Kevin Spacey Foundation Supports BCP

We would like to thank The Kevin Spacey Foundation (KSF) for awarding the Baltimore Curriculum Project a generous grant. This grant was part of a KSF initiative to support local charities during their Kevin Spacey in Concert event on September 29, 2014.

One of BCP's long-time partners, the Baltimore Urban Debate League, was also awarded a grant through the KSF initiative.

This concert event was critical for KSF to provide critical scholarships for undergraduate performing arts students, competitive project grants to emerging artists, and mentorship during the process from our distinguished roster of established artists.

At the same time, KSF will expand their efforts to bring the arts to underserved youth through the HOME GROWN program.

We would also like to thank KSF for providing BCP with tickets to the concert event and after-party.

About The Kevin Spacey Foundation
The Kevin Spacey Foundation enables the creation of new work via KSF Grants, designs bespoke education opportunities through KSF Learning, and offer free university placements via KSF Scholarships.

For more information visit: http://www.kevinspaceyfoundation.com

Chef Cindy Wolf Hosts Tour of Charleston for City Springs Students

Chef Cindy Wolf hosted a behind-the-scenes tour of Charleston Restaurant  for a group of 22 City Springs students on January 16th.

The tour began with a cooking demonstration. Chef Wolf prepared a salad and gave students the recipe so that they could recreate the dish at home. Students learned about all of the ingredients and the proper way to work in a kitchen.

Chef Wolf talked about the importance of discipline in cooking and how she is the general of her kitchen. When she gives an order, her chefs must follow directions without "rolling their eyes" or complaining.

"Your teachers have gifts to share," said Chef Wolf. She encouraged the students to respect their teachers in order to receive these gifts.

After the cooking demo, we walked through the kitchen and stopped in the walk-in refrigerator, where Chef Wolf introduced us to a variety of fresh foods that are delivered daily; some of which are flown in.

We learned about a type of expensive beef that comes from cows that drink mostly beer and receive regular massages; why cooking shrimp with the heads on creates the tastiest sauce; and how soda from glass bottles tastes better.

After the tour, everyone sat down for a fine lunch of salad topped with baked chicken, corn bread, and cookies for dessert. The students' manners were impeccable throughout the entire meal.

As we lunched, Chef Wolf continued to answer students' questions. She shared stories of her culinary career, including the time she had the opportunity to prepare lunch for Julia Child.

After lunch, we bid Chef Wolf farewell and returned to City Springs with full bellies, full minds, and happy hearts.

We would like to thank Chef Wolf and her staff for their wonderful hospitality and for providing such an amazing experience for our students.

About Chef Cindy Wolf

Executive Chef & Co-owner, Charleston

A 2006, 2008 & 2014 James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic, Chef Wolf's cuisine is backed by French fundamentals and grounded in preparations that emphasize the natural flavors of the very finest regional products.

Charleston is an American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Five-Star Diamond award recipient, a Forbes Four-Star award recipient, and AAA Four Star Diamond Award recipient. The restaurant is recognized by Zagat for best food and service and has been rated the #1 restaurant in Baltimore by Baltimore magazine year over year.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Wolf has received notices in Food Arts, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, The New York Times, The Washington Times and The Washington Post. She has appeared in cooking segments on major local, national and cable television stations.

Wolf is business partners with Tony Foreman in their other restaurants which can be accessed through www.foremanwolf.com.

Happy New Year to our Partners!

We would like to wish our partners a Happy and Healthy New Year! Thank you for all you do for BCP! 

• AARP Experience Corps Maryland
• The Abell Foundation
• ADP
• Baltimore City Public School System
• Baltimore Community Foundation
• Baltimore Education Coalition
• The Baltimore Guide
• Baltimore Orioles
• Baltimore Ravens
• Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras
• Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle of BCF
• Baltimore's Child
• Baltimore Urban Debate League
• Beatty Development Group
• Business Volunteers Maryland
• CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
• Child First Authority
• Congressional Bank
• Core Knowledge Foundation
• The Daily Record
• The David L. Holder Education Foundation
• Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance
• The Dreambuilders Foundation
• Family League of Baltimore
• The Goldsmith Family Foundation
• The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
• International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP)
• IWIF
• The Jean and Sidney Silber Foundation
• The Jewish Times
• SOURCE (Student Outreach Resource Center) at JHU
• Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Kiwanis Club of East Baltimore
• Legg Mason
• Living Classrooms Foundation
• M&T Bank
• MECU of Baltimore Inc.
• The Lois and Philip Macht Family Philanthropic Fund of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore
• Loyola School of Education
• The Maryland Book Bank
• McGraw-Hill Education
• Middle Grades Partnership - MGP
• Miles & Stockbridge PC
• The Mitzvah Fund for Good Deeds of BCF
• Nationwide Professional Services
• Notre Dame of Maryland University
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Patterson Park Audubon Center
• Patterson Park Public Charter School
• The Paul and Christina McBride Foundation
• Pompeian
• The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation
• RCM&D
• Sir Speedy Printing & Marketing - Columbia & Baltimore
• Summit Business Technologies
• Sylvan/Laureate Foundation
• Turner Construction
• United Way of Central Maryland
• University of Maryland Social Work Community Outreach Service - SWCOS
• US Tennis Association
• Venable LLP Foundation
• World Trade Center Institute
• The Verve Partnership
• Voyager Sopris Learning
• Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP
• WLOY Loyola Radio, and
• WYPR.

City Springs Community Fitness Program Kickoff

By Abby Baldwin, Child First Community School Coordinator at City Springs EMS

On October 28th seven City Springs EMS mothers joined Mrs. Baldwin and Coach McGee for the first Community Workout on the new track. Coach McGee worked with all of the women on setting fitness goals, developing group fitness accountability, and led the team through a whole body workout!

The women are warriors and had an excellent time coming together with Coach McGee to work on their own physical fitness. The program will take place every Tuesday and Thursday evening during school session from 4:30pm - 5:30pm on the track. Everyone is welcome!

We would like to thank Baltimore City Schools, the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens, Senator Nathaniel McFadden, Senator Bill Ferguson, Legg Mason, and everyone else who supported the construction of the City Springs Community Athletic Complex, which allows us to provide outstanding health and fitness programs like the Community Workout.

We would also like to thank CareFirst for bringing an array of health and fitness programming to City Springs such as the American Heart Association's Teaching Gardens program and Girls on the Run.

Gathering of Champions at City Springs EMS

By Abby Baldwin, Child First Community School Coordinator at City Springs EMS

On Tuesday October 28th City Springs EMS hosted a breakfast for all the positive male role models in our students lives. The "Gathering of Champions" was presented by Johnny C. Carrington Jr. Consulting Services.

Mr. Carrington provided encouragement for all of the positive male role models saying,

"Women are obviously important in our lives, we wouldn't be here without them. But have you ever seen the joy that comes over a child's face when Dad stops by a classroom unannounced? It's like a spark of light that goes off for them, they get filled with pride!"

Over 17 male family members attended the breakfast. We would like to thank Mr. Carrington for providing this wonderful opportu
nity for City Springs.

City Springs Student Meets First Lady Michelle Obama

Yesterday, City Spring EMS Student Chelsea Gilmer and Principal Rhonda Richetta met First Lady Michelle Obama at a rally in Baltimore's War Memorial Building.  Principal Richetta talks about this once-in-a-lifetime experience below:

Chelsea and I had an amazing time! Chelsea had an experience that she will not only remember for the rest of her life, but one that inspired her in a HUGE way. She heard very moving speeches from not only Michelle Obama, but from a very long list of local politicians.

We were standing right up front, and when Michelle Obama started moving through the crowd, she reached out to shake my hand and I asked her to talk to Chelsea. 

She grabbed Chelsea's face in her hands and said "everything we do is for you." 

I selected Chelsea to attend because she is interested in public speaking (she is one of our top debaters) and wants to be a lawyer and a State's Attorney when she grows up. 

As we were walking back to school, Chelsea looked up to the sky and said, "that was great! I am so inspired!"  I think it was about equal to how much I was inspired at that moment by Chelsea.  She was right, it was great! 

I want to thank City Springs teachers Patrick Cero and Zachary Carey for having a conversation with Chelsea about what it means to be a republican vs. a democrat.  She listened intently to every person's speech and identified the key things they said that were characteristic of a democrat. 

It was awesome for me to witness her applying the learning she had just experienced from a conversation with two teachers.  Kudos, Mr. Cero and Mr. Carey! 

In addition to the First Lady, speakers at the rally included Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, Governor Martin O’Malley, Senator Barbara Mikulski, Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Elijah Cummings, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, Congressman John Sarbanes, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore City Council President Jack Young.

We would like to thank Brooke Lierman for providing tickets to the rally.

Kyle Garrison Prepares Kids for Success On and Off the Court

In addition to working as a paraeducator at City Springs Elementary/Middle School and coaching the City Springs basketball team, Kyle Garrison serves as Director of the Baltimore Lil Dribblers Basketball League (LDBL).

LDBL, which was founded by Rob Moore in Wilmington, Delaware, prepares boys and girls ages 3-12 for success on and off the court. The program teaches basketball skills, science, and reading comprehension.

"During a recent door-knocking event in Douglass Homes, one of the Grandmas we met asked us to let Coach Garrison know how much they appreciate his support for the community," said BCP Executive Vice President Larry Schugam.

"Every week last summer Coach Garrison spent time in the neighborhood teaching kids to play basketball."

We would like to thank Coach Garrison for everything he does for our students at City Springs.

For more information about the Baltimore LDBL visit:

http://www.ldbl.us/page/show/1279950-baltimore-area