2008-01-10
Michael Nutter, Board Member, Inaugurated as Mayor of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA-January 2007-Michael Nutter, a lifelong Philadelphian and member of Perspectives' Board of Directors, was inaugurated as the new Mayor of the City of Philadelphia on January 7, 2008.
“We congratulate and thank Mayor Nutter on his election and for making education one of his first three priorities,” said Alexander McCobin & Lilly Deng, Co-Founders and Executive Directors of Perspectives Debate. “The Mayor called it ‘a call to arms on behalf of the city' in his inaugural speech, and Perspectives Debate will do all it can to help him.”
In his speech, the Mayor demanded immediate action on many ambitious goals. Among those goals is substantially cutting the city school's drop-out rate, currently at 45 percent, and doubling the percentage of Philadelphians with bachelor degrees, from 18 to 36 percent.
Mayor Nutter joined the Perspectives Board in 2007, after learning about its many efforts to teach the life skills of critical thinking and public speaking to the City's high school students. He was impressed that such a college-based organization could make such an impact through which over 100 volunteers have worked with 13 schools and served over 300 high school students.
Then a private citizen, Mayor Nutter praised Perspectives, noting that it was “Creating opportunities for students to further develop the critical skills for academic success, enhancing their prospects for a college education and preparing them for life are very important. Your partnership with so many schools in this City is an invaluable resource. I am grateful to you for your investment in and commitment to young people and the City.”
Perspectives Board Member Carl (Tobey) Oxholm III, thanked the Mayor: “The Mayor has announced that it's a new day and a new way in Philadelphia. When he calls for volunteers to help Philadelphia achieve its greatness, is only asking others to do what he does. His personal support of Perspectives proves he is a man of both vision and action.” Oxholm is Senior Vice President of Drexel University, and the University has been a strong supporter of Perspectives and will again be hosting Perspectives' annual Voices of Philadelphia Debate Tournament this Spring.
Prior to being elected as Mayor, Mayor Nutter served for 15 years on City Council. This is his first term as mayor.
###
Perspectives is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2005 by college students now at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, who are former debaters themselves. Perspectives was begun with an angel grant from H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest and has since been supported by the Samuel S. Fels Fund, the Phoebe Haas Charitable Trust “A” as recommended by Carole Haas Gravagno, the Philadelphia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and many others. Since its founding, Perspectives has educated students from 30 schools in 8 states, with the majority of students from the Philadelphia region. See www.philadebate.org for more details.
Perspectives is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization promoting youth debate education. Students who debate dramatically increase their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and public speaking skills. In the process, debate becomes a forum to foster youth achievement and civic responsibility. Perspectives has worked with over 400 students in 8 states through afterschool, summer, and special events. www.philadebate.org