Future educational leaders found a source of motivation in Penn alumna Carla Sanger, who discussed her struggles to improve children's lives through after-school activities.
"I am so, so passionate about connecting to kids," Sanger said.
Sanger conveyed that enthusiasm to the approximately 20 students who attended the Fox Leadership event yesterday.
With unrelenting vigor and enthusiasm in her voice, Sanger, a College alumna, described the challenges she met in making after-school recreation a priority in elementary education through Los Angeles' Better Educated Students for Tomorrow after-school enrichment program.
Founded in California in 1988, LA's BEST seeks to support disadvantaged children's learning -- both in school and in life.
According to Sanger, after-school recreational activities are essential to providing children the opportunity to develop creative skills and discover new interests.
These pursuits also keep youth busy enough to prevent them from engaging in criminal activities.
Sanger's success in having the program implemented in more than 123 schools was the culmination of more than 30 years of daily struggle.
"There was real unwillingness to change among folks in city districts," she said.
One of the biggest challenges she said that she faced was the nature of philanthropy.
"Philanthropy has changed so much," she said. "Foundation leaders act like venture capitalists. Foundations used to be purveyors of good action -- now they're all about money."
The key to success lies in building good relationships, Sanger said. To do that, people must work to find common ground with everyone from children to parents to teachers, as well as triggering a common understanding and enthusiasm.
Her lively talk was interspersed with personal anecdotes about Arnold Schwarzenegger seeking her help in establishing his version of an after-school program for middle-school students called "Arnold's All Stars." Her imitations of the governor sparked laughs among the audience.
Sanger also spent time emphasizing the importance of public education.
"It is an opportunity to have more equity. It's really about preserving democracy, and I am terrified when anybody is prescriptive about education," she said.
Her words were inspiring to many listeners.
"The description of her work is exactly what I want to do," College senior Melanie Berlin said. "Usually when you listen about public education and its problems, it's disheartening, but she's very positive about it."
Others found the speech similarly inspiring.
"She's very hopeful," College senior Eric Berrin said. "She's found a way to use her entrepreneurial skills to help those in need."
