| Together, We Can Make a Difference! This has been a difficult year. As a community, we are all concerned about our students' health and safety, and we are frustrated because many things still feel far from "normal." However, one thing that remains steady is the commitment you will find from U-46 educators to engaging their students and enriching students’ academic experiences. Despite all challenges, U-46 teachers continue to make your child’s educational journey a top priority. One such educator is Laurie McCann, the Assistant Principal from Fox Meadow Elementary School. Ms. McCann told us she is “continuously looking for opportunities to make learning engaging” for Fox Meadow students. She wants to build a STEM lab at Fox Meadow with scalable, accessible educational robots that could be used by every student at her school, from kindergarteners to sixth graders. The lab would provide hands-on classroom learning and supplemental after school learning opportunities. The U-46 Educational Foundation was honored to help Ms. McCann build her lab by purchasing six Vex Robotics kits for Fox Meadow students. This fall, thanks to our generous donors, the U-46 Educational Foundation gave out 17 grants, totaling $18,000, to educators and staff throughout U-46, including the grant for Ms. McCann's STEM lab. Projects like hers are only made possible with the help of people like you. You can support our teachers by funding their unique, educational, and engaging projects. As a supporter of the U-46 Educational Foundation, you will make exciting, enriching opportunities for our students a reality. Your gift, in any amount, to the U-46 Educational Foundation will mean that teachers can keep inspiring students with their creative projects and ideas. Together, we will make a difference for our children and the children in our community! |
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|  | "I’m literally in tears." Your support makes a difference!! This fall Margaret Palmer, a dance instructor at Larkin High School's Visual and Performing Arts Academy, told us about her unique project called, Bring a Book to Life. Through Bring a Book to Life, U-46 elementary school students read a children's book in their class. Then they attend a field trip to Larkin High School to watch the book "brought to life" by Larkin Visual and Performing Arts Academy dance students. Ms. Palmer told us, "there is communication through movement and this breaks down and language or learning barriers." Palmer needed a grant from the U-46 Educational Foundation, to supply her students with costumes and props and to supply books for the elementary school students. All told, this project will impact nearly 2,000 students from across our District. When we informed her that we could help her fund Bring a Book to Life with a grant, Palmer replied, "I'm literally in tears." When you give to the U-46 Educational Foundation, you provide support that is impactful, meaningful, and appreciated. It does make a difference. |
| | | | |  | | | You can read about all of the grants the Foundation funded this year here. |
| Share this newsletter with others! | | |  | You Did it! You Ran For U46! Our inaugural Run For U 46, held October 23rd at Bartlett High School, was a big success! Thank you to everyone - runners, walkers, volunteers, and spectators - who came out in support of the day. We had 380 runners signed up for the race, ranging in age from 2 to 73. Our overall race winner was Antonio Gonzalez with a time of 18:17.2. Our female winner was Kayla Garrigan with a time of 19:56.1. All of the race results as well as a video slideshow and a link to more than 100 photos are posted on the Foundation's website. Check the results to see if a student, teacher, or friend placed at the top of their age category! |
| |  | | |  | | The U-46 Educational Foundation is proud to have earned Guidestar's Platinum Seal for the past three years in a row! The Platinum Seal is the highest seal given to organizations who have shown a commitment to transparency. Only 15 pecent of the 78,000 organizations registered with Guidestar earn the Platinum seal. |
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 |  | The U-46 Educational Foundation is very excited to announce that we just received a grant from Walmart Giving! We are thrilled to be a part of a long history of Walmart’s commitment to giving back to the communities where they operate. Thank you Walmart! |
| |  | This year, during the 5th annual Team Honda Week of Service, Honda companies, dealers, and suppliers conducted a school supply drive to highlight the vital work of local community organizations. As a result of the drive, Honda employees donated nearly 800 school supplies to U-46, ranging from pens and pencils to notebooks and backpacks. Thank you, Honda! |
| |  | The Happy Hope Foundation recently donated 80 mindfulness kits to the U-46 Educational Foundation. The kits, which provide creative tools to support a child’s mental and emotional health, were given to Project Access, the organization within U-46 that serves the needs of our students experiencing homelessness. Thank you, Happy Hope Foundation! Monetary donations to Project Access can be made at any time through the U-46 Educational Foundation. |
| | Create a legacy of giving! Join the U-46 Educational Foundation's Legacy Society by including the Foundation in your estate planning. After ensuring for your family's needs, you can designate a small or large gift to the U-46 Educational Foundation from your estate. Your gift will ensure your own legacy by supporting the future of causes you care about. Follow this link to find out more! |
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| Class of 2022 - It's Time to Start Thinking About Scholarships! Last year, the U-46 Educational Foundation awarded over $50,000 worth of scholarships to U-46 seniors. U-46 Educational Foundation scholarships are only available to U-46 students, but you cannot win if you don't apply! Click here for a list of all scholarships managed by the U-46 Educational Foundation. Then contact your School Counselor for more information on specific scholarship applications and deadlines. |
| | |  | AmazonSmile customers can now support U-46 Educational Foundation in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations. - Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
- Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'
- Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process
If you do not have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app, be sure to update your app. |
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| Through the Christmas Wishes initiative, the Wisdom Family Foundation supports families during the holiday season. WFF pairs families with a sponsor to supply gifts for children. WFF's Greater Chicago and Twin Cities Chapters are currently seeking sponsors for the 2021 Christmas Wishes Program. Click here for more information. |
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| Email the U-46 Educational Foundation Coordinator, Dawn Curran at dawncurran@u-46.org.
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