Author: BEF Editor

After nearly 20 years of dedicated service, Kristine Baggett, will be stepping back from her role as BEF’s Executive Director at the end of December. BEF has experienced significant growth and positive change during Kristine’s tenure, and her leadership has been integral in launching signature initiatives, expanding programs, securing vital funding and building strong partnerships in the Beaverton community. 

Betty Flad, retired Beaverton School District teacher and administrator, reflected on Kristine’s impact and influence this way: “Kristine’s ability to work with diverse audiences, identify educational needs, craft creative solutions to complex issues and leverage new funding opportunities through business partnerships has elevated Beaverton Education Foundation to a premier foundation in the state of Oregon. Her zest for engaging others through compelling stories and unique partnerships with community partners have funded hundreds of novel school and district initiatives.  Under Kristine’s leadership, every Beaverton school has been the recipient of funds to support local efforts and unique programs. Thank you Kristine for leaving such a lasting legacy for Beaverton kids.”

Kristine has authored many success stories throughout her time with BEF. Her collaboration with BSD staff led to the creation of the Safe and Sound for Student Success Program (S4), which began as an informal soccer club at one middle school aimed at supporting students who were struggling to stay engaged in class. Over the past decade, the program has grown significantly, expanding to all middle schools in the District, maintaining consistent academic expectations, and securing sustainable funding to ensure its continued success.

Also during Kristine’s tenure, BEF incubated and helped grow Camp Achieve, an in-person summer school program that successfully addressed summer learning regression for elementary students. Recognizing the opportunity to further help students through summer intervention programs, Kristine drove a partnership between BEF and BSD staff to implement Summer Boost, a program that provides students and families with the tools they need to engage in reading and math at home. Summer Boost brings programming to the students, making it easier for families to help students maintain the daily habit of reading by removing barriers like transportation and scheduling. 

Kristine was quick to perceive the evolving needs of students: BEF was a pioneer in funding STEAM initiatives to provide support for the integration of STEAM topics in schools across the District through the Building STEAM 4 All initiative. Building STEAM 4 All originated in 2008 with 9 projects, growing to 44 in 2023.

Rob Guild, current BEF Board Chair and BSD parent shares,“It takes a rather miraculous person to lead a charitable organization. Kristine’s commitment to our mission has had a lasting impact on the students and staff of the Beaverton School District. Thanks to her exceptional commitment to BEF’s mission, we are strongly positioned for success going forward.”

At the November BEF Board of Directors meeting, Deputy Director Lauren Garrett was enthusiastically appointed Executive Director, effective January 1, 2025. Lauren grew up in Beaverton, and her 20 years of experience as a public policy and political strategist will be invaluable in BEF’s next phase of growth as a partner of the Beaverton community. Lauren’s fresh perspective and ability to lead effective, durable initiatives will enable BEF to respond to the evolving needs of the students and staff of the Beaverton School District.

“As a former Beaverton School District parent and Beaverton Education Foundation board member, I have seen Kristine Baggett’s dedication and leadership make a positive difference for students and teachers and for the community. I have known Lauren Garrett for years and I’m confident that she will be an exceptional Executive Director who will be dedicated to bettering the educational experience of Beaverton students.  I look forward to seeing the BEF continue to thrive with her leadership,” shared Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. 

Please join BEF in thanking Kristine for her extraordinary contributions and the immeasurable good she has delivered to our community and in welcoming Lauren as the next steward of BEF’s mission.

Congratulations to the 2024 winners from the Herzog-Meier Senior Art Scholarship Show! In collaboration with BEF, the 36th Annual Herzog-Meier Senior Art Scholarship Show featured 200+ student art submissions from all district high schools. Scholarship and Special Commendation winners can be found below.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

• Jessica Melgar Lemus, Aloha High School
• Amelia Lee, ACMA
• Josiah Oyemaja, BASE
• Ariana Inciarte, Beaverton High School
• Danica Spillers, FLEX
• Sarah Trastanetz, ISB
• Anna Ryusaki, Mountainside High School 
• Katherine Torelli, Mountainside High School 
• Lilly Brayson, Sunset High School
• Kamilla Kollarcikova, Westview High School

SPECIAL COMMENDATION

• Elise Babin, Aloha High School
• Ava Reynolds, ACMA
• Ava Mueller, BASE
• Sophia DeYoung, Sophia Worley, Beaverton High School
• Sofia Regazzoni, Hannah Chhar, ISB
• Peyton Calcagno, Charolette Cortese, Mikayla George, Kayla Matsumoto, Anna Ryusaki, Mountainside High School
• Isabella Loitz, Southridge High School 
• Raina Raphy, Kaylee Nguyen, Sunset High School 
• Gracie Lund, Darcy Lee, Kamilla Kollarcikova, Cindy Campos Moro, Westview High School

A $5,000 grant from the Cultural Coalition of Washington County in association with the Oregon Cultural Trust was secured to provide art supplies to participating seniors at every high school.

And, THANK YOU to Herzog-Meier for supporting the students, arts and arts education.

Big thanks to Madden Industrial Craftsmen for being the first to donate to Beaverton’s Choice project, Collaborating at the Construction Olympics. And, thank you to Premier Kitchens and Cabinets for your donation that helped us cross the finish line.

On May 10, at the Merlo Campus CTE Construction Tech Magnet Program, students from a variety of BSD home school campuses that participate in the magnet program, along with Aloha and Mountainside HS CTE Construction Tech students, will showcase their skills in the CTE Construction Olympics. With industry partners as the audience and evaluators, students will demonstrate what they have learned throughout the year. 

Collaboration in the construction industry is the key to success. The Construction Olympics provides students the opportunity to replicate a workplace setting and experience the same collaborative problem-solving situations a craftsperson might encounter in the field.

Your support makes this engaging experience possible and continues career-connected learning efforts. Investment in our construction tech programs is an investment in our future construction workforce. Thank you!

The Beaverton Education Foundation is hiring professionals to join our dynamic team. We are a growth organization looking for team members to grow with us. BEF offers a flexible, casual work environment and an inclusive culture. No matter the role, every BEF employee shares one galvanizing message, to support students and staff of the Beaverton School District.

Answer the Call Student Fundraising Coordinator

This position is responsible for all aspects of the student-centered fundraising. The position is a part-time seasonal position with training and a small test event in the spring and a larger, more comprehensive multi-day event in the fall. It is expected to offer a variable schedule – with an estimated annual time commitment of 600 hours, with peak hours in September and October. Learn more here.

Deputy Director (positioned filled 2.28.24)

The Deputy Director will lead efforts to raise awareness for the organization, furthering the mission of the organization to connect community and classrooms. The Deputy Director will focus on developing, nurturing and managing institutional and individual relationships; communicating our value to the community; and acting as a primary connector between school district staff, their projects and our community to garner support for an ever-evolving portfolio of programs and projects. Full Details can be found here.

About BEF

BEF is the only nonprofit serving the 54 Beaverton public schools with program investments to benefit all 40,000 students. BEF-supported programming incubates promising ideas, creates hands-on learning opportunities and fills in funding gaps. This includes providing classroom supplies and bolstering summer and after-school learning, as well as scaling up staff-led learning innovations that begin as pilot programs and grow to reach thousands of students across Beaverton. These best practice investments provide hands-on learning opportunities that make a real difference in the lives of all of our Beaverton students by ensuring students have an opportunity to learn, thrive and reach their highest potential. Last year, BEEF raised $434,000 impacting the lives of 33,000 students across Beaverton, with individual giving averaging 50% of the total revenues.