Child Left Behind program, and realized an interesting parallel to Children of the City. As you know I support them via my research website at http://www.toccobasile.org/, and via being on their Board. The reality is that it is all about accountability and results for individual students.

One example is Jonathan who before attending the Children of the City Create Success after school program only liked the subject of gym. Now he is up for the challenge of solving any math problem because with a little extra help from his Create Success tutor, he discovered that he loved to learn. “It’s fun here. We have discussions and they help me get all my homework done.”

When Jonathan's homework is finished you can find him searching the bookshelves in search of non-fiction, and he is also reading every book he can find about reptiles.

Spelling said that the states of Michigan and Missouri proposed program models that will support educational innovation while continuing to hold schools accountable for the goal of each student performing at or above grade level by 2014.

The Department will gather data to measure student improvement while holding the schools accountable for results. Following are the bright-line principles for these high-quality growth models:

Ensure that all students are proficient by 2014 and set annual state goals to ensure that the achievement gap is closing for all groups of students;
- Set expectations for annual achievement based upon meeting grade-level proficiency and not upon student background or school characteristics;
- Hold schools accountable for student achievement in reading/language arts and mathematics;
- Ensure that all students in tested grades are included in the assessment and accountability system, hold schools and districts accountable for the performance of each student subgroup and include all schools and districts;
- Include assessments, in each of grades 3 through 8 and high school, in both reading/language arts and mathematics that have been operational for more than one year and have received approval through the NCLB standards and assessment review process for the 2005-06 school year. The assessment system must also produce comparable results from grade to grade and year to year;
- Track student progress as part of the state data system; and
Include student participation rates and student achievement as separate academic indicators in the state accountability system.

The peer reviewers, who represent academia, private organizations and state and local education agencies, reviewed each state's proposal based on the Peer Review Guidance (http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/growthmodelguidance.doc) issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

Kids and Learning Disabilities CAN Learn

What is important to me, as a parent with two daughters, is that my children grow up healthy. Recently I read an article that talked about learning disabilities, and I found out that there are quite a few different types of disorders that can affect a child’s ability to learn. And, recent research estimates that almost one-half of all children of the ages six to 11 that are identified as having a learning disability also have ADHD.

The following categories of learning disorders have been identified:
-- Language and speech including articulation, difficulty understanding aspects of speech.
-- Academic skill disorders like dyslexia, writing/hand movement difficulties, vocabulary, memory, math disorders; and others not meeting the criteria of the other two categories.

Between 1997 and 2004, the proportion of children identified by a school official or health professional as having a learning disability varied only slightly, between 7 and 8 percent. The percentage of children who are identified as having a learning disability increases with age from 3 percent of three-to four-year-olds to 11 percent among 12- to 17-year olds percent, and in 2004 was 8 percent.

Boys are more likely than girls to be identified as having a learning disability, and kids living in families that receive welfare payments are much more likely than other children to be identified as having a learning disability. Non-Hispanic black children were more likely than Hispanic children to be identified as having a learning disability.

It isn’t clear what causes learning disorders but evidence indicates a diverse set of causes for difficulties in bringing together information from various parts of the brain. Possible causes include: genetic factors; maternal use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco during pregnancy; complications during pregnancy; and environmental toxins such as cadmium and lead.

As evidenced by some of the kids in our Children of the City program, we see this all the time. Another example is Xaverian High School in New York City, a school that specializes in serving young men with learning disabilities. In fact, about 10 percent of the enrollment includes students with learning difficulties, But, just as one example, 25 percent of the Class of 2005 went to Ivy League schools or the equivalent. This just proves that people that have learning disabilities can learn.

I truly enjoy the charities that I work with in order to support schools like this, which you can find more about on my RoccoBasile.org website. But every year the Joe DiMaggio Award Gala sponsored by Xaverian, raises money for students who otherwise would not get to go to college. In fact, four students recently received scholarships to major New York-Metropolitan area universities. In a very short period of time, the charity has evolved into the preeminent educational gala in the United States, raising more funds every year.

Without the proper help, a learning disability could be a condition that affects a person's education and employment, daily routines and family life in the future.


The source is the Child Trends DataBank.

Redshirting in education and the Joe DiMaggio Awards Gala

According to a U.S. Department of Education report back in 2000 about 9 percent of first and second-graders started kindergarten one year late, and eight years later the experts are saying that this trend is continuing. There is usually an age gap within one class that is 16 months or more, posing challenges for teachers concerned that the older children may become bored.

Delaying a child’s entry to start kindergarten, or to repeat kindergarten, began with the ratcheting up of standards for third graders and above to improve the students’ performance on standardized tests. With greater emphasis on test performance, educators have noted a gradual escalation in academic demands has made its way down the grades – all the way to kindergarten. So that is why some parents opt to give their children a leg up by keeping them out of kindergarten a year beyond when they reach the entry age. It is called "redshirting" and many people and educators are wondering if it is a good idea.

Some people think that it is the students that are being held out that are the ones who need school the most. Another 2002 study by the National Institute for Early Education found that, on average, older children do not academically outperform their younger peers.

I see this often in my work for Xaverian High School, which offers amazing program for students with learning disabilities. The school has a tradition of serving young men from disadvantaged backgrounds, including students whose families are in financial need. In fact, if it were not for the generosity of alumni, parents and friends, many of these students would not be able to afford a quality, college-prep education.

We do a fund raiser every year, and I am on the Joe DiMaggio Committee that raises money at this premiere event known as the Joe DiMaggio Award Gala. He went to the school and supported it always ...

We also rasie funds through straight donations. If you are interested, you can make a gift in honor of the Joe DiMaggio Scholarship Fund, please print out this coupon and return it to: http://www.joedimaggioaward.com/donate/index_donate.htm

The Joe DiMaggio Scholarship Fund Xaverian High School
7100 Shore Road
Brooklyn, NY 11209

To find out more about the Joe DiMaggio Award Gala, please contact Dr. Salvatore Ferrera at 718-836-7100 ext. 112.
Make checks payable to: Xaverian HS / Joe DiMaggioScholarship Fund

Eight and 12th Graders Show Improvements

In an article today (04/05/08) in the Wall Street Journal, Robert Tomsho did a piece about the fact that the recent news on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, which is a national achievement test showing that our country's eighth- and 12th-graders are making some gains in their writing skills. The bad news is that the proportion performing at the highest levels has barely budged. The NAEP tests are given periodically to a nationwide sampling of students in a variety of subjects and are overseen by the Department of Education.

This all started because educators and business leaders finally realized that that many recent year public-school graduates don't have the writing skills needed to succeed in college, let alone in jobs.

On a zero-to-300 point scale, 12th-graders had an average score of 153 points on the NAEP writing test, which is up from 148 points in 2002. The average score for eighth-graders rose to 156 points, up 153 points. The NAEP officials said both scores are significant.

Meanwhile, the proportion of 12th-graders with at least a basic grasp of writing increased to 82 percent from 74 percent; among eighth-graders, 88 percent had a score in the basic range or better, up from 85 percent.

The proportion of high-school seniors earning scores in the proficient range was 24 percent - high-school seniors earned scores that were in the proficient range, and that number was unchanged from 2002. About 33 percent of eighth-graders were deemed proficient, up just two percentage points from 2002. Now many school districts emphasize writing across their curriculums, with added focus to narrative skills in math and science classes and languages, since 2005 when a writing section was added to the SAT college-entrance test, and administered by the nonprofit College Board.

Females outscored males by 18 points or more. White students still outscored African-American and Hispanic students by an average of 20 points or more. This isn't all too surprising -- our Children of the City program in Sunset Park near Brooklyn, New York, is focusing on assisting Hispanic children.

One very successful case study is about a little girl named Liana.
Before her dad found Children of the City his daughter hated school and was doing poorly and falling behind her classmates because she was having trouble reading. At first she was reluctant to join, but within a few weeks Liana began to love learning. Her mid-year progress reports show a steady progression in her reading, phonics and math scores. Liana is no longer bringing home failing grades and now has an overall 80 average.

You can research more facts and statistics on trends in education on my Rocco Basile website provides many facts and statistics on this program.

Check out the David Tyree interview -- the now famous New York Giant was interviewed last week on 660 WFAN radio on the Boomer and Carlson show. David scored the touchdown to give the New York Giants the lead against the Patriots' and then caught the pivotal pass that led to one of the greatest upsets in NFL history. He will be honored this Thursday evening, March 13 by Children of the City at the Tribeca Rooftop in New York City.

"It is all about the children," said Tyree, who is from New Jersey. He is one of ther 50 most charitable guys in the league, and giving back is really important to him. He will be receiving the Children's Champion award at their gala where Steve Schirripa of the Sopranos, and Richard Jefferson of the New Jersey Nets will inspire an evening of fun and surprises. David has been working with the organization for the last two years. The charity has served the children and families of Southwest Brooklyn for more than two decades.

On the infamous Sunday his wife was nine months pregnant, but she flew to California and saw him play at the Bowl in Glendale, California. Their twin baby girls were born two weeks ago, joining his two sons.

As many of you know from my own website, Rocco Basile.org, I am a huge fan of the programs sponsored by Children of the City. The charity's goal is to reach at-risk inner-city children and youth with hope, guidance andresources to positively affect their lives and communities. Children of the City comes alongside those we serve and not only meets their needs and connects them to resources to address their current crises—we also educate and empower them to break the negative and destructive cycles in their lives and to take responsibility for change in their environment, and their community.

Strong Minds and Strong Homes is one program that fosters a great response. Volunteers reach out to hook up with kids and families in Southwest Brooklyn and connects them with services they might not otherwise seek out on their own.

David Tyree to Get Children's Champion Award

I saw this article in a local paper here in New York regarding our up and coming Children of the City gala on March 13. Of course you all know about my affiliation with the charity as a board member.

GIANTS SUPER BOWL HERO DAVID TYREE TO RECEIVE CHILDREN'S CHAMPION AWARD AT CHILDREN OF THE CITY 2008 GALA ON THURSDAY NIGHT, MARCH 13, AT TRIBECA ROOFTOP IN NEW YORK CITY

Yes it appears as if our New York Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree will receive the Children's Champion Award at our March 13 4th annual gala and fund raiser. This year the Sopranos star Steve Schirripa will be the Master of Ceremonies, while the Nets star Richard Jefferson will be a guest of honor. Tickets are $400 each, but the cool thing is that the event takes place at reknowned Tribeca Rooftop in the city.

For tickets and more information contact Joyce Mattera at 718 436 0242, ext. 18.

Tyree, who is from Montclair, NJ, will always be remembered for his miraculous reception of the Eli Manning pass on the Giants final touchdown drive en route to the Super Bowl championship this year.

Here's a quote from Tyree: "For the past three years since learning about Children of the City, I have admired the aggressive approach it has taken in helping our young people. I only seek to do my best in community service with an organization that operates in excellence. Children of the City touches my heart, and I am honored each time I can be a part of serving this community."

You can read more about Children of the City on my Rocco Basile educational website -- but basically Children of the City is a community based organization that has been serving disadvantaged children since 1982. The group's mission is to reach at risk children in the inner city with hope, guidance and resources, hoping to positively affect their lives.

Programs like this breaks the cycle of poverty and its effects. Children of the City's outreach provides disadvantaged children with prevention programs, crisis intervention, educational support and healthy activities. Just go to ChildrenoftheCity.org and read more about these programs that continually produce tremendous documented progress and results. I

Currently we are reaching more than 2,000 children in Sunset Park each year, and we serve 900 children monthly through home visits from volunteers and counselors.

A Motivational Year with Children of the City

The first Children of the City newsletter reflected about the successes from last year. We've increased our board with some wonderful new members who will be a great asset to the organization as we continue to grow. As you know, I am also on the board of Xaverian High School, and we are privileged to have Dr. Salvatore Ferrara who is the president of the school join us at in our development process. You can read more about the school on my Rocco Basile website.

It is with Dr. Ferrara's assistance that we have progressed from having one fundraising event, which is known as our annual Gala (coming up again this March 13, 2008) to several events, including two Legislative Breakfasts.

We now have a number of connections with some of the elected officials who have been watching the results and impact that our programs are making.

One of my personal favorites is the Children of the City after school program, which is doing really well. Several students in our program who were at-risk students in junior high school but are now doing terrific in high school. Plus they are volunteering their free time back into the program.

We have many testimonials that you can read about on the website but one is about Stephanie Garcia, one of five children in a struggling single parented home. She was recently accepted into the National Honor Society. Stephanie attributes her success to the support that Children of the City has given her and her family.

Parent Workshops have been getting high attendance where we are providing needed resources and encouragement to the families. And we're very excited about the possibility of opening a Charter School in 2009. This would enable us to use the methods that have been so successful, taking Children of the City to the next level, increasing the number of children that we can service, and increasing our capacity for the after school and summer programs.

Our goal is to increase the scope of comprehensive services that Children of the City provides to the disadvantaged children of Sunset Park.

Education and Crime

I came across a website that lists some very interesting statistics on education and crime, and it reiterates how I feel about our schools. Every school should be a safe haven for teaching and learning, and it should be completely free of violence and crime. This is pretty depressing, but it is something that we need to be aware of so that programs can be put in place to make change.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, during school year 2005–2006 there were an estimated 54.8 million students were enrolled in prekindergarten through grade 12. Preliminary data show that among youth ages 5–18, there were 17 (14 homicides and 3 suicides) school- associated violent deaths from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006.

Among students ages 12–18 in 2005, there were approximately 1.5 million victims of nonfatal crimes at school, with 868,100 thefts and 628,200 violent crimes. Although there's some evidence that student safety has improved, the victimization rate of students ages 12–18 at school declined between 1992 and 2005. Violence, theft, drugs, and weapons continue to pose problems in schools.

These numbers are not pretty and it is why I am on the Board and work with charities like Children of the City. Our Executive Director Joyce Mattera has some great hopes and plans for 2008. She mentioned that the charity's after school program "is doing amazing well ... with several students in our program who were at risk in Junior High and are now doing fabulous in high school, and volunteering their free time back into the program."

It is through programs like this that we can help make a difference to mitigate crime. In fact, you can read more about Children of the City and the other charities I represent at my website -- http://www.roccobasile.org/

Basile Builders Group Sponsors Seminar on Brooklyn Subprime Market

With all the latest information on the subprime market, the saddest news is how much it has affected the minority neighborhoods all over the U.S. They have been heavily targeted for risky high cost loans. That's why my family's company Basile Builder's Group, is joining a group of other specialists including Legacy Financial, the law offices of Daniel Boldi, Esq., L.I. Business Consultants, Amenity Appraisals and Ameraprise Financial to hold a free seminar on February 19 at The Knights of Columbus, Brooklyn , New York.

Why? Our community needs advice and guidance. With millions of Americans suffering from rising mortgage payments due to adjustable rates, balloon payments and other unscrupulous sub-prime programs, many folks have started to really panic as they hear about or know other family members and friends who are losing their homes. It's our goal to help answer questions.

Minorities are at the center of the subprime mortgage crisis, according to a study that was put out by United for a Fair Economy, a Boston-based economic policy group. The “State of the Dream 2008: Foreclosed” report evaluated subprime lending during the past eight years and projects a direct loss from defaulted subprime loans to range between $365 billion and $605 billion.

It's estimated that whites hold 55 percent of the bad subprime loans, while minorities hold the other 45 percent. African-American borrowers are projected to lose between $71 billion and $122 billion — about 20 percent of the total projected losses, while Latinos will lose $76 billion to $129 billion for the same period, about 21 percent of the subprime default burden.

It's pretty bad here in New York in places like Brooklyn. According to this January 26th Bloomberg subprime article, the communities of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights had a foreclosure rate of almost four times the national subprime figure of 6.89 percent, which was the highest since March 2003.

These sharp increases in subprime mortgage loan delinquencies and in the number of homes entering foreclosure do raise important economic, social, and regulatory issues.

For more information on the Feb. 19th free seminar, contact Jonathan at 516-404-5855.

Motivational Quotes for the Future of Education in America

Trends in the future have always interested me, especially trends that might shape the future of educators and students worldwide.

The future of America's education system, for example, according to futurist James Canton, is that "the quality of public education, in crisis today, will either propel or crash the future aspirations of the American workforce." And with that he mentions that America's workforce needs a transformation as well, to accomodate a more competitive and global group of people with higher education in science, as well as the innovation skills necessary to ensure a prosperous future. He also predicts that education is failing to prepare skilled, high-tech-savvy workers.

Another future forecase from his book Extreme Future: "America's youth will be unprepared in science and math to compete successfully in the global economy by 2010 unless drastic changes to public education are undertaken now."

Did you know that foreign students are awarded the majority of U.S. scientific PH.D. degrees? No matter how many motivational sayings we all read about, or hear from todays new politicians, the reality check is that without education, our country might just be doomed because our country will not be competitive.

There is also a rise in the hispanic population in this country. Many of the kids in Brooklyn, New York, for instance, come from hispanic families, many of whom cannot afford help when their kids are not doing well at school. This is why I love the work I have been doing with Children of the City, and the Joe DiMaggio Committee for my Alma Mater, Xaverian High School. Their educational programs are fantastic, and helping kids daily.

As a father, it is really important that my kids grow up to be educated, inspired and competitive so they can be future-ready and survive. In fact, Canton even has a page in his book that says this:

HEADLINE FROM THE FUTURE: 2012. U.S. High Schools rated Best in World at Teaching Science.

And he also predicts that communications and the Internet will be available to all nations and people by the year 2040. And that the creation of immediate, portable, transferable, in-demand knowledge sources on a scale equivalnet to the Library of Congress. It is number eight among the top ten trends of the new innovation economy of the future.

In fact, I even created a new website to promote the importance of education and my charity work -- check out www.roccobasile.org.

Education Helps Mitigate Crime and Drug Use

I was reading the US Department of Education (ED) tagline, which states, "Promoting educational excellence for all Americans." This organization was created in 1980 and the ED mission is "to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access."

A $71.5 billion budget and about 4,500 ED employees are dedicated to establishing policies on federal financial aid for education, as well as distributing and monitoring those funds; focusing national attention on key educational issues; disseminating research; prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education; and collecting data on America's schools.

For example gang violence is just part of everyday life in places such as Brooklyn, NY. It’s amazing, but out of every three families lives below the poverty line and there are 17 thousand documented child abuse cases in this community.

Drugs, disease, gang violence, and crime contribute to about a thousand deaths annually. More and more people are realizing that the answer is education. There is a 48 percent drop out rate among high school students, so out of the 30 thousand students, 15 thousand are dropouts.

The good news is that there are a number of organizations that are bringing light and making a difference. With hundreds of people in need of intervention, kids in need of education, and families that could benefit from counseling, I truly believe in the work being done at organizations like Children of the City. It is a completely volunteer-based outreach program that connects people in need with basic services, educational as well as employment training, counseling, and even health care. I highly recommend and encourage people to go to their website and help by contributing time, resources, and donations.

My education taught me to be sympathetic to the needs of others, which has also helped me understand that I can change the world - like Gandhi said - it is important for us to be the change we want to see in the world.

Crime and Education Statistical Rates

One thing that Joe DiMaggio believed in was education. He was particularly interested in assisting learning-disabled students, along with academically gifted but financially disadvantaged kids. Proceeds from the Joe DiMaggio Award Dinner go to these students who attend Xaverian High School and the Loyola School in New York City. Located in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn , Xaverian is a private, nonsectarian boys' school with over a 98 percent graduation rate for its seniors.

One of the reasons it is so important to complete your education is to avoid becoming a government statistic. The U. S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics claims that serious violent crime levels are down since 1993. Also declining are property crime rates. Interestingly, firearm-related crime did plummet since 1993, but then slightly increased in the year 2005. However, the estimated number of arrests for adult drug abuse violations has been increasing, while the number for juveniles has stabilized.

When it comes to drop outs -- let’s take a look at private and public high school students who left high school between the beginning of one school year and the beginning of the next without earning a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or high school diploma or its equivalent. The following rates describe the percentage of youth ages 15 through 24 in the United States who dropped out of grades 10–12 from either public or private schools in the 12 months between one October and the next (e.g., October 2004 to October 2005). The measure provides information about the rate at which U.S. high school students are leaving school without a successful outcome.

Around four of every 100 students who were enrolled in high school as of October 2004 left school before October 2005. They did not complete high school. This represents a decrease in the event dropout rate from 4.7 percent to 3.8 percent between 2004 and 2005. Overall, since 1972, event dropout rates have trended downward, from 6.1 percent in 1972 to 3.8 percent in 2005.
Between the month of October 2004 and 2005, both Black and Hispanic high school students were more likely to drop out than were students who were Whites or Asian/Pacific Islanders. Dropout rates for Blacks and Hispanics were 7.3 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively, compared with rates of 2.8 percent for Whites and 1.6 percent for Asians/Pacific Islanders.

Anyone who is interested in donating to the Joe Dimaggio Award fund can do so here. The recent awards dinner was a true example of selfless people who contributed, many of whom were friends of my family's business, The Basile Builder's Group, in Manhattan.
(http://www.joedimaggioaward.com/donate/index_donate.htm)

Tiki Barber Gets Joe DiMaggio Award at Gala Event Jan. 4

“Today Show” commentator and analyst on NBC’s “Football Night in America,” Tiki Barber was honored last Friday evening in Manhattan at Cipriani. Brooklyn’s Xaverian High School presented the recently retired Giants running back, with its coveted Joe DiMaggio Award.

Established in 1999 after the Yankee Clipper’s death, the DiMaggio Award was established to memorialize his “lifelong commitment to the health, education and well being of America’s youth.” Three-time Pro-Bowler, during an illustrious 10-year playing career, Barber set virtually every career offensive record for the Giants and is best known for team records of 10,448 rushing yards, 586 receptions and 15,631 total yards from scrimmage.

DiMaggio earned the Bay Ridge school’s highest honor, formerly called the Concordia Award, in 1997. The award has since been presented to Dr. Henry Kissinger, Maestro Luciano Pavarotti, former mayor and current presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani, television personality Regis Philbin, singer/songwriter Paul Simon, Sopranos star James Gandolfini , CBS Sports commentator Boomer Esiason and NBC Emmy-Award winning sports broadcaster Bob Costas.

The Joe DiMaggio Award Gala has become the preeminent education gala in the United States and this year benefits the Legacy Program, an intensive and self-contained program that runs parallel to the mainstream, designed for students with learning disabilities. The major fundraiser for Xaverian's Ryken Education Center, students with learning disabilities never had the opportunity to attend college.

Presently adopted by the New York State Regents as the model of all such endeavors, since the Ryken Program’s inception in 1994 (it was formerly known as the REACH Program), over 100 young men have graduated from this special initiative and all have gone on to four-year colleges of their choice.

Four students recently received scholarships to major New York-Metropolitan area universities. It has evolved into the preeminent educational gala in the United States. Since Xaverian is private and tuition driven, proceeds from the Gala will especially benefit its many students. Besides the dinner and awards presentation, the evening includes a silent auction of rare Joe DiMaggio memorabilia donated by the DiMaggio Estate and Morris Engelberg, Esq.

Be the Change you Want in the World

Happy New Year! There are many exciting things to be grateful for in this New Year. The charities that I am working with -- Children of the City and the Joe DiMaggio Committee for Xaverian High School, have many goals. I am looking forward to the January 4th Joe Dimaggio Award Gala and will write about it afterwards. The Joe DiMaggio Award Gala is the major fundraiser for Xaverian High (where I went to school.) Its program for students with learning disabilities, including the Ryken Program, is presently adopted by the New York State Regents as the model of all such endeavors. The Joe DiMaggio Award was established in 1999 by its chairman, Dr. Rock Positano, '76, with the approval of the DiMaggio Estate in memory of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

As I have said before, I feel my education allowed me to understand the adverse effects it had on my life and the life of others. Education is critical to allowing people to be sympathic to the needs of others. "Be the change you want to see in the World," said Gandhi.

My education allowed me to be able to investigate, research and read a number of books about diverse cultures and religions. This inspired me to be a positive change and it gave me the intuition to see how that positive change circulates back into my life.

I want my blog to inspire someone else to understand the importance of educating our youth so it will break the cycle of poverty, crime and drugs. I truely believe that educating our youth is the foundation for prosperity.

Help us with Just One Gift

It's that time again. The annual "Just One Gift" campaign at Children of the City just launched.

Each December, hundreds of children who are at-risk children gather and get to receive a new gift. Every year, during the holiday season people from New York and around the country open up their hearts and generously partner with us so that we can bring smiles to young people.

Here's the thing. It would be really nice if your company or organization could help too, by partnering with us to secure toys. The festivities are this Saturday, December 15th. If you would like to help get toys for the kids, just email info@childrenofthecity.org and mention my name -- Rocco Basile.

Or anyone is welcome to drop off a brand-new unwrapped gift also if they are in the neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY! If you can't donate a toy but would like to make a donation, then all you need to do is simply click here. You can donate right from our website. It's fast, secure, and easier than mailing a check. You won't have to worry about your privacy, because PayPal keeps your account information safe, and you don't need a PayPal account to use it.
Thank you.

Rocco Basile: Spending Time with Children of the City

I went to Xaverian High School, which offers the very best in secondary education throughout New York State. The school primarily serves young men from disadvantaged backgrounds, and boys with learning disabilities. Approximately 10 percent of the Xaverian enrollment includes students with learning difficulties.

I spend my charitable time working on organizing The Joe DiMaggio Award Gala, the annual fundraiser for Xaverian High School. Proceeds of this event are shared for the greater good of the community. The school is rooted in Brooklyn, NY, and Xaverian primarily has a strong Italian-American swing.

I am also on the Board of Directors of Children of the City, where I recently helped with a food drive over Thanksgiving. Since 1981, Children of the City has been serving the underprivileged children in the inner-city communities of Southwest Brooklyn. Our team includes many certified professionals, along with 50 highly committed and trained volunteers who visit about one thousand children each month. During the year we maintain current information on over 500 families in the community, giving them encouragement and resources, and hoping to give them a better tomorrow.

Aside from working with my family, The Basile Builders, I have been spending more and more time with my charities in recent years. Why? Because I read a passage from Steven Covey's book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey asks you to begin with the end in mind and suggest that you imagine a funeral. Then as you approach the coffin, you realize that it’s your own funeral. Your friends and family will be giving eulogies. What will they say? Did you live a life that you could be proud of? What kind of father and friend were you?

The book also speaks of an emotional bank account and how when you do good things for others you are making deposits in the emotional bank accounts of others. As these deposits grow, your relationships grow. There may be times that you make a withdrawal, like a broken promise or a hurtful statement, but if your emotional bank account is full from past deposits, you will be forgiven. This concept has helped me repair my personal relationships and has changed the way I treat others. I firmly believes that educating our youth and serving as a role model gives them an understanding of this principal.