Harlem’s own PS 208—Alain L. Locke Elementary School and Karasma Media are honored for their 2008-2009 school year accomplishments.

Kara Smith and Susan Green

Principal Susan Green had made a request to The PENCIL Foundation, the nonprofit organization that partners business leaders and public school principals, to link her up with a business partner who could help create a new identity for her school—PS 208 Alain L. Locke Elementary School, 21 West 111 Street, in Central Harlem. Kara Smith of Karasma Media, responded to the request. Together, Smith and Green garnered a wide variety of media coverage, developed a new school logo and a social marketing platform. The platform, which includes a blog and Twitter, the fastest-growing phenomena on the Internet, will help increase communication between teachers, parents and students, as well as businesses, elected officials and other members of the local community.

On June 4, 2009, The PENCIL Foundation held its 2008-2009 year-end Partnership Celebration sponsored by long-time supporter JPMorgan Chase. The event marked the accomplishments of more than 450 PENCIL Partnerships during the school year, and honored several standout partners with three inaugural awards for Emerging, Innovative and Veteran PENCIL Partnerships.

The other two awards were the Innovative Partnership of the Year Award which was given to Principal Christopher Ogno of PS 247—The New York City College Partnership Elementary School in Brooklyn and Partner Ivy Cohen, President of Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications. And the Veteran Partnership Award which was given to Principal Rima Ritholtz of PS 176X in the Bronx and Justin Israel of Channel 13 WNET/21 WLIW. With a student body of more than 570 autistic pre-K to 12th graders, PS 176X in the Bronx called upon the veteran experience of PENCIL Partners Rima Ritholtz, Principal of PS176X and business partner Justin Israel, Senior Patron Advisor at Channel 13 WNET/21, to develop programs that would offer critical support to the students’ parents.