PEF Delivers Cash Grants To Classrooms

PEF Delivers Cash Grants To Classrooms

Earlier this month, the Board of Directors of the Public Education Foundation of Evansville hand-delivered checks to 14 teachers and administrators in Evansville public schools.  These checks are from the agency’s Excellence in Education grant program, this year totaling over $10,000.

“Excellence in Education Grants are funded by hundreds of PEF donors. Our local schools have so many great educators with exciting project ideas,” said PEF Executive Director Amy Walker. “Thanks to our donors, we can reward them.”  But not all of them.

Unfortunately, even after eliminating some applications for structural and technical reasons, Walker said, there are still many unfunded. “It is hard to turn down a great teacher with a great project idea due to our lack of funds, but every year we are forced to.”

PEF’s participatory donation programs such as Thank-A-Teacher/Salute-A-Staffer, and EVSC Payroll Deduction are among ways that grant funds are built.

“The more unrestricted donations we have come in, the more we can move grant funding out our door,” Walker said. “Thank-A-Teacher and Salute-A-Staffer are going on right now in advance of Christmas and New Year.” Information on how to donate can be found on PEF’s website at www.pefevansville.org.  See Release:  thank a teacher rel, sent 11-24-15.

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“Grant funds are also received from PEF’s annual campaign and the Indiana BMV’s Education Affinity License Plate program, which can be directed to the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.  PEF is the recipient of these license plate dollars, which we use to fund grants,” she said.

Shout Out to a few special grantees:

1. One education-building grant was for $704 to Plaza Park International Prep Academy. Plaza Park is using this grant to bring Vince Vawter, former editor of the Evansville Courier and Press and the author of Paperboy, to the school to talk with the students about the book and answer questions.
2. The high-end for Excellence in Education grants is $1,000.  PEF made three such large awards, with one example being $1,000 for Evans School’s Maker’s Space program. A Maker’s Space is an area where children learn, invent, and create. The grant provides the school with money to purchase tools, wind tunnels, and circuits.
3. A third grant of 14 provided by PEF was to Highland Elementary School for an elementary performance of “The Wizard of Oz” in the spring of 2016. Students from Central High School’s theatre department will mentor Highland cast members and assist with the preparation of the production.  The grant will pay for the royalties, scenery, and costumes.

“Excellence in Education applicants are innovative and enthused educators.  PEF is dedicated to helping provide even more funding to them through this annual program,” Walker said.  “Their students matter to our future, a great deal.”

A full listing of grants awarded can be found at www.pefevansville.org/grants/grants.php .

About PEF

The Public Education Foundation is an independent not-for-profit agency that provides direct funding to local public schools and teachers for innovative, student-centered programs.  For 30 years, from an office at 100 NW Second St, Evansville, the PEF Board of Directors has provided thousands of students with professional-level, hands-on experience via direct support for its signature projects such as the House Project, Summer Musical, Missoula Children’s Theatre and academic team competitions.

The mission of the Public Education of Evansville, Inc. (PEF) is inspiring and rewarding student-centered innovation in public education.  PEF Board, supporters and staff believe that high quality public education is fundamental to the economic, cultural and civic health of our society; and that all students deserve the best possible public education in order to realize their full potential.

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