Saluting Oklahoma's Local Education Foundations
LEF News Roundup
EDITOR’S NOTE: The LEF News Roundup is designed to recognize LEF achievements and share ideas with others. To submit information for the LEF News Roundup, write to Brenda Wheelock, Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, 120 N. Robinson, Suite 1420-W, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 or e-mail bwheelock@ofe.org.
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| Booker T. Washington High School students Grace Bielawski, Tuyen Pham and Johah Wei-Hass perform a Spanish version of the “Three Little Pigs” during a field trip to Eisenhower Elementary School. Photo by Lida Wilber |
Booker T. Washington High School students are learning from field-trip experiences while acting as mentors for younger students, thanks to a Spanish language grant from the Booker T. Washington Foundation. Among the activities funded by the foundation, students in Spanish levels III and above have been able to visit and mentor children at both Eisenhower and Kendall Whittier Elementary Schools. “This has been a great experience for all involved,” reports Spanish teacher Lyda Wilber. “Our students have the opportunity to practice their Spanish and put into practice what we are studying in the classroom. At the elementary schools, Hispanic children as well as those who are learning the language as part of the their language learning requirements look forward to our monthly visits, and are so grateful to our students for the time they spent acting out plays, reading and playing authentic Hispanic games with them.”
To celebrate the opening of a new branch, Bank of Oklahoma donated $1,000 to the Broken Arrow Public Schools Foundation.
Clinton Public Schools Foundation is partnering with Clinton High School marketing students to build a new brick entrance to the football stadium. Marketing students developed the idea of selling engraved bricks to fund the project which involves building a brick wall containing a tornado design with wrought iron gates on each side of the structure.
Coweta Education Foundation is providing funds to Coweta high school students as part of a sidewalk art project. Using sidewalk chalk purchased with grant money, art students are creating chalk art works on the sidewalks at their high school.
The Coyle School Foundation's membership drive exceeded the original goal of $20,000, bringing in a total of $27,000. For each $100 donation, individuals received a ticket for a drawing to win a 2006 Chevrolet truck. Word of the membership drive spread, and the foundation received a $15,000 contribution from an anonymous donor who did not want to be included in the drawing.
Central Rural Electric Cooperatives donated more than $5,000 to Coyle School Foundation to provide new playground equipment for Coyle schools. Some of the funds are being used to provide wheelchair access to the new equipment. The foundation hosted a dinner, pie and cake auction, and volleyball tournament to raise additional money for the playground equipment.
Cyril School Foundation reports that they have had several unique and successful fund-raisers, including selling Christmas cards designed by district students; a “Hee Haw” production featuring community talent; and a Birthday Fund, which encourages Cyril graduates to send a donation on their birthday that equals their graduation year. For instance, a 1970 grad would send $19.70. The foundation also is working on a community cookbook titled “Cooks for Books,” which will feature chapters contributed by various community groups and organizations.
The Enid Public School Foundation took part in a technology seminar hosted by Enid Public Schools. The seminar focused on innovative technology and its application in the classroom. Dinner was provided by the school foundation.
Holdenville Education Foundation and the Holdenville Creek Community provided funds to purchase and install playground equipment for the pre-K class at the Indian Community Center. In addition to a few swings and a basketball goal, the playground now contains a structure with two slides, a tower, playhouse, arch climber and stairs.
Jenks Public School Foundation is playing a significant role in the implementation of Jenks High School's new program, AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. The program was approved by the school board in early 2006 but required more than $10,000 to implement, which the foundation agreed to provide. AVID was created to increase enrollment in AP classes.
Last fall, the Okemah Public School Foundation awarded more than $7,200 in grants to teachers for the 2006-2007 school year. Some grant projects include postcards and stamps to special education students so they can participate in an international program; supplies for students to make a hot air balloon; additional resources for the Accelerated Reading program; thematic learning boxes to enhance skills in various subject areas through hands-on learning; and supplies to integrate technology into daily classroom activities using Winnie the Pooh books, software, games and audiovisual materials. The foundation hosted a golf tournament to raise grant funds.
Last fall the Oklahoma Public Schools Foundation and the Oklahoma RedHawks joined together as part of the Equip Kids for School partnership to provide about 3,600 kindergartners with school supplies. During the month of August, baseball fans gained free admission to RedHawks games by bringing school supplies.
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| Okmulgee Elementary School’s Spirit Choir, shown here with director Larry Sparkman, is funded entirely through the support of the Okmulgee Education Foundation. |
“Telling Our Story,” became a special focus for the Okmulgee Education Foundation as it celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2004. Foundation leaders made scrapbooks, completed a huge photo album and made a promotional video, which they will share during a spotlight session at this year’s Fall Forum. In addition to awarding teacher grants, the foundation annually partners with the Sam K. Vierson Foundation to send students to fine arts performances at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and provides complete funding for a third through fifth-grade “Spirit Choir.”
Putnam City Schools Foundation has partnered with Possibilities, an agency focused on strengthening families, creating safer neighborhoods and increasing economic growth. To support Possibilities' efforts to ensure that every child enters school ready to learn, the organizations are partnering to get the community more involved by working on communications, developing an incentive program for students and creating a welcoming environment.
The Sapulpa Public School Foundation hosts a tailgate cookout each fall before the school's homecoming football game to raise money for students scholarships and teacher grants. The foundation serves dinner while the high school band entertains audience.
The Stillwater Public Education Foundation kicked off the 2006-07 school year with a "Night on the Town" raffle to raise awareness of the foundation as well as benefit Stillwater students. The winner received limousine service, dinner and t-shirts from a local restaurant and four movie passes. Raffle tickets were sold during high school, middle school and junior high enrollment.
In July, the Tonkawa Education Foundation held its sixth annual Duck Derby. The Ninth Street Canal was flooded for the derby and filled with colorful toy ducks.
The Union Schools Foundation benefited from the quilting efforts of more than 100 ninth-grade biology students. Students used microscopic views of cells and sub-cellular features as inspiration in their block designs, which their teacher, Kathy Pursley, quilted together to create three different microbiology quilts. The biology classes donated one of the quilts for the foundation's auction. The family who purchased the quilt then donated it back to the school where it is on display in the science wing.
Woodward Middle School students combined science and art instruction through a grant funded by the Woodward Education Foundation. Through their grant titled “Astronomy Through the Mind of an Aerosol Artist,” Woodward teachers were able to bring professional artist Carey Huckabey to their school for a stellar art demonstration using aerosol paint cans. Each student combined his or her art lessons with research on the solar system to create a “My Planet Book.”