School districts across the state are cutting budgets and programs in accordance with Arizona’s budgetary problems during the current economic downturn. Locally, however, the Maricopa Education Foundation is prepared to “give education a hand.” Founded in 2007, the non-profit 501(c)(3) foundation’s mission is to raise funds and allocate them in the form of grants to promote and sustain educational excellence in state-approved schools, grades Pre-K through post-graduate. Grant funds are not available for stipends or salaries. The focus of all programs considered by the 12-member board, consisting of school administrators, community and business leaders and parents, is that they be student-centered. As President Rick Abel says, “How much good can we do for how many kids?” Programs must also demonstrate sustainability and have clearly measurable objectives with evaluation built in to determine their success. Thanks to the generous donations of Global Water, the Helios Education Foundation, Gilleland-Brubaker Architects and various community members, the Maricopa Education Foundation recently was able to fund its first two grants. The first grant, which was selected from all submitted applications, will be for a reading and writing enhancement program. The target group will be Jennifer Gomez’s third grade class at Butterfield Elementary School. The project, whose funding amount is approximately $400, is set to begin in fall 2009, continuing throughout the school year. A second grant will be funded for biology students in Lisa Byers’ classes at Maricopa High School. The ‘What’s in Your Water? Using Biotechnology to Explore Water’ project will be introduced in winter 2010 with plans to expand it to all other biology teachers’ classes at the high school by winter 2011. The $5,000 funded by the Maricopa Education Foundation will purchase a portion of the laboratory equipment and supplies necessary for the project. Additionally, matching funding is being sought from the Salt River Project. The foundation, which meets monthly, also works with the MUSD Volunteer Program to fund processing fees for community members volunteering in district schools. In addition to Abel, the other foundation officers are: Vice-president and Grant Committee chair Jeff Kramarczyk, Secretary Tom Beckett and Treasurer Anthony Snider. A new Website will soon be available at www.maricopaeducationfoundation.org. The ability to fund worthwhile programs through the grant application process is based on donations from community members, businesses and corporations. If you are interested in “giving education a hand,” contact Snider at Gary.A.Snider@wellsfargo.com. “In these difficult economic times, our efforts become even more important in providing excellence in education to our community,” said Abel. Photo by Joyce Hollis |