A BeLIeVeR IN CHANGe Misha Kaufman ’08 may not have his Columbia University diploma in h<strong>and</strong> yet, but he is already taking on the world. “i’ve started a nonprofit called Centsable to introduce a comprehensive financial-literacy curriculum into the New York City school system on a macro scale,” says Misha kaufman ’08. “One of the major reasons we’re in the kind of economic shape we’re in is that individuals don’t know how to manage their finances.” The Centsable curriculum will be beta-tested in select New York public schools this spring, starting with one curriculum designed for kindergartners <strong>and</strong> another for sixth graders. eventually, kaufman hopes to develop materials for all k–12 classrooms. “We’re meeting with a lot of organizations, banks <strong>and</strong> schools,” he says, adding that Teachers College at Columbia has been a great resource. “My goal is to exp<strong>and</strong> Centsable on a national scale in order to ensure that financial literacy is taught in public schools nationwide.” kaufman credits much of his public-spiritedness to <strong>Noble</strong>s, particularly a profound experience during a spring service trip working with babies in a Romanian orphanage. Since 1999, <strong>Noble</strong>s students <strong>and</strong> faculty have partnered with Boston-based Romanian Children’s Relief to provide care, physi- 22 the <strong>Noble</strong>s bulletiN spring 2012 cal play, feeding <strong>and</strong> psychosocial stimulation to ab<strong>and</strong>oned children. Seeing <strong>and</strong> spending time with children in Romania, whose faces still haunt him, was particularly powerful <strong>and</strong> poignant for kaufman, making him underst<strong>and</strong> his own life in a new way. “I lived in an orphanage in Russia until I was 3,” kaufman says. “My experience was similar to those children. It got me thinking about how fortunate I was to be adopted.” <strong>Noble</strong>s Director of College Counseling Michael Denning, a man not given to hyperbole, says that the college essay kaufman wrote about his experience in Romania was “the best I ever read.” While Columbia has been an amazing experience, kaufman says his years at <strong>Noble</strong>s were formative. “<strong>Noble</strong>s was crucial. You don’t even underst<strong>and</strong> how amazing <strong>Noble</strong>s is until you leave. I was able to establish deep relationships with so many teachers.” As if launching a new program in the New York City schools isn’t enough to keep a college senior busy, kaufman is also involved in Columbia’s selective ADVANCe program for developing young leaders. In addition to taking a range of leadership classes, kaufman will get h<strong>and</strong>s-on experience through an internship with a nonprofit doing computer-literacy work in several New York schools. He also has designed a recycling program for Columbia this year <strong>and</strong> created an iPad app called DreamIt (available on the Apple online store). DreamIt is a goal-setting application set up to help individuals choose their top-five goals from a list of categories <strong>and</strong> track their progress; the app sends reminders to keep users on track. “I love creating things,” kaufman says. The Columbia senior is double majoring in history <strong>and</strong> anthropology. “I like anthropology because it deals with the idea that culture is a construct,” he says. “That idea motivates my work— the notion that things can change, that they are malleable.” As May approaches, kaufman is considering what comes next. “I really want to run Centsable full time,” he says, but he concedes that he might have to get a job. “I have applied for Teach for America <strong>and</strong> Venture America.” In the meantime, he is fundraising for Centsable. Asked if he plans to contact New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, kaufman says, “He’s on my list.” —CATHeRINe O’NeILL GRACe
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