Why We Give! 

This spring more than 5,000 seventh graders from Miami-Dade County Public Schools attended performances of Daisy, an operetta that tells the story of Juliette Gordon Law, founder of the Girl Scouts of America. The Young Patronesses of the Opera, the Shepard Broad Foundation, and the Anthony R. Abraham Foundation underwrote the performances. The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida, the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida, the Florida Grand Opera, the University of Northern Texas, and the Julia Smith Estate also helped sponsor the event. The stirring operetta performances inspired many middle school students to write me, asking that I thank all who made this experience possible. Here are some quotes from a few of the many student letters I received.

“I enjoyed every scene they did! I experienced dancing, acting, and singing for the first time in my life and I loved it.”

“This was the first opera that I have ever been to in my life. It was such a great experience that I told my entire family about it. I plan on experiencing another opera in the near future.”

Partnerships with Miami-Dade’s various arts and cultural institutions which support Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Cultural Passport Program enable public school students to visit museums and art galleries; and to experience live musical, theatrical, and dance performances in the course of their education. The school district’s Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc., supports the Cultural Passport Program. You can too! Visit giveourstudentstheworld.org for donor information.

Alberto M. Carvalho
Superintendent of Schools
Board Chair, The Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc.