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Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading PA

School Night ’03 raises over $2.8 million to benefit thousands of D.C. students

Huey Lewis and The News, Willard Scott, fight for children and The Sallie Mae Fund unite for education

Washington, D.C., Oct. 2, 2003—School Night '03, Washington, D.C.'s premier fundraising gala for education, raised over $2.8 million tonight to build brighter futures for local students. Huey Lewis and The News provided entertainment and U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) and U.S. Representative John Boehner (R-Ohio) were honored, at the Washington Convention Center.

Since 1998, School Night has raised more than $22.8 million, through contributions and matching grants to support organizations that help give students in the nation's capitol an opportunity to access a brighter future through a high-quality education. School Night proceeds benefit 13 charities in three categories:

Academic Readiness and Achievement to ensure young children develop a solid foundation in core academic areas as they begin their education
K-12 Scholarship Assistance to guarantee students receive a quality education
College Preparatory Programs to provide scholarship and preparatory assistance to help students effectively progress from high school to college.

"Martin Luther King declared his dream for America on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 25 years ago," said Joseph E. Robert, Jr., chairman and founder of Fight For Children. "We in Washington are building on his dream: 10 years from now, children in the District of Columbia will participate in the finest education system in the nation. Tonight, School Night is celebrating the progress we are making toward achieving this goal."

"At the heart of The Sallie Mae Fund's mission is the ideal that every child should have the means to attain a higher education," said Albert L. Lord, vice chairman and chief executive officer, Sallie Mae. "We are proud to sponsor The Sallie Mae Fund which supports School Night. This event helps make educational dreams a reality for thousands of children in Washington, D.C."

Senator Feinstein and Representative Boehner were honored with the 2003 School Night Academic Leadership Award for their leadership and dedication to educational reform, including their unwavering support of the groundbreaking No Child Left Behind legislation.

"It's an honor to be associated with School Night '03, which will make a positive difference in the lives of students in need of hope," said Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education & the Workforce. "As a result of the leadership and compassion demonstrated by The Sallie Mae Fund and Fight For Children in sponsoring this annual event, many disadvantaged children in the D.C. area will have educational opportunities they would otherwise be denied."

School Night addresses the continuing educational challenges in the D.C. area by supporting programs that support educational success. This year's donations are benefiting the following organizations: AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation, Archdiocese of Washington Tuition Assistance Program, Bruce Monroe College Fund, Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Learning Center, Capital Partners for Education, District of Columbia College Access Program, Everybody Wins!, Heads UP, Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund, Latino Student Fund, The SEED Foundation, The Shepherd Foundation, and Washington Scholarship Fund.

School Night 2003 sponsors include: Bedford Falls Foundation; Eric F. Billings; Freddie Mac; The Glenstone Foundation; C. Boyden Gray; The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation; Joseph E. Robert, Jr.; The Sallie Mae Fund; Wachovia; Morino Institute; Karen and Bruce Levenson; J.P. Morgan Chase; and Curtin Winsor, III.

To request photographs of the event, please contact Anne Hines at 703/245-3566.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post–secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit www.salliemaefund.org.

Fight For Children was founded in 1990 by Joseph E. Robert, Jr., to create a brighter future for children by helping them access excellent education, healthcare and mentoring opportunities. The 501(c) (3) supports best-in-class organizations in these areas via the following: fundraising and event management, strategic alliance building by spearheading the education reform effort "DC K-12 Education Initiative" and donor cultivation. Over the past 13 years, Fight For Children has given more than $62.8 million, through contributions and matching grants, to over 140 of the most effective children and youth serving organizations in the national capital area. For more information, visit www.fightforchildren.org.