GOTO's "Fundamental Beliefs"

On Saturday we hosted volunteers, scholarship kids & mentees at the GOTO Spring Volunteer Conference. The day started with Board & Executive Committee updates and ended with a tour of NBC Studios, with lots of fun in between. We even saw Will Ferrell & Tom Hanks rehearse their SNL Jeopary skit. Very cool.

We'll upload a few photos later this week, but we first wanted to post a point that we covered during the Strategy & Finance Overview portion of the day: Our Fundamental Beliefs.

If anybody ever asks you what GOTO believes in, this is what you should tell them. GOTO believes in ...

1. The importance of the arts in children’s lives...
   ... and recognize today’s lack of funding for youth arts programs


2. The transformative power of the summer camp experience


3. Young adults’ willingness, ability, and right to lead


4. An entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy


5. The power of the “ask” – resources await our energy and direction

We also believe that there ain't no party, like a GOTO party, 'cause a GOTO party don't stop. But that belief hasn't cracked the top five just yet.

GOTO Boston Spring Gala Recap

On April 24th, we hosted one of our best GOTO Boston fundraising events to date. Held in the swanky State Room, the 200+ Bostonians who attended our Spring Gala helped us raise enough money to send two more kids to Camp Med-o-Lark for an arts & music filled summer.

You can check out all the pics from the event here.

5 Questions for a GOTO Kid: Aleksandr Akulov ‘02

1. What did you like most about Appel Farm Arts & Music summer camp?
The atmosphere at Appel Farm was the best attraction for me. Everybody had to have had a great time. Some loved to play in rock concerts, others loved to play tennis, and the rest loved to play spin the bottle. I liked that there was a balance between the arts and the free time. Most of all, I appreciated the relationships that formed and the camaraderie that was shared among friends.

2. What were your majors?
My major was music. My concentration was the piano. My minor was glassblowing and yoga. I played in a band called "Alex's Eight Balls." This was the biggest band that year and it was made up of 2 girls and 4 guys. I remember performing "Watermelon Man" with the band and it was a lot of fun!

3. What are you up to now?
Right now, I attend the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College; double majoring in Economics and Political Science. I occasionally fool around with my guitar at the dorm and fool around with the piano when ever I find one nearby.

4. What are your plans for this summer?
I'm going to be working for the College Now Program here at Hunter and taking a Political Science class. I also recently got an internship at an investment banking firm and most probably will take that up as well. Most importantly, I'm going to relax. Of course, I will keep up with my arts as they keep me sane. Hopefully, I'll be able to squeeze a few trips to the beach with my girlfriend.

5. Who’s your favorite artist or musician?
My favorite composer is Craig Armstrong. My favorite artists are Mark Shagal and Jackson Pollock. My favorite pieces of art, however, are Dogs Playing Poker by C.M Coolidge and The Son of Man by Rene Magritte.

Bonus 1. What do you want to be doing ten years from now?
I can safely say that I have no idea.

Bonus 2. What’s your favorite activity that doesn’t include arts or music?
I like to go bowling and shooting pool with friends. I'm also very into the British car show: Top Gear.

GOTO Volunteer Conference & Scholar Reception

GOTO will be hosting our 2009 Volunteer Conference & Scholar Reception on Saturday, May 19th. Things will kick off at 11am at the Sports Club LA at Rockefeller Center.

If you'd like to hear about what GOTO's up to in 2009, meet some of our scholarship kids and listen in while we outline our plan for world domination, feel free to swing by anytime between 11 and 1:30. For more details and to RSVP, click here.

5 Questions for a GOTO Kid: Raven Page '03

1. What did you like most about Appel Farm Arts & Music Summer camp?
The abundance of great raw talent everywhere. Every part of that camp had interesting, talented kids and counselors that I could learn from and grow with, no matter what the craft.

It felt really good to experience a place out of the city, where for one month, I lived with people from all over who shared the same interest of Arts and Music like I did. But most importantly, I enjoyed the wonderful life long friendships I've built there.

2. What were your majors?
I was in a band all three years. My First Year was jazz band. We didn't have a name though. Second and Third Year it was "Raven and the Flip-flops" and "Raven and the Trojan Men". Since most of the members were the same and I was the only girl and lead singer, we decided to use my name in our title both years. We Rocked! I couldn't had better band members or picked a better major!

3. What are your plans for this summer?
To start, I'll be at Brown University taking a Digital Video film production Pre- College Program, because among all the things I want to accomplish in my life, I also aspire to be a Director.

Then after Brown, I come back to New York to attend Columbia University's College Prep Program, to support my plans to attend Yale. Then I'll be in the United Nations young leadership conference program. Once these programs are complete, I'll continue my volunteer duties at the Red Cross and YMCA. That just about sums up my summer, and I can't wait to get started.

4. Who’s your favorite artist or musician?
I love all Music. But it's a three way tie for my all time favorite musicians which are: Jason Mraz, John Mayer, & Ray LaMontagne.

5. What do you want to be doing ten years from now?
Pursuing to my life long goal of helping the world. And still being apart of the GOTO family.

Bonus 1. What’s your favorite activity that doesn’t include arts or music?
It would have to be between helping people and learning. Both of which are life long and things I love to do. To know that I helped someone or learned something new means a lot to me.

GOTO By the Numbers

GOTO has been keeping pretty busy since our inaugural fundraiser in '01.  Here are some of the numbers behind our eight-year run:

55: The number of GOTO Scholars we've sent to Appel Farm Arts & Music Summer Camp.

$1,000,000+: The amount of money we've raised through donations & events.

140+: The number of summer camp experiences we've awarded to NYC middle school students.

25:  The number of schools we've partnered with in the five Boroughs.

150+: The number of donors & corporate sponsors who've supported GOTO.

25+: The number of GOTO fundraising events, attended by thousands of partygoers.

7: The number of GOTO volunteer Committees, comprised of more than 80 active volunteers.

2: The number of operational GOTO branches.  GOTO New York & GOTO Boston.

Pretty impressive numbers, if you ask me.   Thanks to everyone who's volunteered, donated & partied for GOTO since '01.  Hopefully the next eight years will be just as good.

GOTO's Class of 2009 - Update

We are delighted to announce that the Scholarship Committee has selected our new class of GOTO Scholars.  Twenty-seven qualified students from 14 different NYC schools applied for our scholarship, and we had the difficult task of choosing 10 from the applicant pool to join our 20 returning scholars.

According to Scholarship Committee Chair Jon Giaramita, this was the toughest selection cycle to date.   All of our new GOTO Scholars have a keen interest in the arts and the motivation to develop their interest.  Through phone conversations, unique essays, and interactions at the information session, each student touched the heart of the GOTO volunteers.