Debut in Atlanta's "Principal for a Day" Gets Warm Welcome


By Steven K. Lee

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Charles McDonald, Eddy Bayardelle and Greg Johnson

As a 30-year Merrill Lynch veteran, VP Charles McDonald's roots in the firm run deep, but not as deep as in the Atlanta public school system. The Atlanta native is looking forward to February 22, when Merrill Lynch will join for the first time in the city's Principal for a Day program to help Atlanta's schools.

"I was born and raised in Atlanta and went to kindergarten, grammar school and high school in the Atlanta public school system," said Mr. McDonald, who works in the GPC Advisory Division's Atlanta office in the Buckhead neighborhood. "Personally, I feel a need to give back because the school system was very good to me."

Merrill Lynch's formal announcement of its involvement in the Principal for a Day program to Atlanta came at a recent gathering of city school administrators and Atlanta Chamber of Commerce representatives. Merrill Lynch originally adopted the program in New York and has recently expanded into Chicago. Employee volunteers in Chicago and New York will serve as principals for a day this October 27 to learn how they can encourage student achievement, improve school facilities and, ultimately, create a better-educated workforce.

Beyond spending a day as honorary headmaster, many employees stay in touch with their schools, offering advice to administrators on financial matters; teaching Merrill Lynch's financial literacy curriculum for young people, Investing Pays Off®; and talking to students about careers in financial services.

"By participating in Principal for a Day, Merrill Lynch employees will be devoting their time to working with the public sector and business community to improve educational outcomes for young people," said FVP Eddy Bayardelle, head of Global Philanthropy.

"The firm's focus on education means we have a vested interest in local public education, and we are embracing it," said MD William Lorenz, who heads the Buckhead office. His group will join with MD Greg Johnson's Southeast fixed income sales group to volunteer in the program and spread the word among colleagues.

Organized by the Atlanta Public School System, Atlanta Partners for Education (APFE) and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Principal for a Day volunteers address a class or assembly, lead class discussions, read to younger students, and meet with student councils and representatives of parents' associations.

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Bill Lorenz and his colleagues' children during "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work" Day in Atlanta last April

"Each year, the Atlanta business and civic community has responded tremendously to Principal for a Day," said Beverly Hall, superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. "If we are to succeed in providing our children with the best education possible, we must join hands and work with families, educators and our community. This event is a great way for leaders in every field to participate in this process."

The New York-based organization PENCIL, Inc. (Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning) licenses the Principal for a Day trademark to school districts and nonprofit organizations establishing their own programs.

Last year in Atlanta, more than 100 honorary principals, hailing from the business, civic, nonprofit, entertainment and sports communities, spent a day witnessing the challenges of running a public school.

Mr. Johnson, though not a longtime Atlanta resident like his colleague Mr. McDonald, nevertheless is excited about volunteering at a school. Before moving from Chicago two years ago, he volunteered through Merrill Lynch as a tutor and mentor to fifth and sixth graders for the National Urban League, the nonprofit social service and civil rights organization. “To really understand the obstacles these kids face and then to help them focus and realize their talents is really fulfilling,” he said.

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From left, Charles McDonald; Marcia White, executive diretor, and Christine Clark, program manager, of APFE; Nicole Brownlee, communications consultant of Atlanta Public Schools; Carolyn Lloyd, administrative assistant, APFE; Eddy Bayardelle and Greg Johnson; Carolyn Hart, special assistant the deputy superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools; Renay Blumenthal, SVP of public policy, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.