Thanks to the generous support of visionary donors, we’re welcoming learners and their families, teachers and school leaders to a new Stern Center website that provides the information they need. Those we serve inspired this project, from initial vision to launch.
At its best, a well-designed website becomes a teaching and learning space of its own, bringing an organization’s mission to life and fostering access to its work.
Our supporters shared this vision and made it possible for us to realize it: The Altman Foundation, through Margie and Peter Stern’s foresight, provided the initial gift. This support soon inspired a matching donation to fully fund the project’s ambitious goals.
The Visionary Fund, through the generosity of Deborah Schapiro and Louis Polish, matched the initial gift to ensure that the Stern Center’s reach expands with fully-engaging experiences and best-in-class technology.
We asked these generous supporters about their hopes and goals for the new site. Here’s what they had to say.
Margie Stern:
My hope for the new Stern Center website is that it inspires an exciting journey of exploration—one that leads to greater self knowledge and confidence and lights a path for all learners to take that first step.
Peter Stern:
My parents wanted to give children and adults the support they needed to lead happy and successful lives, and help those who learn differently and aren’t always well-supported by our education system. The Stern Center’s team of caring professionals has the knowledge and expertise to help people overcome educational challenges and succeed. We see the new website as a place that welcomes all learners and helps them find individualized support that leads to improved outcomes.
Deborah Schapiro and Louis Polish:
Some of my fondest memories are of my father and I reading together—magazines, newspapers, and even the dictionary. As I learned to read, he improved his English, which wasn’t his first language. Reading is incredibly important to me, and it should be accessible to all. It’s the key to life that opens the door to future opportunities.
More than 25 years ago, my father and I established The Visionary Fund to support others in achieving their dreams and goals. Now, with my husband, Louis Polish, an educator dedicated to mentoring and teaching young physicians, we are committed to introducing others to the discoveries and magic that learning provides. We hope the website helps more people access the support they need through the Stern Center. I was honored to serve on its Board for nine years with President Emerita Blanche Podhajski, and I learned so much through its incredible professionals. In my Honorary Board role today, I’m confident about its future with President Laurie Quinn leading the organization in such an inspiring and effective way.
