The Keith Winsted Helping Hand Award

The Helping Hand Award is a recognition the Spring of Hope School gives to individuals who have significantly contributed to the school's mission through their time, effort, and resources. The dedication shown by the recipients is highly valued by the Spring of Hope School, as their contributions have been instrumental in the school's success. The award is a way to recognize and honor these individuals who have given their time and resources to help the school and its students.

Recipients include:

  • Susan Terrano

  • Howard Yoon

  • Tracy Wagner Reinhard

  • The 2023 awardee is Knowledge E, a Dubai-based education company that focuses on improving institutions’ research quality, working toward teaching excellence, upgrading library technology, and advancing scholarship. We are grateful for their generous support.

Keith Winsted

Keith Winsted was a beloved friend of the Spring of Hope School who made significant contributions to the school's fundraising efforts since its inception in 2012. He donated money, found friends to donate, and sourced artwork for the school's silent auctions. Keith was known for his colorful presence and gorgeous Southern drawl, and advocacy for the school, making him one of its biggest supporters. Unfortunately, Keith passed away in early 2023 after a battle with leukemia, leaving behind a legacy of generosity and dedication to the school's mission.

Keith was a professor in New York City, teaching playwriting, acting, and technical theater. At the beginning of each new semester, he would share a favorite quote of his by Martha Graham with his students. 

“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost.”

This quote directly reflects Keith's impact on the students at the Spring of Hope School. The school's mission is to help students reach their fullest potential, and Keith's dedication and support have helped to make that possible. It is for this reason that the school has decided to rename the Helping Hand Award in his honor, as a tribute to his memory and his impact on the school's success.