It was a grand night as South Whidbey Schools Foundation held a Gala Celebration on Saturday, May 22, at
Featured speaker Dr. Shannon Sumida Harvey (at right receiving a Falcon Tee-shirt from SW Schools Superintendent Dr. Fred McCarthy), spoke on school reform and her memories as a student at South Whidbey High School. She is the recent recipient of
A silent auction of outstanding art works produced by South Whidbey students as well as local artists was held; and musical accompaniment was provided by members of
The bulk of the funds were raised by the auctioneering efforts of local personality Heath Gunn who "sold shares" of support in several key areas of education such as math and science, history and English, music and the arts, plus the SWSF endowment. The South Whidbey Schools Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is dedicated to supporting excellence in education on
The nearly $10,00 that was raised will be used for classroom grants in the areas designated.
"We thank all of the people who came to the dinner, our corporate and individual table sponsors, and our guest presenters," said SWSF Board President Dr. Lisa Bjork.
Donations can still be sent to SWSF / PO Box 24 / Freeland, WA 98249. Donations may also be made online on the homepage of this website.
South Whidbey Schools Foundation receives PSE grant to support environmental and renewable energy education
The South Whidbey Schools Foundation recently received a $2,500 grant from Puget Sound Energy to support teacher-initiated projects related to environmental education and renewable energy use in the schools and the community. The grant will be allocated over a three-year period.
In its first allocation of the grant dollars, SWSF awarded $1,135 to
“The SWSF funding committee unanimously selected this project as one that will successfully teach many students about their local environment,” said Dr. Lisa Bjork, president of SWSF. “Because it is a hands-on project involving their own community, students will gain a deep understanding of the value of sustaining and protecting their environment.
”As a result of the grant, all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade
“PSE takes great pride in our corporate citizenship program and our support for valuable community programs such as this,” said Walt Blackford, community services supervisor and manager of PSE’s South Whidbey Customer Service Office.
“Our contribution will support the creative work of teachers who are passionate about teaching children and young adults on
”“This contribution from PSE is a great example of how our schools and community can support each other for long-term benefit,” said Bjork.The remainder of PSE’s contribution will be allocated at the discretion of SWSF toward school projects that provide students with new experiences related to the environment and energy education.