Kallos Calls on Elected Officials to See “Brooklyn Castle” Before Considering Cuts to Education and After-school Programs
New York, NY – New York City Council Candidate Ben Kallos joined director Katie Dellamaggioreand players Justus, Alexis and Rochelle from the film Brooklyn Castle at its premier last night on Friday October 19, 2012 at Lincoln Center’s Film Society to call for greater investment in education and after-school programs.
“I am pleased to support Brooklyn Castle, which shows the real results our City can get when we invest in education and after-school programs,” said City Council Candidate Ben Kallos.
The campaign was inspired by Brooklyn Castle to add a new solution to its education platformwith our commitment to: Support Chess in Schools to Promote Better Decision Making in New York City's Youth to Lower Juvenile Delinquency
“Any Elected Official should be required to see Brooklyn Castle before making any cuts to education or after-school programs,” demands Kallos. "We'll even buy you a ticket!"
Every dollar spent on the LA’s BEST after-school program in Los Angeles saved $2.50 because of lowered juvenile delinquency, drug use and teen pregnancy, according to a study by UCLA.[i] Sadly, according to the Afterschool Alliance, only 15% of students nationwide participate in after-school programs.[ii]
“Elected Officials must understand that every dollar cut from education and after-school programs kills the hopes and dreams of our City’s youth and is ultimately an investment of $2.50 or more in our criminal justice system,” Kallos concludes, “Let’s invest in our children’s future and not our prisons!”
Brooklyn Castle tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.
The campaign offered free tickets to the premier to New York City elected officials to see the film.
Benjamin Kallos, is an activist, lawyer, entrepreneur and former Chief of Staff for Assembly Member Jonathan Bing running to represent the Fifth Council District for the Upper East Side and Roosevelt. He is a chess player and a product of the City’s public high schools and a graduate of the SUNY system who has used his education to work in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government taking that experience to found or lead several groups whose goal it is to improve our government. Benjamin has a record of success demonstrating his personal investment in seeing the District, the City, and the State, thrive.
For more information about Ben Kallos, please visit www.kallosforcouncil.com
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[i] UCLA National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing, June 2000, December 2005 and September 2007 cited at http://www.brooklyncastle.com/resources/afterschool
[ii] Cited at http://www.brooklyncastle.com/resources/afterschool