Annual Reports | Page 9

Education: Oratory Programs Oratory residency programs are designed specifically to strengthen literacy, performance and leadership skills in students attending primarily underserved schools across the country. Through the words of Abraham Lincoln and other great orators, students learn about leadership, advocacy and the power of spoken word. 100% of Oratory Fellows reported a deeper understanding of historical content. “The main thing the program has done is to help me realize how limitless the possibilities are for my eighth grade students. Seeing the selected students on the Ford’s Theatre stage performing their speeches, with confidence and poise, confirms for me how totally capable thirteen and fourteen year olds are.” - Catherine Plumb-Sperry, middle school teacher, Independence, MO All Oratory Fellows say their experience helped increase student understanding of content and developed their oral expression and literacy skills. “[The] Oratory Fellows Program is a perfect blend of technology, history, oratory, leadership, and most importantly, experiential education.” – James Rossi, middle school teacher, Baltimore, MD 80% of Fellows say they gained confidence in their own public speaking skills. Ford’s Theatre thanks BP America for sponsoring our 2013-2014 Education Programs. Ford’s Theatre Education is also supported by: Comcast NBCUniversal, Target, The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Mary and Daniel Loughran Foundation, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation, Mars Foundation, Marshall B. Coyne Foundation, Dimick Foundation, and The Kiplinger Foundation. ANNUAL REPORT 2014 | 8 Background photo by Carolina Dulcey.