Dear Friends,
Colleagues and Supporters,
For twenty-six years, the FTE has held one goal above all others - a commitment to quality in our programs to improve economic education. Throughout those years, the Board of Trustees, with my hearty endorsement, has insisted that the Foundation engage only in undertakings of the highest merit - which could be verified by independent evaluation. By measuring impacts and uncovering weaknesses, those evaluations help us improve quality (and results).
Those evaluations, which can be found on this web site, have also led to major investments by The Gillette Company and the John Templeton Foundation in 2003. We welcome those two organizations who share our concern about economic education and who value the FTE's hard-earned reputation for quality and excellence.
These web pages describe the FTE's current program offerings, along with much other information of interest to teachers, students and funders. We experienced a contraction in our endowment and a slight decrease in contributions in 2002, although the number of contributors to the FTE jumped by 20% in 2002. Overall, our financial position remains strong. Because of that, and because applications to our programs continue to increase, we are maintaining the number of teacher training programs. In addition, enrollment in the FTE's new Economics Teachers Professional Association is burgeoning - with over 2,000 members - and we are committed to serving the needs of those teachers. In short, we see no slackening in demand and, at the same time, the need to expose students to the lessons of market economics has never been greater.
The array of FTE professional development programs for teachers spans the social studies spectrum and offers leadership training for carefully selected students. FTE programs and materials (always free) are available around the United States, in Central Europe, and online - all are joint ventures with partner organizations.
The FTE has a formidable Board of Trustees that provides sage advice and contributors who make our programs possible. To all those who joined me in making a donation, I wish I could share the many letters of appreciation that cross my desk - they reflect the impact of your contribution.
I invite anyone to visit one of our programs. Being there, and seeing the reaction of students and teachers, is the best way to understand why the FTE's programs are so successful.
Sincerely,
William J. Hume
Chairman