An open letter to Bill Gates

Here is a copy of a letter I have sent to Mr. Gates, at as many email addresses as I can find for him. If you know of a channel through which you can get this letter to him to see directly, please feel free to send it to him ;-) Thanks.

Dear Mr. Gates:

I recently saw you featured prominently in a Rich Sanchez CNN.com video report discussing high school dropout rates. Here is a link to that CNN video.

Video: High School Graduation Rates

I am writing to you because this is a subject that is close to my heart - as well as being an important subject for the nation.

Significantly, my father wrote a book for students who are thinking about dropping out of high school. In his memory, my siblings and I are keeping his work on this subject alive by blogging about the book here [this blog]:

http://finishhighschool.blogspot.com/

I would like to ask for NO money. I would only ask that the Gates Foundation buy as many copies of this book, at cost, for distribution to high schools, as the foundation sees fit. I think the cost of several copies in every high school in America is a pittance against the potential payoff. The book is an easy read for discouraged wannabe dropouts and could be the force that changes their minds. Again, we want no money - just the knowledge that the book that my father worked so hard to write and publish is put to good use. And that it changes some minds.

Sincerely yours,

Chris Heimark