In the course of our work, we've learned many valuable lessons. Each lesson has given us insight on how to improve our programs so that we're better able to provide students and their families with the varied supports they need to succeed.

Today, we're in the midst of a period of exciting growth. We have just embarked on an ambitious new partnership in the city of Syracuse, NY. Historically, Say Yes to Education has fully funded the cost of its students attending two- and four-year institutions. In order to be able to support students at large scale, the foundation is now partnering with both private and public institutions in what we are calling the Say Yes Higher Education Compact to collectively provide the opportunity for Say Yes graduates in the city of Syracuse to attend college with tuition, fees, and books paid for. Say Yes and Syracuse University have recruited an unprecedented network of approximately 24 private institutions that will provide the promise of a free college education to Syracuse City School students under the initiative.

We're fortunate to have a dynamic leader - Mary Anne Schmitt-Carey - to shepherd us through this exciting expansion. Mary Anne came to us after serving as president and chief executive officer of New American Schools, and vice president for public policy and external relations at the American Institutes for Research. Her extraordinary vision, experience, and work ethic will ensure that Say Yes will continue to accomplish great things in the future. We have also just hired an extremely talented new Senior Vice President, Eugene S. Chasin, who comes to us with extensive experience in education in urban environments. He was previously Director of the Institute for Urban School Improvement and Director/CEO of the National Center for the Accelerated School Project at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut.

We continue to codify and strengthen our programs, evaluations, and processes to make them even more effective and efficient in the future. Among other enhancements, we've created explicit benchmarks for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, as well as post-secondary achievement standards for Say Yes students. We're also creating online data management systems that will help us better share what we have learned with our partners and sponsors.

I am confident that Say Yes now has the experience, confidence, and vision to begin expanding its programmatic approach and resources to reach thousands of additional children throughout the country. In the next 20 years, we look forward to building many more fruitful private/public partnerships, and to eventually impacting public policy in such a way as to enable all children to achieve their dreams. We have much to look forward to, and much still to accomplish. We thank you for your continued support.