Our Passion

Objectives with Meaning

...a latticework of support.

Objectives are for The John Ernest Foundation what for others are called projects. We Asked Google and like what we found.

• Goals are broad; objectives are narrow.
• Goals are general intentions; objectives are precise.
• Goals are intangible; objectives are tangible.
• Goals are abstract; objectives are concrete.
• Goals can't be validated as is; objectives can be validated.

The Anatole Fund: For Excellence Among Youth

Steward: Diego Pettersson

This is named after an exemplary father, Anatole Orlovsky, a member of TJEF's Treillage. He has quietly mentored his bright son, Simon, to become the national winner in ballroom dancing at the age of 13. While The John Ernest Foundation is not a financial aid office, it does on occasion give small grants that may help push a project over the top. Some grants are not cash. For example, TJEF is conducting a class for nearly a dozen teenagers involving the reconstruction of used laptops, a generous gift from University Rotary Club in Palo Alto, which the students will eventually own. Grants seldom exceed $300.

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Charles Fellow

Steward: Kenneth Kaufman

The Charles Fellow honors the memory of Charles Chen and is an honor program enabling a young person from Shanghai and a similar high school junior to spend some time in each other's setting. In 2008 Dora Liu (aged 14) has visited California, and Fred Stahl, Jr., a junior from California at Bellarmine Prep. aged 17, visited Shanghai and had the opportunity to use his third year Mandarin! Their respective comments, which empahsized the significant cultural differences between the countries, are here:

• "My Trip to China" by Fred Stahl
• "The American Culture I Experienced" by Dora Liu

Early in 2009, we hope to bring Special Olympian Star, Wu Fang Miao, to the Bay Area.

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College is Real

Steward: Brad Blake

• Play video
• View Contra Costa Times Article

One of our newest Objectives, College Is Real endeavors to make higher education a realistic goal for some underprivileged students at a primarily Latino high school in Richmond California. Inspired by the good sportsmanship of Richmond High School soccer players, some Danville-Alamo, California parents wish to provide the guidance and motivation necessary to help these students reach college. Using a rewards-based approach, the program keeps kids actively involved in strengthening their futures.

Participation and exposure are the two primary methods in use on this project. By monitoring and encouraging class attendance, assignment completion, and involvement in SAT and PSAT preparatory courses and college seminars, the mentors and other leaders will ensure that participants are preparing competitive college applications. Trips to local colleges and visits from college representatives will give a face to the goal at hand. Strengthening attitudes will require getting parents informed and excited about the process, so potluck dinners and collaboration with local churches are planned.

The program rewards incremental achievement with modest prizes like bowling parties. The older students who have proven their commitment and desire will be awarded a highly anticipated trip to Washington D.C. for a soccer game against a local team there. Drawing on the existing positive influences of athletic participation, College Is Real will lead a promising group of kids to greater opportunities.

Website: www.collegeisreal.org

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European University at St. Petersburg

Steward: Coming Soon

• Play video (coming soon)

2008 has proven a challenging and rewarding year for the European University St Petersburg (EUSP), a leading independent Russian post- graduate institution committed to excellence in the social sciences, economics, and the humanities. Its spirit of openness, manifested in
strong ties to top-tier American and European universities, builds upon the cherished native intellectual and cultural traditions of the Russian Academy of Sciences and State Hermitage Museum.

When, in February, the city fire brigade unexpectedly closed the University's main building for purported fire code violations, the EUSP community met the crisis with vigorous calls for open dialogue with the authorities and a sustained program of local and international awareness. Internally, regular discussions and adaptations to new realities included drafting a public manifesto and moving classes to off-campus locations. In the course of its response, the EUSP extended its global profile in the media and academia through online communication and petitions, while at the same time receiving numerous donations.

Surviving school closure tested the community's cohesiveness and flexibility in an often adverse and unpredictable environment and, more importantly, galvanized the EUSP's ability to maintain academic freedom at a time when official politics toward independent non-profit organizations and their Western affiliates was worsening. Since then, the reappointment of EUSP Trustee Alexei Kudrin to Finance Minister in the Medvedev government, later followed by a lecture by First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov at the school, reflect the University's appreciation among progressive circles within the Russian state. The capable leadership of EUSP Chairman Prof. Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum, continues to elevate the University's position in both Russian and international markets for education and research.

During these and less dramatic times, TJEF continued its support of the EUSP Development Office with high-level networking among key gatekeepers, opinion makers and potential donors in American and Europe, primarily through the work of Stefan Kirsten and other members of the TJEF Europe board.

In June, TJEF Board Chairman Ken Kaufman attended the school's annual alumni reunion in St. Petersburg, where his keynote presentation related various experiences in creating university alumni associations. Based on discussions from this period, in November EUSP alumni formally established a European Alumni Association, headquartered in Berlin. In addition to its own website and opening conference in London, the association will continue to build linkages
among its international alumni base through regular communications, events, and fundraising efforts.

TJEF supports the EUSP Development Office's effort to build an endowment that would help ensure the University's financial independence and long-term growth. To this end, the EUSP has
established a Michigan-based tax exempt organization 501(c)(3), founded a Russian-based Endowment Fund, and partnered with the Open Society Foundation, London to solicit tax-exempt donations in the UK.

In addition to targeting larger donors and foundations with an interest in Russia, in the context of current credit crunch, the EUSP seeks to attract donations of any size to ensure its current
sustainability.

The Development Office has specifically asked TJEF to help with sourcing the right support and funding in three areas:

* to support its library collections ($200,000 for annual funding, $4 million to endow and name)
* to finance scholarships for American and European students in its unique International MA Program in Russian and Eurasian Studies, IMARES ($20,000 each)
* to endow chair positions in art history, Russian history, political theory, cultural anthropology and economic sociology (ranging from $30,000 to $150,000 per year, $600,000 to $3 million to endow and name)

For questions related to the EUSP please contact Alexander Kurylev, Executive Director for Overseas Development via email: kurylev AT eu.spb.ru or via phonet: +44 7999 345 705

For more information about the EUSP, please visit:

Website:  http://www.eu.spb.ru/

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Ignite

Steward: Juergen Doering

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At Stanford and elsewhere, researchers, inventors, designers, business developers are paying attention to those who do not have access to light in their dwellings after dark. Competitive solutions abound. TJEF is helping to develop a vision and a venue whereby fundamentally sound engineering and sustainable power can be produced at commercial levels cheap enough to service the populations who most need this life enhancing product. Business plans, production, and distribution all must take into account the utility to the many, not the few.

The objective is now running in different sites throughout India. A number of Microfinance Organizations are now ready to step in with detailed distribution plans. And a tie-up with a local bank is underway to support the customers. At the same time, Ignite is working with NCGOs for distribution of lights through Self Help Groups. "Future Earth" has reported favorably on the performance of the light and its acceptability to villages.

Alternative distribution models are simultaneously being pursued as the reach of the objective is being broadened. Distribution negotiations with wider rural towns are taking place while cooperation with an organization that specializes in rental models has also begun.

Orders for the light are growing rapidly and Ignite now has 15,000 lights to deliver. Engineers in Germany are pushing to optimize the technology of the light and modules. Their goal is to adapt the light to better fit the particular needs of customers in rural India. And, in addition, to make the light more affordable to those that need it the most.

Our Initiative has introduced the light to many homes in India and Ignite is working to reach as many villages as possible to replace darkness with light

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Institute for Social Emotional Education

Steward: Dr. Stanley Fischman

The Institute for Social Emotional Education in Durango, Colorado, will build on a tested curriculum, Discovery I, designed to teach anger management skills.

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Intellect

Steward: Kenneth Kaufman

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Jonathan Roberts, from Dancing with the Stars Fame, speaks about his involvement with TJEF.

On occasion, The John Ernest Foundation finds venues where members of the Treillage and their guests benefit from the shared experience and competence of visiting dignitaries by way of casual fireside chats. The widow of the former German Chancellor, Birgitta Seebacher Brandt, made two appearances at Stanford. Manfred Stolpe recently told of the transition from East to West Germany. The informality of the setting provides insights, questions and answers entre nous.

TJEF welcomes suggestions, either of speakers or of venues. Please send suggestions via the Contact Us page.

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Principles of Development for Effective Results

Steward: Kenneth Kaufman

Members of the Foundation's Treillage have considerable experience with fundraising for educational institutions. The Foundation has built a curriculum and occasionally facilitates lectures on a global basis. A recent venue has been the European University at St. Petersburg and future events will be held in Shanghai and at the University of Duisburg/Essen.

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San Francisco Choral Artists

Steward: John Zorn

• Play video (coming soon)

Since 1985 San Francisco Choral Artists has thrilled Bay Area audiences with its perfectly balanced blend of voices, innovative programming, and elegant presentation of both choral classics and vibrant new music by contemporary composers.

In this 22nd Season, our twelfth under the artistic direction of Magen Solomon, we continue to celebrate our choral past while enriching our choral future. We expand our outreach to young musicians through a second collaboration with San Francisco's School for the Arts (SOTA), the third season of SFCA’s New Voices competition to encourage young composers under the age of 30, and a new collaboration with City College of San Francisco.

The Composer in Residence program, more world premiere performances, the Composers Invitational, and the New Voices competition continue to foster new choral music--and introduce audiences to the joy of fine choral music, including the works of our many Bay Area luminaries.

Website: www.sfca.org

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Stanford German Student Association

Steward: Kenneth Kaufman

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The Stanford German Students Association uses the Foundation's Treillage for strategic programming, fireplace chats and lecture series, small donor probabilities, and external community relations.

Recent lecturers actualized with Foundation resources include: Professor Edward Krubasik, Member of the Managing Board, Siemens, Professor Brigitte Seebacher Brandt, University of Bonn, and widow of the late German Chancellor, Willy Brandt

Website: german.stanford.edu/SGSA/

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St. Martin de Porres

Steward: Vance George

St. Martin de Porres is a small parochial school in North Oakland named for a 17th century Dominican brother from Peru, famous for establishing orphanages and children's hospitals. The majority of its students receive financial assistance. Until 2007 it had no music program.

Sister Barbara Dawson, Principal of the school, and celebrated opera singer, Frederica von Stade (known to all as "Flicka") had been greatly impressed by a program established in Venezuela called "El Sistema". Established in 1975 this trained thousands of poor children to learn to play music, thereby creating the opportunity for the children to better their own lives. Flicka and Sister Barbara took it upon themselves to establish a choir for inner-city children based upon the El Sistema model.

Through the initial involvement of Vance George, TJEF has recognized the need for the development of civic responsibility and to bring increased social and cultural awareness to the community. TJEF has helped to bring increased awareness of this program as well as providing some funding for the children's uniforms and the salary of Rachel Velen, its conductor and project leader, and, through the generosity of members of the treillage, even provided a piano for the program.

Now the choir is at a performing stage. In October the choir sung at the Arts Reach National Arts Marketing Conference at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco, With Flicka's support the older children have also attended operas and opera rehearsals.

Website: http://www.sfcv.org/2008/10/21/cloning-el-sistema-in-oakland

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Sur Les Pas d'Anne Morgan

Steward: Patricia Colin

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The Sur Les Pas d'Anne Morgan (formerly American Friends of Blerancourt) are supporters of the Musee de Blerancourt (www.musee-cooperation-blerancourt.fr) founded by Anne Morgan and now part of the system. The Museum houses a unique collection covering the history of French-American relations and is housed in a lovely setting among the battlefields of the First World War north of Paris. TJEF supports Sur Les Pas d'Anne Morgan in three distinct ways:

First, we are organizing a series of events with a view to expanding Bay Area membership. These events which we are calling "Fetes" will be in a variety of formats designed to provide both an enjoyable time for the participants while fulfilling the goal of introducing us to potential supporters.

Second, we intend to generate financial support for Sur Les Pas d'Anne Morgan and particularly for its current initiative, the funding of the multi media component of the new gallery currently under construction. The multi media component is being developed by Alan Governor (www.docarts.com). The cost of the gallery itself is covered by the Reunion des Musees Nationaux.

Third, we are seeking creative connections to assist Sur Les Pas d'Anne Morgan renew and grow.This part of the objective is presently the least defined; it will require both careful investigation and thoughtful planning in unexplored terrain.

Website: www.museefrancoamericain.fr

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The Organ and the Church

Steward: Vance George

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Over the past 15 years the New York Times and other prominent publications have acknowledged a shortage of organists for churches throughout urban centers as well as the rural areas of the United States. A number of colleges and universities have cancelled their organ departments thus creating a critical need to train organists. Thankfully, there is a resurgence of interest in the pipe organ today in response to some of the fine new organs built by renowned builders in the United States and worldwide.

TJEF believes that one of the ways to address this shortage is to help create and support organ programs at small colleges and universities to attract and produce regional organists. These institutions often have superb instruments whose potential for instructional use has not been fully realized. There is a need to create organ programs at just such colleges which will enhance both their reputation and enrollment. For this purpose, Vance George and Carole Terry-major names in the field of choral music and organ-have agreed to assist in these pilot organ programs. We are looking for colleges with fine instruments, community support, and a knowledgeable and forward-looking academic vision. We, as well as the college communities, are poised and ready to address these issues and help find, train and graduate superb musicians. 

Recently, Carole Terry performed organ works by Bach, Mendelsohn, Widor, Marchand and Messiaen for an appreciative audience at the First Congregational Church in Palo Alto.

Our thanks are owed to Cathy Ferguson, our Living Angel, who, once again, provided an elegant setting of cheeses to accompany the wines from Young's Market.

On the day prior to the recital, Carole Terry and Vance George held a Master Class at the same venue in Palo Alto to a receptive audience. The participants were Ethan Hamman who played the Purcell Trumpet tune in C and Bach's Little Prelude and Fugue in F; Shannon McEntee playing Bach's Chorale Prelude - Ich ruf zu dir; and Duane Soubirous who played Mendelssohn's Prelude and Fugue No.3 in D Minor.

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TJEF Mentoring

Steward: Dr. Stanley Fischman

The TJEF Treillage mentors through coaching and guidance. Personal chemistry, ethical considerations and geography are factors, which TJEF's Committee on Objectives Under Consideration heeds before entering into a mentor-mentoring relationship. Learning is always a two-way street. Mentors provide resources, knowledge and advice to individuals and groups. Attaining specific goals and visions are the shared reward in a mentor-mentoring relationship. TJEF's Ken Kaufman honors one of his mentors in the following

Ode to a Fallen Mentor -

Long before the old word "mentor" again became fashionable, I well learned the best of definitions from several women and men who helped shape my life. Erwin was chief among them. What the concept came to mean so vividly to me, was a safe haven, where one could live without fear. Authority, while ever present, was overridden by a mutual respect, which the mentor duly earned.

• A good mentor listens honestly.
  
• A good mentor uses judgment with the utmost care.
• A good mentor is a master of the chemistry of friendship.
• A good mentor does not require hearing hints, as she or he wants them told, rather in naked language.
• A good mentor is a patient teacher, and learns when to employ instruction.
• A good mentor is clever, and understands how temporary disappointment can be.
• A good mentor is seldom bored by the pupil.
• And most important, a good mentor is also in a constant state of learning and often from the pupil.
  

Erwin was a model mentor to me. To the very end, he listened as I learned…agreeing at times with my thoughts and behavior, or critiquing my assumptions. I always felt important to him. I always felt I could translate what was to me a very complicated world, and that he truly
understood and enjoyed hearing its parameters. Never did I feel my world baffled him. We were always equals. Even when I was sixteen. What so commanded my respect for Erwin was his proper sense of good and evil.

• He understood duplicity.
• He understood false pride and vanity.
• And, he also taught me that the means to than end, if suspect, were unacceptable.
• Credibility is a scarce commodity, hard earned.
• It was, to Erwin, the best of traits.

Finally, Erwin taught me a lot about competence, which is born in the pursuit of truth.
For the competent, ignorance is the ever lurking enemy.
While one doesn't have to know, to be modern, and to experience.
At his house on New Year's Day, Erwin proudly handed us his present, the book, How We Die.
Even near his lucid end, he was modern. He was learning. He was experiencing.

I am but one small life Erwin touched.
He lives in the many who carry his flame!
He wrote, very creatively, on the slate of eternity.
And it is we, who must pass one these salient truths, which will honor his memory.

He understands what we are going through and has solid recommendations. He is the ultimate sounding board of reason and empathy.

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TravelForTjef.com

Steward: Ryan Perry

The Travel For TJEF mission is to make the most of the TJEF treillage by offering incredible discounts on guided global tours while applying any commissions or credits toward the general Presidents Fund and passion objectives.

Recent trips offered to TJEF members included New Zealand and Belize under a month long silent auction format. Both were auctioned at a starting price of 60% off of retail. The current offers take you to the mysterious wonderous worlds of China, Japan and South Korea for unbelievably low rates - so low you should consider gifting a trip to a friend or loved one.

Lucky winners get to share the TJEF mission with the world or offer the great deals as gifts to friends, family, and colleagues.

Website: www.tjef.org/auction.aspx

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United Planet

Steward: Chris White

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United Planet (UP) is a leading international, educational, humanitarian, and peace-building, non-profit organization with members and volunteers in over 150 countries devoted to fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship and supporting communities in need in order to bring the world together in a community beyond borders. United Planet utilizes a diverse and creative range of local, online, and international programs to achieve this essential mission.

The underlying principle of UP's programs is based on the concept of Relational Diplomacy, in which we recognize that the relationship between two people of diverse backgrounds is the vital thread — the basic building blocks for bringing the world together in a community beyond borders.

United Planet’s innovative programs are designed to expose our common human bonds and foster respect and appreciation for our cultural, racial, and religious diversity, while improving and enriching lives worldwide. All people of the world are invited to join United Planet's membership in a community beyond borders.

TJEF supports United Planet by assisting in the development of the United Planet Board of Directors and Board of Advisors through suggesting new board policies, setting board member definitions, and introducing potential board members. Once the board leadership is fully engaged according to these objectives, we intend to generate financial support for United Planet in order to further build core capacity and expand its key programs.

Website: www.unitedplanet.org

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Westfield Concert Scholar

Steward: Kenneth Kaufman

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Goals of the Scholar Program: To give young musicians specializing in historically oriented keyboard performance an opportunity to play a series of concerts arranged at various venues throughout the United States, including colleges, universities, churches, and recital halls. The program has a clear set process for selecting the concert scholar. Westfield members nominate either an undergraduate or graduate student to a current board member of Westfield. Board members will then nominate candidates at the spring board meeting and the board will select the Westfield Concert Scholar for the next year. The scholar will be chosen from among the following keyboard specialties: organ, harpsichord, forte piano, and clavichord. The John Ernest Foundation assists the Westfield Concert Scholar by sponsoring the travel. Last year's selected scholar is Emanuele Battisti, who currently holds the Marcella K. Brownson Fellowship for Organ Study at the University of Illinois. His interests are concentrated in Early Baroque, Contemporary music, performance, composition and music research.

Website: www.westfield.org

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Wiki Symposium

Steward: Dirk Riehle

The John Ernest Foundation provides fiscal sponsorship to the Wiki Symposium as well as guidance on growth, fiduciary and strategic matters.

WikiSym concluded successfully on Sept 10, 2008, after three intense days of discussions and presentations, formed around several major tracks, including invited talks, research papers, panels and demonstrations, workshops, practitioner reports, tutorials, and maybe most importantly, open space, where all participants as peers created their own wiki-related session as the demand arose. The three days were framed by further social events, most notably the WikiHouse and the WikiWalk before and after the conference, helping us keep forging a strong wiki community.

Participation was up to 145 registered participants. Research papers were up 25% to 49 paper submissions, of which we accepted 20. Conference chair Ademar Aguiar of University of Porto and program chair Mark Bernstein of Eastgate kept everything running smoothly and properly. The breadth of participation at WikiSym remained diverse and evenly split between academia, industry, and private enthusiasts. Events like the Doctoral Space are leading on the next generation of wiki researchers, and the overall breadth of events and the ensuing participation demonstrated the broad base that wikis and WikiSym have found.

Inspired by the highly successful BlogWalk meetings, WikiSym reached out to the local community by introducing the WikiWalk, a guided tour of Porto to places of interest to wiki enthusiasts. This led to casual and spontaneous discussion with Porto's vibrant intellectual and Web communities, exploring the city and its network of arts and media. Due to the popularity of wikis, WikiSym 2008 and its sponsors and supporters were mentioned in the press in more than 20 articles, including news on the TV (RTP1 channel), radio news and several articles in the most important national newspapers (Público, Jornal de Notícias, Correio da Manhã).

We are still pulling together different materials and intend to post them on the WikiSym blog at http://www.wikisym.org or on the WikiSym 2008 wiki at http://www.wikisym.org/ws2008.

We would like to thank you again for your support and we are hoping to see you again in Orlando Florida in 2009!

Website:  http://www.wikisym.org

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YES: Youth Environmental Scholarship

Steward: Judy & Dave DePuy

The YES Review committee is pleased to announce this year's Youth Environmental Scholarship award winners: Fred Stahl (Bellarmine College Preparatory, CA), Brent 'Ross' Bilger (Los Altos High School, CA), Rebecca Dorst (Menlo-Atherton High School, CA), Garrett Menghini
(Damonte Ranch High School, NV), Lisa Aguilar (Gunn High School, CA), and Yasmine Laraki (Casablanca American School).

The Youth Environmental Scholarship showcases high school juniors and seniors who have done something good to positively affect our environment. The diversity of the essays by the YES winners reflects unique approaches to solve some of the environmental issues that we face
today. This year's essay topics included: relevance and use of compost barrels, an on-line carbon footprint estimation tool, creation of Facebook eco-friends resource pages, and the eco-benefits of herd management.

In addition to the recognition and YES award certificate, the John Ernest Foundation will provide laptop computers to our bright and enthusiastic awardees. Click here to learn more about the award winners and their essays.

Our community is very proud of these students and their active involvement to do something to improve our environment.

The YES 2009 program:

In combination with the John Ernest Foundation of Palo Alto and the Ted Hannig Charitable Trust of Redwood City, we are pleased to announce the Youth Environmental Scholarship program for 2009.

The Youth Environmental Scholarship showcases what high school juniors or seniors have done to positively affect our environment. To participate, complete a summer project, write an essay about the environmental achievement that you accomplished in all things "green", and submit to YES@TJEF.org by September 15, 2009.

Besides the examples of projects that were completed this year, additional essay ideas might include how you helped to do something good for the environment in your community, how you changed 'bad' environmental habits in your home or community, or an environmental achievement that you have accomplished over the summer.

This program is open to high school juniors and seniors in the San Francisco Bay Area and will take place during the 2009-2010 school year. The award consists recognition on the TJEF website, the TJEF YES award (useable for college and job applications), and a laptop computer or $1000 scholarship. If you have any questions, please contact Judy or Dave DePuy at YES@TJEF.org.

Now is the time to help us go "green" and better our environment.

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Social Networking & Blogs. TJEF is now on facebook (causes and groups) and has a blog where ideas and solutions can be discussed live. Please visit today!

Travel for TJEF. TJEF is auctioning unbelievable guided trips for extraordinarily low prices. Submit your bid before the deadline! Get detailed info and enter bids @ the new Auction Page.

Donate. Give today to help us push the TJEF mission onward. Sign up for a special vacation trip and proceeds benefit charity!