NBAEF comes full circle

Although it went largely unnoticed in the general scheme of things, this week was historic for the district and community. Years of effort culminated in what is sure to become a tradition; the awarding of grants by the North Branch Area Education Foundation (NBAEF).

The idea started as a district Strategic Plan goal and was embraced by many who worked tirelessly these last few years in pursuit of creating a foundation as a source for local financial support of new educational initiatives and scholarships.

Last fall, the foundation held its first major - and very successful - fundraiser and raised thousands of dollars. The foundation used a portion of those funds to create an endowment and cover operating costs, and was able to make $10,000 available to teachers in the form of local grants.

This week, the majority of those grant requests were acted upon, and most were approved.

Because of the foundation, and the generosity of the community, microscopes will have a sorely need cleaning, students will have the opportunity to use “smart response” systems in class, early childhood students will have the educational benefit of smartboard technology, and there may be more to come.

The foundation is a very worthy cause. The dollars raised don’t go far away where the benefit is never felt. It is local leaders, making local funds available to local students and a fine example of the support the district has in the community. I hope you consider this worthy cause as you look for opportunities for charitable giving. Go to: www.nbaef.org to learn more and see how you can be involved.

The district and community owe the foundation and its supporters a debt of gratitude that will only grow from year to year. On behalf of all those who have benefitted - and the many who will in the future - I extend my personal thanks to everyone who made this historic occasion possible.

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