City Council Member John C. Liu - Partner
Council Member Liu has been a major force behind the creation of the school. His vision and perseverance were instrumental in bringing the planning team together. He connected the team to interested partners in Queens and helped shape the vision of a school that would play a central role in the redevelopment of Flushing as a business and residential destination. Liu strongly believes that quality education is key to the future of each of our school kids as well as key to the future of our city as whole. As a member of the Council's Committee on Education, he insists on raising standards in our public schools, increasing reliance and trust in teachers to teach our kids and investing city resources in our future generations. He has also provided millions of dollars to fund high-tech upgrades to local schools. The efforts he made in establishing the East-West School will never be forgotten
Asian Americans for Equality – Lead Partner
Asian Americans for Equality, Inc. (AAFE) is a non-profit organization established in 1974 with a mission of empowering Asian Americans and other underserved communities. AAFE has a staff of more than 25 and an annual budget of $3.5 million. With offices in Chinatown and Flushing, AAFE is the only citywide community development corporation serving New York City's more than 800,000 Asian American residents. During the past 30 years, AAFE has evolved into a nationally recognized affordable housing developer and an experienced social service provider. AAFE services include community development and housing preservation, housing legal services, community education, citizenship preparation, and social services. AAFE designed and managed the $300 million Residential Grant Program under the auspices of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation to address the needs of Lower Manhattan residents after 9/11. Additionally, the AAFE’s Rebuild Chinatown Initiative launched a major community driven development and planning process in response to the needs in Chinatown after the 2001 attacks. RCI has spun off many successful initiatives, including: the Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation and United Neighborhoods to Revitalize Allen & Pike Streets, with the participation of community leaders, government agencies, and community-based non profits. Meanwhile, the organization’s affiliates, AAFE Community Development Fund and Renaissance Economic Development Corporation, provide homeownership counseling and small business training. AAFE’s programs are available in English and in various Asian languages.
MOUSE Collaborative
MOUSE is a New York City based not-for-profit that pioneers innovative school programs that support the effective integration of technology in teaching and learning in urban public schools. To help create student buy-in at East-West, MOUSE will help East-West organize a MOUSE Squad-a student-run technical help desk that provides on site support to faculty, administrators, and fellow students. MOUSE Squads offer many benefits for participating schools. For teachers, it's easier to incorporate technology into daily lesson plans because students solve basic problems. Student MOUSE Squad participants gain new technical, leadership, and customer service skills. In addition, MOUSE Squad students also have the opportunity to shadow professionals who work in high-tech fields ranging from desktop and server support technicians to video editors and producers. Finally, schools typically realize technical support savings average $16,000 per-year. MOUSE will work with East-West Staff to identify additional funding sources and will consult with us as we develop our technology curriculum. This latest effort builds on the work of our Principal, Mr. Sherman, who has a history of successful collaboration with MOUSE. His Mouse Squad at LESP High School was awarded the " 2005 Mouse Squad of the Year " and received a Citation from the City Council in September, 2005.
