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Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
'Oprah' gifts used to raise money for scholarships
A Ralph Lauren cashmere sweater, Judith Ripka crystal earrings, a Philip Stein diamond watch and a 52-inch Sony TV might not have much usefulness in Haiti, but they're helping to raise money for Hinche Scholars, thanks to yesterday's episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Richmonders Danny Yates and Ken Henshaw were invited to the taping to recognize their efforts to bring eight Haitian students to the United States to study in the aftermath of the devastating Haitian earthquake.
Yates said they thought they'd be telling Winfrey's TV viewers about the project, but instead they found themselves showered with gifts like the rest of the studio audience. Instead of keeping all the gifts, they decided to auction some of them on eBay to raise money for scholarships.
Yates, a student at the College of William and Mary, said he was one of the few audience members who got to talk briefly with Winfrey after the cameras were off. He darted around the back to get to the show's star.
"Her bodyguards blocked me at first," he said. "Then she came over and gave me a hug. I was one of the few males in the audience and one of the few college-age students. I thanked her for the invitation and the generosity." He gave her a brochure and told her a little bit about the project.
"Her response was, 'Yeah, that's why we selected you. Keep on keeping on.'"
Barber Scotia College in Concord, N.C., has accepted the Haitian students, but they haven't received visas, Yates said. This fall, two professors from Barber Scotia went to Haiti to teach the students there. They received six to 12 credits each.
"They just finished their last class," Yates said. "For a whole month, the students lived with the two professors and spoke nothing but English. The experience cost us very little. The professors were essentially volunteering.
"I feel the project has begun."
By Katherine Calos | TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: November 20, 2010
Richmonders Danny Yates and Ken Henshaw were invited to the taping to recognize their efforts to bring eight Haitian students to the United States to study in the aftermath of the devastating Haitian earthquake.
Yates said they thought they'd be telling Winfrey's TV viewers about the project, but instead they found themselves showered with gifts like the rest of the studio audience. Instead of keeping all the gifts, they decided to auction some of them on eBay to raise money for scholarships.
Yates, a student at the College of William and Mary, said he was one of the few audience members who got to talk briefly with Winfrey after the cameras were off. He darted around the back to get to the show's star.
"Her bodyguards blocked me at first," he said. "Then she came over and gave me a hug. I was one of the few males in the audience and one of the few college-age students. I thanked her for the invitation and the generosity." He gave her a brochure and told her a little bit about the project.
"Her response was, 'Yeah, that's why we selected you. Keep on keeping on.'"
Barber Scotia College in Concord, N.C., has accepted the Haitian students, but they haven't received visas, Yates said. This fall, two professors from Barber Scotia went to Haiti to teach the students there. They received six to 12 credits each.
"They just finished their last class," Yates said. "For a whole month, the students lived with the two professors and spoke nothing but English. The experience cost us very little. The professors were essentially volunteering.
"I feel the project has begun."
By Katherine Calos | TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: November 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Danny Yates of the Hinche Scholars Project to be part of Oprah Winfrey Show
(Richmond, VA) – The I Have a Dream Foundation’s Hinche Scholars Project is pleased to announce that “Danny” C. Yates, a sophomore at the College of William and Mary, has been selected to participate in a taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show that will air on Friday, November 19th. Yates will be joined by Kenneth Henshaw, President of The I Have a Dream Foundation of Richmond. This honor comes in recognition of the organization’s efforts on behalf of several displaced Haitian university students whose hopes of higher education were shattered after the January 12 earthquake. Yates, who was in Haiti at the time of the tragic quake, was shocked by the indescribable level of catastrophic loss that he witnessed in Port-au-Prince where an estimated 300,000 Haitians died. As Haiti endeavors to “pick up the pieces,” and cope with continued threats from hurricanes, poverty, and disease, Yates and The I Have a Dream Foundation firmly believe that higher education will provide the only sustainable and successful path to recovery for this small Caribbean island nation.
The Hinche Scholars Project is a partnership between Barber-Scotia College, The I Have a Dream Foundation of Richmond and community leaders in the town of Hinche, Haiti which is located outside of Port-au-Prince. Initial funding to launch The Hinche Scholars program has been made possible through selfless donations from many individuals and groups, including Camp for the Cure and The Westbrook Foundation. The mission of our program is to aid the citizens of Haiti in rebuilding their nation through higher education. “By helping Haitian college students to continue their studies in the U.S., we hope to make a difference in the reconstruction of Haiti’s intellectual infrastructure,” states Yates.
Barber-Scotia is a small, historically black, Christian institution located just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1867, B-SC is continuing with its original mission to educate the less fortunate by offering admission to Haitian university students. B-SC administrators are in the process of developing an ESL-intensive academic program which will also include courses in accounting, economics, environmental science, government and history. Currently the Hinche Scholars project is working to obtain visas, health insurance, and funding for the students.
Monday, November 15, 2010
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