School on Wheels founder is honored by Maria Shriver at The Women’s Conference.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
Malibu’s own Agnes Stevens, founder of School on Wheels, the nonprofit organization that provides volunteer tutors and teaching materials for thousands of homeless children, was honored by The Women’s Conference as being an exemplar of “Women as Architects of Change.”
The nation’s premier forum for and about women is chaired by California’s First Lady, Maria Shriver, and the annual conference seeks to directly empower women throughout the year by developing ongoing educational programs, providing business training and micro loans for female entrepreneurs, and forming partnerships abroad to elevate the status of women throughout the world.
Toward this effort, the conference, which took place at the Long Beach Convention Center this year, recognized four women for outstanding contribution to their communities with the Minerva Award, including a cash prize of $25,000.
“Months ago, someone called and said that Maria Shriver was interested in School on Wheels,” Stevens said in an interview with The Malibu Times. “I told them right off the bat that we don’t take any federal or state funds and operate strictly from donations. I thought that was that, but then I met with her people and Maria called to tell me I had been selected for a Minerva.”
Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, warriors, poetry and music. Stevens and her fellow Minerva recipients seem to embody such ideals. In addition to Stevens, anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall’s institute has been noted for its efforts to protect and preserve disappearing wildlife; Helen Waukazoo founded substance abuse treatment facilities for Native Americans and Dr. Kathy Hull established George Mark Children’s House, a hospice center for dying children and their families.
Stevens said the whole experience at the conference was “awesome,” and was especially gratified to “see so many exciting women come together to work on issues that trouble the world.”
At the Minerva Awards presentation, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas D. Kristof emphasized the ongoing issue of gender inequality.
“Developing nations cannot progress if they only tap half their human resources,” Kristof, who has written extensively on the plight of women in Darfur and other African countries, said. “Women are not the problems. They are the solutions.”
Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy, referred to her own work with the New York City Fund for Public Schools, an organization that seeks private sector support for public education.
“I believe nothing is more important than how we raise and educate our children,” Kennedy said. “You are never too old, too young or too busy to give yourself in service. And if you believe in yourself, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
In introducing Stevens to the crowd of some 20,000 attendees at the Oct. 27 conference, Shriver said, “Agnes Stevens ensured that the most vulnerable children in the world-homeless children living on skid row and in cars-are no longer forgotten.”
Stevens accepted Shriver’s embrace to a thunderous standing ovation, saying she was “humbled” to be in such company.
“There are more than a million and a half homeless children across the nation,” Stevens said. “I am constantly amazed at their courage. They live with daily fear and humiliation, yet they struggle each day to come to school. I will work everyday until there are no more kids living on streets, in hotels, in shelters or sleeping on someone else’s couch.”
Underscoring her conviction that “it’s not about me,” Stevens began to leave the stage just as Shriver was trying to present the Minerva statue to her.
“Wait!” Shriver called to general laughter. “Don’t walk away while I’m handing out the big money!”
Stevens said that the $25,000 prize would buy many backpacks and pencils.
“Maybe we’ll be able to bring in another regional coordinator,” Stevens said excitedly. “With another coordinator, we can reach thousands of more kids.”
She recalled how School on Wheels began, thanks to a fortuitous introduction by The Malibu Times publishers, Arnold and Karen York.
“This charity started in Malibu,” Stevens said. “Arnold and Karen introduced me to Harvey Baskin, who then owned Geoffrey’s. Harvey validated the idea of School on Wheels and brought together a lot of Malibu people who supported and launched us.”
When Stevens returned from Long Beach, she was pleasantly surprised to find that a Malibu family had donated $1,000 to School on Wheels.
“We don’t yet have the numbers I would like to see,” the retired schoolteacher said. “But we’re getting there.”
More information on School on Wheels can be obtained online at www.schoolonwheels.org