Sweat Equity Education (SEE) is an education innovation founded by fashion designer and entrepreneur, Marc Eckō, to reimagine the intersection of education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship.

SEE uses the technology that excites today’s young people and combines it with real-world projects that teach real-world skills to re-engage and re-invigorate at-risk students or young adults and set them on a path for success – in school, in the workplace, or in launching their own businesses.

Disconnected young adults and the unemployed/underemployed can "reconnect" to their education and career potential when they are inspired by projects that ignite their passion for learning and creativity.

SEE reinvents the 3Rs to provide education opportunities that are relevant, rigorous, and real-world — and available anytime and anywhere.

Our Vision: A world where people live their passion and realize that their potential is unlimited.

Our Mission: Re-engage young learners. Activate their passion for achievement. Equip them with the tools, skills, and confidence for career and college success. Instill within them a yearning to be life-long learners.

SEE as a Classroom Resource →SEE Intervention — High School Drop-Out Prevention →

SEE is located at:
40 West 23rd St., 6th Floor
New York, NY 10010

For more information, please contact us at:
info@sweatequityeducation.org

SEE reaches at-risk high school students who have lost their sense of self-worth and empowers them to solve real-world design challenges.

Empowerment is key. Empowerment breeds accountability, which builds motivation. Self-motivation drives the passion that leads to success.

Meeting the challenges of preparing our workforce lies in providing education opportunities that are relevant, rigorous, real-world, and are available anytime and anywhere.

SEE's online curriculum follows our unique "Idea-to-Consumer" spectrum, which maps the process employed throughout the fashion industry — from idea conception through production, and ultimately into the hands of the consumer. This platform and spectrum can be re-tooled for other industries, presenting myriad training opportunities.

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  "It's a really good chance for kids to show what they like to do and show off their creativity." - Amanda, 8th Grade

  Amanda
  8th Grade
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  "The most important lesson I learned was how to be myself at all times through whatever I do."

  Krystal
  10th Grade
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  "Presenting was something that I could apply to real life"

  Samarra
  8th Grade
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  "Sweat Equity teaches you how to have contact with people and work with clients." - Li Ma, 10th Grade

  Li Ma
  10th Grade
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  "At Sweat Equity you learn how to work with others." - Jasmine C., 11th Grade

  Jasmine C.
  11th Grade
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  "Sweat Equity puts you in a real life environment where people talk to you like an adult" - Jasmine, 11th Grade

  Jasmine D.
  11th Grade
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  "Before Sweat Equity, I had a lot of determination but no direction." - Alnardo, 11th Grade

  Alnardo
  11th Grade
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  "Sweat Equity gives students a chance to look at different things from different points of view." - Tawanna, 8th Grade

  Tawanna
  8th Grade

SEE has been implemented in schools across the United States, from the nation's largest school district in New York City, to schools in Illinois, Minnesota, and Rhode Island, as well as on college campuses including Rutgers University in New Jersey. Additionally, students at the Aprendiz Community Center and the Institute of European Design University in Sao Paulo, Brazil have participated in the SEE program.

These implementations of the SEE program have resulted in 100% graduation rates and 96% college acceptance rates.

SEE is grateful to have the support of a variety of organizations including: • Best Buy Children's Foundation
• Deutsche Bank
• Eckō Unltd.
• M&T Investment Group
• The Nathan Cummings Foundation
• Nissan North America
• New Era Cap Company
• Radio Shack Corporation
• Rutgers University
• Saks Fifth Avenue
• Shinnyo-En Foundation
• Skechers
• Timex
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation

• Marc Eckō »Founder and Board Chair
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  Marc EckōFounder and Board Chair

  Marc is a serial entrepreneur, fashion and media mogul, venture capitalist and education reformer. 

He is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of Marc Eckō Enterprises, a billion-dollar full-scale global fashion and lifestyle company. 


  
  Marc’s entrepreneurial journey began in the mid-80s while he was still a high school student working from a makeshift design studio located in the garage of his parents New Jersey home. Today the company has grown to include: *Eckō Unltd, the leading global young men’s brand; Eckōred, its female counterpart; Marc Eckō Cut & Sew, a contemporary menswear line; Zoo York, the first and largest east coast action sport lifestyle brand; Complex Media Holdings, inclusive of Complex Magazine, and Eckō Code, a social gaming company.
  
  As a philanthropist, Marc dedicates himself to a number of socially conscious initiatives, including significant work with youth, domestically and internationally. He has assisted in the founding of Tikva Children’s Home and Sweat Equity Education, and serves on both boards as well as those of Stoked Mentoring and Big Picture Learning. He is also committed to reversing the plight of the world’s rhino population.
  
  Marc’s philanthropic efforts have led him to become a dynamic public speaker on topics from fashion to art to education reform. He has spoken at events including the DLD World Conference, the Business Forward Conference, the 2010 Business Evangelism Conference in Singapore, and the 2010 World Entrepreneurship Day at the United Nations. He moderated the Education Innovation Panel at the Summit Series in Washington DC. He has also spoken Harvard University and delivered the 2009 commencement address at Rutgers University.
  
  Marc is the youngest member ever inducted into the Board of Directors for Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and also serves on its board. He is a founder of Artists & Instigators which through A&I Practicum challenges universities to stimulate entrepreneurship and connects students to start-ups via apprenticeships, yielding a next-gen sustainable job creation engine; and through A&I Activate helps non-profits, foundations, community organizations, and social movements more effectively power change through visionary campaigns and powerful technology.
  
  In 2009, Marc received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Rutgers University.
  

• Mike Schreibman »Executive Director
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  Mike SchreibmanExecutive Director

  Since launching his first educational nonprofit in his teens, Mike has always worked at the intersection of media, education, and technology. Beginning with a leadership role with the creation of Children’s Express Magazine at age 14, Mike’s award-winning journalism career soared, culminating in his appointment as the youngest vice president at NBC News. Along the way, he launched and sold startups, including eMall, the first web-based shopping site. Turning his attention to improving education, Mike envisioned a new public high school model, and worked with New Visions for New Schools to launch the Urban Assembly Media High School in 2004. He has since been part of four new school launch projects. A graduate of New York University, Mike resides in Westchester and is on the advisory board of the Education Television Fund.

• Leonardo Bullaro »Director of Strategic Initiatives
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  Leonardo BullaroDirector of Strategic Initiatives

  Leonardo’s career has spanned the private, public, and non-profit sectors. In his college and professional career he has worked for NBC News, IBM, and the NYC Department of Education. As an Education Pioneer Fellow, he was placed at the KIPP Foundation and was responsible for producing recommendations for business operations across KIPP’s network of schools.
  
  
  Leonardo believes that education is the most comprehensive agent for social change. As a founder of the Urban Assembly Media High School and as a Director at Sweat Equity Education, he continues to work to impart the next generation of leaders with the skills and tools to navigate, manage and inspire change.
  
  
  He holds a BS in Finance and Marketing from NYU Stern School of Business where he spent a semester studying at the Luigi Bocconi School of Business in Milan, Italy. He also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Columbia University.
  

• Tiffany Burnette »Curriculum Design, Trainer and Teaching Artist
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  Tiffany BurnetteCurriculum Design, Trainer and Teaching Artist
  

  Tiffany is the Principal Designer and Founder of Designhype, Inc. Her most recent product, NYC Metro Cuff, has been sold at MoMA stores in New York City and has been published globally. Tiffany is a Curriculum Design Consultant, Trainer and Teaching Artist at Sweat Equity Education. She holds an MID (Industrial Design) from Pratt Institute and a BSID (Industrial Design) from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Tiffany's background and passions include product + package design, graphic design, and teaching.

• Carlos Guzman »Curriculum Design, Trainer
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  Carlos GuzmanCurriculum Design, Trainer

  As a teacher in the New York City school system and a trained graphic designer, Carlos brings his experience in the classroom and as a school administrator to the table assuring SEE meets the needs of students teachers and school systems. Carlos holds a Graphic Design degree from Altos de Chavon School of Design, an academic partner of Parson’s School of Design in the Dominican Republic, and is currently working on a second degree in Graphics & Imaging Sciences from CUNY Lehman College.

• Linda D. Labbo, Ph.D. »Professor Emerita, University of Georgia
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  Linda D. Labbo, Ph.D.Professor Emerita, University of Georgia

  Dr. Linda Labbo received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction/Reading, from the University of Texas at Austin, where she also received a B.A. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and an M.A. in Education/Curriculum and Instruction. She is a Professor Emerita at the University of Georgia’s Department of Language and Literacy Education.
  
  Linda believes that learning must not be confined within the four walls of a classroom and that it should take place anytime and anywhere. Her interest in technology and innovation has inspired her work in digital learning. She has been recognized by the U. S. Department of Education: Office of Educational Technology and was commissioned to write and present a white paper at a Blue Ribbon Forum on Technology in Education in Washington, DC. In 2004, she was interviewed on NPR as an expert on early literacy and technology.
  
  In addition to her work with Sweat Equity Education, Linda consults for companies — including Disney Publishing Worldwide, MoWerks, Inc., and Bouncy/Fuzzy — which design video games, animated series, e-books, and learning apps for young children.