With heavy hearts we said goodbye to Fortunato “Fred” Rubino at St. Cecilia’s Church in Brooklyn on April 8. He was 56 years old. Hundreds of people filled the pews to pay their final respects to this father, friend and educator. Looking around the church, my husband and filmmaking partner Nelson turned to me and whispered, “This is what it means to touch lives.” I had been thinking the exact same thing.

In fact, Mr. Rubino – as he was known to his students at Intermediate School 318 – touched literally thousands of lives throughout his career. First, as a special education teacher, then as I.S. 318’s principal and, most recently, as Superintendent of District 14. Born in Williamsburg, Fred and his wife Lee Ann raised their own two sons, Joseph and Rocco, in Greenpoint, just minutes from the I.S. 318 community he served.

We had the privilege of joining the I.S. 318 family when we began documenting the story of the school’s chess program, which was started by Mr. Rubino’s own brother more than 15 years ago. As many of you reading this probably know, it’s since become the best middle school chess team in the country. Mr. Rubino believed deeply in the value of educating the whole child and nurturing talents – dance, music, art, ceramics, robotics – that give 12 and 13-year-olds self-confidence and reasons to love school. It’s no surprise to us that he valued these special programs so much: He himself was a musician, a cook and a basketball player.

Mr. Rubino made a direct connection with his students and made sure they knew he cared. We saw this again and again in shooting. Several times, we were there when Pobo Efekoro, who you probably know from the film, would drop by Mr. Rubino’s office and be invited to sit down and discuss what was on his mind. Mr. Rubino listened closely to Pobo’s concerns about school budget cuts and encouraged him to be a school leader. We witnessed firsthand the ways in which Mr. Rubino was honest, accessible and supportive to his students, and I think the film is a testament to that. The positive influence he had on Pobo and so many other young lives cannot be underestimated.

Without Mr. Rubino’s blessing, we would never have been able to make Brooklyn Castle. Thank goodness he not only let us document the story of I.S. 318, but was also willing to tell us himself – his presence in the film is a true highlight. When he talked about his school, a place he fought for when budget cuts threatened to destroy programs he worked tirelessly to support and nurture, his face would light up with the enormous grin we grew so familiar with while editing. That infectious optimism, even in the face of tremendous challenges, is what so many people – his staff, students, colleagues – were drawn to. We were, too.

The news of Mr. Rubino’s passing hit us hard because, even though we didn’t know him very long, we’ve been inspired by his enthusiasm about public education. His passion for teaching was palpable and his commitment to children unwavering. It’s regrettable that he never got to see the film. But through Brooklyn Castle, we know he will continue to inspire kids and teachers for years to come.

We will miss you, Fred. Your impact carries on.

-Katie and the Brooklyn Castle team

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IN MEMORY OF THE LATE FORTUNATO (FRED ) RUBINO, THE FAMILY WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS BE GIVEN TO THE FOLLOWING:

RACHEL COOPER FOUNDATION
6615 THORNTON PLACE SUITE 1N
REGO PARK, NY 11374

FAITH IN THE FUTURE
PO BOX 780188
MASPETH, NY 11378

I.S. 318 CHESS CLUB
101 WALTON STREET
BROOKLYN, NY 11206

In November 2011 Intermediate School 318 assistant principal and chess coach John Galvin charged $8,000 to his personal credit card so his students – members of I.S. 318’s champion chess team – could travel to a chess competition across the country. Eight thousand dollars is a lot of money for nearly all of us; on a teacher’s salary, it’s an astronomical sum. But not spending the money would’ve meant the I.S. 318 chess team – the best and winningest junior high chess team in the country, bar none – might not have been able to compete. John Galvin has fronted money for the team before, confident that by the year’s end – after school fundraisers and vigorous efforts by Principal Fred Rubino to keep the chess program funded – he would be able to pay back his debt. But even with that confidence, we still think it’s a pretty admirable thing for a teacher to do.

Then — something happened.

On December 2, 2011 the I.S. 318 chess team was featured in the New York Daily News .

And in response a local power company, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Plant, stepped up and donated 25k to the team. It’s pretty incredible and proof for us that community members respond to I.S. 318′s story.

Of course the school is beyond thrilled — and we are too!

We plan to screen ‘Brooklyn Castle’ in communities across the country and help raise awareness about the value of afterschool programs – helping other quality, yet underfunded, programs like the I.S. 318 chess team link up with their own “power company” because we think community members want to see their public schools succeed.

Please visit our Kickstarter page to make pledge and help us take Brooklyn Castle over the finish line.

Now, with school back in session and students again feeling the impact of those budget cuts, the battle to save afterschool programming continues. Amongst those on the frontlines is the Campaign for Educational Equity, lead by educational experts at Columbia University’s Teachers College. The NY Times reports the group’s members are advocating an “additional $4,750 annually for every poor student, or millions more every year” to pay for support services, including extended learning programs. Within this framework, those funds would be put toward creating a more comprehensive safety net for students who suffer most in underserved schools and communities. The budget increase would subsidize a number of costs – prenatal care for mothers, early childcare, as well as afterschool and summer programming – in an effort to counter the numerous negative effects a lack of resources often has on a child’s education.

Studies such as those collected by Education Next find that funding for programming such as afterschool may directly correlate to higher test scores and college acceptance rates for students. One example of this research was conducted by Margo Gardner, a scientist at Columbia University’s National Center for Children and Families (NSCF). Gardner found that college attendance was 97 percent higher among students involved for at least two years in afterschool programs and activities. The study also determined that afterschool programs are linked to a 31 percent increase in students actually exercising their right to vote when they became eligible. Another study by Angela Duckworth, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist, showed a correlation between collegiate extracurricular involvement and first-year career success rates. Students who were more heavily involved in afterschool-like programs at the college level were less likely to leave their jobs mid-year, speaking to the long-term value of extracurricular activities. These findings suggest that creating a comprehensive safety net for students like that proposed by the Campaign for Educational Equality – one that emphasizes school-sponsored programming – may yield a generation of students who are more likely to pursue higher education and be civically engaged.

Despite schools’ ongoing struggle to preserve the funds that remain for their most basic necessities, hope for afterschool continues through the advocacy of educators, parents and creative minds who are passionate about afterschool programs that matter. Whether political, financial or academic, support for these crucial programs must come from those who recognize the powerful effect that afterschool has on student success and motivation. Elizabeth Vicary, chess instructor at Brooklyn Castle’s I.S. 318, speaks to the need for such advocacy on the I.S. 318 chess team website. With 87 percent of her students living below the poverty line Vicary wants supporters to know the multitude, and financially feasible, ways that donating to the I.S. 318 chess program can benefit her students. She outlines the possibilities as such:

• $40 sponsors a student to play in a weekend Marshall Chess Club tournament.
• $133 pays for a student to go to Amateur Team East – the equivalent of 36 hours of serious chess training.
• $160 pays for a student to play in the State Championship in Saratoga Springs.
• $500 pays for National Master James Black to play in the Liberty Bell Open.
• $650 pays for a student to play in Junior High Nationals in San Diego.
• $5,000 pays for six students (and two teacher coach/chaperones) to compete in the National High School Championship in Nashville, Tennessee. (Last year, I.S. 318 finished in second place by half a point. The school still has their three highest rated players – they are now in 8th grade – and hopes to make history by being the first junior high school to win the section.)

The long-lasting benefits associated with afterschool programming for students in underserved communities, and the value of supporting afterschool programs such as I.S. 318’s renowned chess team, is clear. It fosters personal growth, civic engagement, and a unique form of potential in schools that are struggling to support the futures of their communities.

Just as students were set free for summer vacation, James Black headed over to Fulton Park to get some quality time on the board and pose for his feature in the Times. While roaring about his number two ranking at I.S. 318 and his journey to acquiring a national master title, the Times also took a more personal interest in James and his accomplishments. Ms. Vicary, I.S. 318’s chess coach, spoke about her admiration for James and his number one fan (father James Black Sr.), and James’s family recounted some of their most difficult struggles of the last couple years. In telling his story, James was able to shine not just as an extraordinary chess player, but as an example of the type of devotion and courage I.S. 318’s team members preach, teach, and showcase every year.

About a month after James was given the spotlight, the U.S. team made headlines for their success in taking sixth place at the World Team Championship in Ningbo, China. Though the team suffered a bitter loss to Ukraine, poignant moments such as Grand Master Robert Hess’s final match had chess fans celebrating and looking toward another successful season. Soon after, the U.S. Chess Federation set up shop for the annual Blind Chess tournament, organized for its legally blind members. With competitors ranging in age from 14 to 80, the competition offers a new space in which players can bring their own materials, announce their moves, and take home cold cash for a win. Results TBA.

With the 2011-2012 school year almost underway, Brooklyn Castle hopes the spotlight on both I.S. 318 and the chess community at large this summer will bring support and success to chess and its players this fall.

Follow us on Twitter for updates and ways to get the pieces moving: http://twitter.com/#!/Brooklyn_Castle