Tom Cruise to Be Honored by Mentor LA with Gala Event

Thanks Dara for the link!

“Mentor LA (MLA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing the schools and neighborhoods of some of the most disenfranchised communities in Los Angeles will honor Tom Cruise at its inaugural LA’s Promise Gala, March 22, 2007 at the historic Twentieth Century Fox studio lot in Century City.

Chaired by Megan and Peter Chernin; Jill and Brad Grey; Willow Bay and Bob Iger; Jamie and Michael Lynton; Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall; Wendy and Barry Meyer; Kelly and Ron Meyer; Paula Wagner and Rick Nicita; Florence and Harry Sloan; and Jane and Terry Semel, the star-studded evening will pay tribute to Cruise’s longstanding commitment to working for positive change in the world.

“Mentor LA is extremely fortunate to have such an extraordinary supporter in Tom Cruise,” said MLA president Mike McGalliard, “We are very grateful to him for accepting this honor, and providing us an opportunity to showcase Mentor LA’s work to improve schools and empower neighborhoods in the most underserved areas of our city. Tom is not only a worldwide box-office superstar and an amazing actor; he is also a devoted humanitarian and philanthropist.”

“Our future on both a city-wide and a national level is dependent on educating and empowering the next generation,” said Cruise, “LA’s schools face tremendous obstacles. And, Mentor LA has the right formula for success — it transforms public schools into great places of learning by bringing the best ideas, resources and innovations to schools that have the most need.”

In a career spanning more than two and a half decades, Tom Cruise has achieved unprecedented success as an actor and producer — becoming one of the most admired actors of his generation and one of the most powerful forces in Hollywood. Cruise has received three Academy Award nominations and has won three Golden Globe awards for his performance in such hit films as “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Magnolia” and numerous accolades for his performances in “The Last Samurai,” “Minority Report” and “Collateral.” Cruise’s films have resulted in worldwide box office totals of approximately $6 billion and his last two films, “War of the Worlds” and “Mission: Impossible III” have grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide. Overall, Cruise has made 14 films that have grossed $100 million in domestic receipts alone, with his last seven consecutive films reaching that benchmark. Most recently, Cruise and his partner Paula Wagner announced that they will drive the rebirth of United Artists, as MGM’s operating partner. Wagner will serve as Chief Executive Officer of United Artists, overseeing the day to day operations of the studio alongside her longstanding producing partner Cruise.

Cruise has been honored with tributes ranging from Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Man of the Year Award to the John Huston Award from the Artists Rights Foundation, The American Cinematheque Award for Distinguished Achievement in Film, and has been memorialized as being the only Hollywood star to have his own day in Japan – Tom Cruise Day, annually on October 6.

Prior to the tribute by MLA at their upcoming Promise Gala, Cruise was honored in 2003 by MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership with their Excellence in Mentoring Award. He is recognized globally as an untiring ambassador of goodwill and as an international advocate, activist and philanthropist in the fields of health, education and human rights.

About Mentor LA

Mentor LA is a major partner with the Los Angeles Unified School District as well as dozens of corporate leaders and community-based organizations that collectively work to provide equal access to necessary resources and life-changing opportunities for students and their families. MLA’s work is comprehensive, facilitating knowledge and expertise in a variety of areas including health and wellness, college access, arts and literacy and career training. MLA takes root in large, low-performing public high schools and through an innovative and collaborative model converts these schools into smaller, more proficient learning environments that operate like high-performing preparatory schools.

Mentor LA is funded by the generous support of corporations, foundations and individuals. Gifts to MLA will support programs and services designed to dramatically improve the academic and personal achievement of students and their families from our city’s most disenfranchised schools and neighborhoods.

For more information about Sponsorship packages and tickets to Mentor LA’s 2007 Promise Gala honoring Tom Cruise please contact Levy, Pazanti & Associates at 310-201-5033.”

Source: Forbes.com

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