Annette Risberg Kleinman Memorial Fund
In partnership with her family, the Children First Fund has established the Annette Risberg Kleinman Memorial Scholarship. Building on her lifelong dedication to education, the Annette Risberg Kleinman Memorial Scholarship will support a scholarship for a young woman pursuing her post-secondary education in STEM.
Annette Risberg Kleinman dedicated her time and resources to ensuring that future generations would enjoy access to what she valued most: education. Her life-long passion for learning stemmed from her own experiences as a Chicago Public Schools student, first at Riis Elementary School and most memorably at Marshall High School, where she made lifelong friendships.
Born on August 7, 1928 to Edward and Sonia Risberg, Annette, her brother Al, and sister Betty were raised in the city of Chicago. Annette’s parents and brother Al had fled Ukraine and arrived in Chicago in the early 1920s.
Annette was a gifted student; she skipped a grade in elementary school and was salutatorian of her high school class. In recognition of her extraordinary academic achievement, she received a full scholarship in 1946 to attend the University of Chicago to study genetics. Annette’s sharp intellect and deep curiosity continued to define her life as an adult: as an unbeatable Scrabble player, a New York Times crossword enthusiast, and a devoted listener of WFMT, Bernstein, Sondheim, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She was indefatigable about maintaining her awareness of and involvement in current events, championing causes about which she felt passionate from a young age.
Building on her lifelong dedication to education, the Annette Risberg Kleinman Memorial Scholarship will support a young woman as she pursues her postsecondary goals in STEM.
