Rusche, dean of CSUN's Michael D. Eisner College of Education, received CHIME's Leadership Award for his unflagging support of inclusive education and for continuing to foster close ties between the university and CHIME's education programs, educator development center and research center.

Style for Smiles founders Cha Cha Weinstein and Maria Michaels and board members Deborah Goldstein and Kimberly Carey were given the Philanthropic Award for their support for children's charities. Since its founding in 1999, Style for Smiles has distributed more than $500,000 to children's charities and organizations, including the CHIME Institute.

Rusche and Style for Smiles received their awards at a gala celebration held at Sony Picture Studios on Saturday, May 6.

"The efforts of Dean Rusche and the women of Styles for Smiles have made a difference in the lives of the children and families that CHIME Institute and its programs work with. The institute is pleased to honor them with these awards because words alone aren't enough to say thank you," said Patrick Smith, president of CHIME's board of directors.

The CHIME Institute was founded in 1990 by a group of faculty from CSUN's Eisner College of Education, teachers and members of the community. CHIME's mission is to develop and implement model inclusive education programs that support all children in fully achieving their potential. In these educational environments, children with diverse abilities, needs and backgrounds go to school together in the same classroom, learning with and from each other. A child who is typically developing sits next to a child who is gifted, who sits next to a child with special needs, and all participate in classes and on the playground, side-by-side, throughout the day.

Serving children from birth through eighth grade, the four CHIME Institute programs include CHIME Infant/Toddler Program, CHIME Preschool and Kindergarten Inclusion Program and CHIME Charter Elementary and Middle schools. All programs are demonstration sites, in partnership with CSUN, committed to preparing a new generation of teachers.