Kicking off School Building Week 2008 in the nation's capitol, The School Building Week Breakfast took place at the Willard InterContinental on Tuesday, March 4. Proceeds from the benefit breakfast help to sustain the School Building Week program and other significant projects under the aegis of the CEFPI Foundation & Charitable Trust.

Following a welcome from Merle Kirkley, REFP, president, CEFPI, Tom Ellis, chair, CEFPI Foundation, presented an overview of School Building Week and the growth of the student design competition. Ron Bogle, president & CEO, American Architectural Foundation, spoke to the importance of healthy, high performance and sustainable school buildings and the School Building Week student design competition.

James C. Dinegar, CAE, president & CEO of the Greater Washington Board of Trade presented the keynote. Jim Dinegar oversees all internal and external operations for the Board of trade, the largest regional network of business and non-profit leaders and the only DC metro area organization representing all industry sectors. Dinegar's message was clear-in attracting businesses and industry to the greater DC metro area, the first question asked is "Where are the good schools?" Not only do well planned and designed green schools enhance student performance, but they act as an economic engine for the surrounding community.

Elizabeth Davis, a teacher at Charles Hart Middle School in DC whose students have been involved in the design competition each year, commended the program. Ms. Davis remarked that the design competition integrates every subject from math to communication to technology to critical thinking, leadership and teamwork. Additionally, these students gain presentation skills, a better self-image and are introduced to career options.