Author: BEF Author

  • You Can Help the Safe and Successful Transition Back to School

    You Can Help the Safe and Successful Transition Back to School

    BEF is honored to support Beaverton’s staff and teachers as they begin welcoming students back to class with the funding of more than 40 back-to-school resource requests, impacting 100 classrooms and over 5,000 students.

    “Thank you so very much for making this a quick and easy process,” said Susan Bomber, Whitford Middle School Structured Routines Center Teacher. “It makes such a difference that BEF truly understood that we have challenges and supported educators.”

    Purchasing classroom sets of colored pencils and books, to limit shared supplies, and headphones and microphones to help students hear their teachers through masks allowed staff to easily adapt to Hybrid learning challenges and focus on their much-anticipated and joyous return to the classroom.

    “Many of my students are concerned about learning when I have to wear a mask,” said Lauren Keeth, 3rd Grade Teacher at Kinnaman Elementary. Further explaining, a simple wireless microphone means I don’t have to yell in order for students in the back to hear me, creating a much calmer learning environment and helping students focus on the fun aspects of returning to school.

    As middle and high schools transition to Hybrid learning later this month, we know these initial requests only begin to scratch the surface. Combining contributions from donors like The Juan Young Trust with community financial support expands our impact and our ability to fund even more critical supplies. 

    You can help make the transition safe and successful. Please consider assisting our teachers to get what they need.

  • Game Changing Investments

    Game Changing Investments

    In the first few months of 2021 BEF has supported five high-impact special education projects in Beaverton schools. Thanks to kind support from donors like you, this year’s special education fundraising enabled us to help more students than in the previous three years combined.

    In January the Foundation launched a New Project Match focused on the special education needs of our students and staff. The program relied on generous funders, including the Hoover Family Foundation, to double each donation’s impact and encouraged a surge of new projects.

    We kicked off 2021 by adding a little fun in big ways to Aloha-Huber Park Middle School’s speech-language program. Purchasing giant version of Jenga, Tic Tac Toe, Connect 4, and Checkers for families to borrow during distance learning gave students the opportunity to play with outdoor versions of familiar games in a safe, whimsical way, while working on and documenting their communication skills. 

    William Walker Elementary’s Catherine Sementelli and Amy Wood worked with BEF to fund nine complete individual sensory bins filled with helpful and diverse tools key for students to process information, tolerate stimuli, perform routine tasks, and participate in daily activities calmly and safely.

    “This will be a game changer for my students,” exclaimed Amy, adding, “I still can’t believe my initial fundraising goal was exceeded, allowing me to fill more bins, and limit sharing to prevent virus spread.” 

    In March, thanks to matching funds from Intel, BEF helped purchase two additional iPads for Hybrid learning in the District’s Structured Routine Center to help students grow the independence they developed while working with devices during distance learning.  

    “I am so proud of my students for developing such strong independence in these, the most challenging of times,” said Ashlee. “Thanks to BEF and our community, the new iPads will help us continue to reinforce that independence in a safe way.”

    As we transition back to the classroom there are more resource requests than ever before. You can make an impact with your donation. Learn more today.

  • Kids Count Grants Deliver Opportunity and Access to 1,765 Students

    Kids Count Grants Deliver Opportunity and Access to 1,765 Students

    The Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) is excited to announce $142,775 in Kids Count Grant awards to provide Beaverton’s most vulnerable students with fun and unique learning opportunities for this summer and school day extension programs for the 2021-22 school year.

    Camp Achieve – $105,000
    Summer academic enrichment for elementary students to reduce ‘summer slide’ and build reading and math skills, ensuring students are ready for school in the fall. With the help of Meyer Memorial Trust, BEF will help deliver free access to equitable camp opportunities to an estimated 1,200 low-income and students of color this summer. 

    Sunset Think Tank  – $10,000
    Now in its third successful year of growth, the Think Tank provides afterschool academic support to reinforce classroom concepts and build school-wide connections with peers and staff. The Think Tank has served an estimated 400 students this year, during the pandemic, and is expected to grow in 2021-22.

    Award Extensions from 2020 – due to COVID limitations

    Construction and Auto Tech Trades Exploration – $20,000
    Afterschool and summer skill building programs for middle school students to develop interest, awareness, and knowledge related to these high-demand, high-wage careers. Trades exploration also creates a solid foundation for further career technical educational opportunities available once students enter high school. In the fall staff addressed distance learning challenges by restructuring curriculum and delivering supply kits to students’ homes. As students and staff return to the classroom, they are excited to continue their studies in a more traditional and interactive format.

    Montclaire Afterschool Reading Enrichment Program – $7,755
    Afterschool help for struggling readers to provide focused, intensive work to improve critical skills.

    Thanks to our generous donors, including First Tech Federal Credit Union, Genentech, Intel, Meyer Memorial Trust, PGE, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, and many individual donors, BEF is able to fund important programs that go beyond traditional school funding. We are honored to support the great work Beaverton staff are planning to serve more than 1,700 students with afterschool and summer enrichment programs.

    You can be a part of the solution too. Support all Beaverton schools today.

  • BEF Funds Beaverton’s Choice Projects for March 2021

    BEF Funds Beaverton’s Choice Projects for March 2021

    Thanks to our generous donors including: Dave Gettling Technology Fund, Intel Corp., First Tech Federal Credit Union, The Spirit of New Seasons Market Awards, AHS Go Warriors! Opportunity Fund, and the BEF Building STEAM 4 All Program, we have awarded $89,020 funding 43 classroom projects so far this academic year.  

    Help my Bethany students return-to-school successfully and safely!
    Teacher: Erin Gettling 

    This IS Kalapuyan Land Exhibit and Learning Opportunity at FLEX!
    Teacher: Kristin Bailie

    Whitford Middle School Designers and CTE Explorers
    Teacher: Tyler Smith

    Just Right Books for Kinnaman Kinders
    Teachers: Nathan Havner, Melissa Gutierrez, Cindy Paresa, Gladys Reynaud, Karen Viskov

    Books for Barnes Bobcats: Increasing diversity in literature
    Staff: Katie Evans 

    Southridge Brassy and Bold
    Staff: Cameron Jerde

    When You Trap A Tiger at Whitford
    Teacher: Libby Gallagher

    iPads for Success in the Sexton Mountain Structured Routine Center
    Staff: Ashlee Rice

    Classroom Display Systems Give Hiteon Kids A Great View!
    Teacher: Aine Sonnen

    Five Oaks & Rachel Carson Culinary Club
    Teacher: Luke Martin 

    Giant Jenga for the Win at Aloha Huber Park! 
    Staff: Christy Trujillo 

    Thanks to your generous contributions, the dollars raised are enabling enrichment programs in Beaverton schools that otherwise would not be possible. For current programs, and to begin your application, please visit Beaverton’s Choice, the hub that brings community and classrooms together. 

  • T1D Student Union Delivers Support and Awareness

    T1D Student Union Delivers Support and Awareness

    Spearheaded by a group of passionate, resilient students, the newly formed Beaverton Type 1 Diabetes Student Union provides students with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their families’ support, resources, and connection.

    This amazing group of student leaders hopes to combat the daily challenges of isolation and stress felt by many with T1D by connecting members with others living with the disease. Their work is kicking off with a Beaverton Education Foundation funded initiative to deliver t-shirts and bags with the Student Union logo to the nearly 100 students with Type 1 diabetes in the District and the more than 20 staff members who support them.

    District-wide membership will help students connect across schools and age ranges, providing an excellent opportunity for mentorship and real-life examples of student success – something Student Union Community Advisor, Kelsey Duman, experienced firsthand when she was young.

    “Connecting with this community allowed me to develop a positive outlook on life with Type 1 diabetes, as well as learn the best ways to manage my condition and thrive despite my diagnosis,” explained Duman.

    Together with teacher and advisors, the team plans to spread awareness about Type 1 diabetes through presentations and activities for National Diabetes Month and World Diabetes Day. They also hope to provide low blood sugar treatment options, programs for students as they enter elementary, middle and high school, and support for diabetes related events and causes.

    The T1D Student Union launch is the direct result of engaged staff, strong student leaders, and our powerful connected community. This effort would not be possible without the more than 20 donors that funded the project, with nearly half of them comprised of the nurses, social workers, counselors, office assistants, para-educators, and principals throughout the District that help these students thrive. 

    “We are truly stronger together!” – Kelsey Duman

    You can support more great work like this – learn more today.