"Principal for a Day" Expands to Broward County, Florida

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Eddy Bayardelle, right, and Frank Till, superintendent of Broward County Public Schools

On November 2, Merrill Lynch employees in Florida will head back to school — at least temporarily — when the company expands its Principal for a Day program to schools in Broward County.

Merrill Lynch employees will serve as principals for a day in Broward schools to learn how they can improve them and encourage student achievement. The new "principals" will follow in the footsteps of Merrill Lynch employees in New York, who participated in the program last spring. Many New York participants have stayed in touch with the 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.

After our success in New York, the Principal for a Day program is blossoming in major cities around the country, with our upcoming expansion to Chicago and Atlanta and soon to Los Angeles," said FVP Eddy Bayardelle, head of Global Philanthropy. "The tremendous enthusiasm of Merrill Lynch employees will result in a strong partnership that will benefit the school community in Broward County."

The Principal for a Day program began in New York with the nonprofit organization Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning, known as Pencil. Since Pencil's founding in 1995, the group has chartered other programs throughout the United States.

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Eddy Bayardelle, second from right with, from left, Nina Randall, executive director of Partners in Education; Ellen Krider, Paul Landaiche and Joe Campano of the Greater Fort Lauderdale complex; Frank Till and NancyTerril, the superintendent and associate superintendent of the Broward County Public Schools

Mr. Bayardelle recently organized training for executives in Merrill Lynch's Greater Fort Lauderdale complex, along with Nina Randall, executive director of Partners in Education, which is coordinating the program in Broward County's 250 schools. Ms. Randall welcomed the opportunity to build relationships between school principals and Merrill Lynch. "I was quite impressed with the level of enthusiasm that Merrill Lynch staffers expressed," Ms. Randall said.

Joseph Holsinger, managing director of GPC's Greater Fort Lauderdale complex, said the Principal for a Day program will give Merrill Lynch employees the opportunity to demonstrate the Merrill Lynch Principle of Responsible Citizenship. "This is a great opportunity for Merrill Lynch employees to have an impact within the Greater Fort Lauderdale community. It's rare that you have an opportunity that can span the entire county," he said. "I think it will be rewarding for employees and give them an opportunity to have a meaningful impact in schools over the long term and the short term."