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Alex Darrow

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Alex Andrew Darrow (born October 4, 1993) is an American entrepreneur best known for founding the fiscally-sponsored non-profit organization PictureTheWorld.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] As of February 2010, he is one of the youngest executive directors of an established non-profit organization in the world.[1][8]


Personal life

Darrow was born in Santa Clara, California to Landy, a Civil Engineer, and Andrew, also a Civil Engineer.[9][10] Darrow, along with his younger brother, was raised in Auburn, California.[11]

The young entrepreneur began forging innovative concepts, and inventing high-tech gadgets when he was 13 years old, including a silicon mat which used a capacitive system to turn any computer monitor into a touch-screen—in pursuit of which he presented the invention to venture capitalists and received good advice, and a social application for MySpace—in pursuit of which he went as far as signing an NDA, and speaking with the Vice President of MySpace Music, and the COO of MySpace.[2][3][12]


Before attending Placer High School, beginning in his sophomore year of high school, Darrow attended the private Jesuit High School (Sacramento) during the regular school year of 2007-2008, and the prestigious Phillips Academy Andover during the summer of 2008. Darrow says, after graduation, he plans on majoring in business.[4][12]

On March 3rd, 2011, Darrow, at age 17, spoke on a panel about social entrepreneurship and social innovation at Harvard Business School.[11][13] At the event, he addressed students and faculty of both Harvard Business School and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.[11]

PictureTheWorld

Founding

Darrow officially launched PictureTheWorld in February 2010; however, the website was not launched until May 2010.[2] The idea came to him when he decided "to start a project that really represented a large community--thousands and thousands of people coming together to support a worthy cause."[5] He explains, "But I also wanted a project that was fun, innovative, and kind of epitomized the global community. And would allow donors to be able to participate. Not just make a monetary donation, but actually join the movement."[5]

However, it took Darrow nearly two years to raise the funds for the launch of PictureTheWorld.[2][3][4] Darrow earned the money by washing dishes at a pizza place, and saving all cash received for Christmas and his birthday.[2][3][4] Eventually, he was able to establish the organization, and launch its website. Darrow, PictureTheWorld's founder and executive director, does not take a salary.[2]

About

PictureTheWorld is a fiscally-sponsored non-profit organization creating the world's largest photo-mosaic using photos submitted by people from all over the world, using the organization's website.[2][14] All funds are dispersed among ten beneficiaries, including: Doctors Without Borders, 88 Bikes, the World Food Program, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.[2][3][4][5] PictureTheWorld will require at least 112, 896 photo submissions in order to break the current world-record for largest photo-mosaic.[2][3][4][5][6][14][15]

The current world record for the world's largest photo-mosaic is held by The Big Picture, which was created by Helen Marshall in England in 2008. The Big Picture came through the Arts Council England, West Midland, and was supported by the BBC.[2][5][12]

References

  1. ^ a b Members Project from American Express and TakePart, "[1]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Melody Gutierrez, "Teen out to aid needy; one photo at a time", September 18, 2010, "[2]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  3. ^ a b c d e f Melody Gutierrez, "Teen out to aid needy, one picture at a time", Retrieved October 5, 2010, "[3]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  4. ^ a b c d e f Stephanie Breitbart, "Mosaic outreach spans the world", September 26, 2010, "[4]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  5. ^ a b c d e f CNN Newsroom Transcript, October 4, 2010, "[5]", Retrieved October 4, 2010
  6. ^ a b Christie Garton, "Teen hopes to make big impact with world's largest photo mosaic", USA Today Kindness Blog, September 28, 2010, "[6]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  7. ^ Young Money Magazine, November 17, 2010, "[7]", Retrieved November, 2010
  8. ^ Kids Are Heroes Web Site, "[8]", Retrieved February 2011
  9. ^ PictureTheWorld's Facebook Page, "[9]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  10. ^ Janet Smith, "Interview with Alex Darrow via e-mail", Retrieved October 5, 2010, "[N/A]"
  11. ^ a b c Bridget Jones, "Familiar Faces: Alex Darrow – 17-year-old executive director of PictureTheWorld", Retrieved February 27, 2011, "[10]"
  12. ^ a b c Elizabeth Hopkins, "Photo-mosaic project: Picture the World", Retrieved March 16, 2011, "[11]"
  13. ^ Lillian Brummet, "Picture the World Org.", Retrieved March 16, 2011, "[12]"
  14. ^ a b Good Day Sacramento, "PictureTheWorld Executive Director Alex Darrow on Good Day Sacramento", September 29, 2010, "[13]", Retrieved October 5, 2010
  15. ^ The Huffington Post, "Teen Aims To Create World's Largest Photo Mosaic For Charity", October 4, 2010, "[14]", Retrieved October 5, 2010


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