SPIKE LEE MOTIVATION AWARD - The Jackie Robinson Foundation

SPIKE LEE
YOUTH MOTIVATION AWARD
APPLICATION
The Jackie Robinson Foundation
3 West 35 th Street, 11 th Floor
New York, NY 10001-2204
Phone (212) 290-8600 • Fax (212) 290-8081

Shelton Jackson Lee
(SPIKE LEE)
Spike Lee has established himself as one of Hollywood’s most important
and influential filmmakers in the past decade. Spike directed his most
recent film, She Hate Me in 2004. His other films include Good
Fences 2003, The 25 th Hour in 2002 Bamboozled, staring Damon
Wayans, Savian Glover, and Jada Pinkett-Smith, The Original Kings
of Comedy, Summer of Sam, When We Were Kings, He Got
Game, Girl 6 and Get on the Bus. These movies follow some of his
most critically acclaimed films, Malcolm X, Clockers, and Do The
Right Thing.
In 1986, his debut film, the independently produced comedy, She’s
Gotta Have It, earned him the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes
Film Festival.
School Daze, his second feature, was not only highly profitable, but also launched the careers of several
young Black actors. Spike’s timely 1989 film, Do The Right Thing, garnered an Academy Award
nomination for Best Original Screenplay and the Best Film & Director Awards from the Los Angeles
Film Critics Association. Spike’s Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues, Clockers, and Crooklyn--were
also critically well received.
Born on March 20, 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Brooklyn, Spike returned South to attend
Morehouse College. After graduation, he returned to Brooklyn to continue his education at New York
University’s Tisch School of the Arts in Manhattan where he received his Master of Fine Arts Degree in
Film production. Spike then founded 40 Acres and a Mule Film-works based in the Fort Greene section
of Brooklyn.
In addition to his achievements in feature films, Spike Lee has produced and directed numerous music
videos for such diverse artists as Miles Davis, Chaka Khan, Tracy Chapman, Anita Baker,
Public Enemy, Bruce Hornsby, Michael Jackson, Naughty By Nature, Arrested
Development, and the late Phyliss Hyman.
Spike’s commercial work began in 1988 with his Nike Air Jordan campaign. Collaborating with
basketball great Michael Jordan on seven commercials, Lee resurrected his popular character, Mars
Blackmon from She’s Gotta Have It. He is also well known for his Levi’s Button-Fly 501, AT&T,
Philips, NIKE, American Express, Snapple, Taco Bell, and ESPN television commercials. Spike is also
involved in documentaries and sport programs.0 He completed a documentary for HBO entitled 4 Little
Girls, and receiving an Emmy Award for his piece on Georgetown’s John Thompson for HBO/Real
Sports. Additionally, Spike has authored six books on the making of his films; the fifth book, Five for
Five, served as a pictorial reflection of his first five features. He has authored a book entitled Best Seat
In The House with Ralph Wiley, published by Crown Publishers, Inc.
Ever moving into new areas, Spike Lee has combined his extensive creative experience into yet another
venture: he has partnered his talent with DDB Needham to create Spike/DDB-a full service advertising
agency-that
will concentrate on the urban/ethnic market.
2

JRF/SPIKE LEE YOUTH MOTIVATION AWARD
On October 11, 1995, the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) established the JRF/Spike
Lee Youth Motivation Award with a generous gift from Spike Lee. This award is a $2,500
cash grant is given to the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar who has performed the
most outstanding community service during the preceding calendar year. It is not
bestowed on the basis of academic achievement or financial need.
AWARD PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE
When we selected you as a JRF Scholar, we took your involvement in your respective
communities into account. Making a difference in the lives of others is an expectation
and will enhance your life. Because of this emphasis on service, we would like to know
what you’re doing to make a difference. Share with us this innovative, practical way to
meet the needs of an individual, group, or organization to address a social, economic,
educational, governmental or legal problem within the community and/or to improve
the status of the population served
AWARD AMOUNT
The annual award of $2,500 is an unrestricted grant, enabling the recipient to use it for
any purpose he or she may determine.
APPLICATION
All Jackie Robinson Scholars are encouraged to apply. Please complete the application
forms attached and return to this office no later than December 15, 2006.
A Video-Tape (between 8-10 minutes) of your presentation outlining your special project
is also accepted.
The application MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
JRF/SPIKE LEE YOUTH MOTIVATION AWARD
JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION
3 WEST 35TH STREET, 11 th FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10001-2204
ssykes@jackierobinson.org
SELECTION PROCESS AND PRESENTATION
A committee of five -- one JRF staff member, two Board Members and two Jackie
Robinson Foundation alumni, will select the recipient. The award presentation will be
made during the annual Jackie Robinson Scholars Networking Weekend.
3

APPLICATION FOR
THE JRF/SPIKE LEE YOUTH MOTIVATION AWARD
(For Community Service rendered January 1 - December 31, 2006)
Personal Information
1. Name: _____________________________________________________________
(First) (Middle) (Last)
Home Address: ______________________________________________________
(Number) (Street) (Apt. #)
___________________________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip)
Telephone Number: ( ) _______________________________________________
Social Security #.: ________________________________________________
2. Campus Address: ____________________________________________
(Name of College)
______________________________________________________________
(Number) (Street) (Apt. #)
______________________________________________________________
(City) (State) (Zip) (Phone)
3. Essay: Please write (type or print) an essay or enclose a video tape which describes the
community service activity (e.g., aid to the homeless, hungry, or sick; involvement in
programs devoted to environmental protection and/or the elimination of injustice or
cruelty; tutorial assistance; contributions to the resolution of community conflict) in
which you were engaged during the past twelve months (January - December).
This project must be innovative and/or practical and must enable an individual or
organization; to address a social, economic, educational, governmental or legal problem
within the community; and/or to improve the status of the population served.
(Use additional pages if needed.)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3. Essay: (cont.)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. What motivated you to become involved with this service activity?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. How long have you participated in this project?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. Supporting Documentation:
Please have the attached form -- Confirmation of Community Service Activity completed by a
supervisor or someone who worked with you in the activity described above, and include it with
your application or video. Additional supporting documentation may also be attached.
7. Signature:
My signature below indicates my submission of this application and attached sheets for
consideration of the Spike Lee Youth Motivation Award. I understand that the award is
given in recognition of my community service contribution and that the information
supplied by me is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
_________________________________________
(Signature)
________________________
(Date)
Completed application should be mailed to:
JRF/Spike Lee Youth Motivation Award
Jackie Robinson Foundation
Attn: Sheila Sykes, Program Associate
3 West 35th Street, 11 th Floor
New York, NY 10001-2204
ssykes@jackierobinson.org

JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION
CONFIRMATION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITY
(This section to be completed by applicant)
Please complete this section and give it to someone (teacher, community leader, and
supervisor, other) who knows of your community service involvement.
Jackie Robinson Scholar: ____________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Community Service Activity
(This section to be completed by the individual confirming applicant’s
involvement in community service activity.)
Describe the above applicant’s participation in the community service noted above. We are
particularly interested in the candidate’s contribution to improving the status of the
population served. (Additional sheets may be used.)
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Are you willing to provide additional information shou ld the applicant be selected a finalist
for the JRF/Spike Lee Youth Motivation Award? Yes___ / No___
Name: ______________________________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)
Address: ___________________________________________________________
(Street) (City) (State) (Zip)
Title: _________________________ Phone: (
) ____________________________
Signature: ______________________________________ Date: ____________________________
JRF 10/31/06
(Rev.)
Spikelee2
5