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During the 2022-23 academic year, Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) continued to fill funding gaps, address inequities across schools, respond to teachers’ needs that were unmet by other sources and help take ideas to scale from individual schools to multi-school implementation.

Thanks to long-standing partnerships with foundations, businesses and generous individuals like you, BEF awarded $406,787 for 153 programs and projects that reached 28,706 students at all 54 of Beaverton’s schools.

Contributions to BEF fuel classroom innovations that helps students thrive – empowering our youth with the skills to achieve success. The breadth of our programs and projects range from art and music and after school enrichment, to STEAM and career and technical education, to literacy and summer learning, and more. 

“BEF spreads out across the district and has a process to make sure the funds are going to good use in an equitable and fair way.”
— Robin and Len Case, longtime BEF donors and retired district educators 

Building on BEF’s decade-long tradition of supporting the best strategies that combat the summer slide for Beaverton’s elementary school students, BEF invested again in Summer Boost. The educator-driven program, first piloted in 2022 at five schools with 400 students, expanded in summer 2023 to 13 schools with 2,000 students.

Before summer break, students ‘shopped’ for free, high-interest books that were pre-selected by reading specialists to be a good fit for readers at all levels. Each student filled their bag with books, math games and other supplies that encouraged their love of reading and math went home with students. Families also received information about why daily reading is important and how to engage their children in the reading and math activities. To build community and excitement, Summer Boost began and finished with celebrations, and a mid-summer event helped educators and students connect in person.

Other funded programs included:

• Traveling Tech: Sharing Innovative Resources Across the District
• Getting Geared Up for PE
• Robust tool kits for school nurses 
• After school academic support for elementary, middle and high school 
• Band camp for middle schoolers
• New opportunities for career connected learning in the trades

BEF hones in on programs that are more than the sum of the materials involved — students in BEF-supported programs master critical skills and open their minds to new opportunities and paths in life. Learn more about BEF’s work to inspire all of Beaverton’s 39,000 throughout the district. Click on the image below to read our 2022-2023 Impact Report.

As soon as Greenway and McKay third-fifth graders entered their Camp Achieve summer classrooms, they began squealing with excitement and awe. Sitting on each of their desks was a brand new analog watch for students to use in conjunction with classroom learning. Students were able to keep the watches to encourage continued growth and excitement long after school was over.

Thanks to our generous community’s support and BEF’s Building STEAM 4 All funders, 75 analog watches were purchased to supplement curriculum and show how time-telling lessons applied to experiences students would for the rest of their life.

“The watches represent so much more than just a teaching aide,” explained Greenway Elementary Academic Coach, Trina Simkins-Moore. “They trigger an excitement for learning that a paper clock could never create. They also build a powerful connection to others and actively promote continued clock reading skills after class is over!”

One rising 4th grader, Ahmad, overcame considerable obstacles just to attend Camp Achieve. When he finally arrived at school, he could not believe he was actually getting a watch to keep. Ahmad helped his class transition on time every day and took pride in using his watch to calculate the amount of time until the next classroom transition.

Trina initially approached fellow success coach, Brule Speck, with the idea to purchase watches for her class of 26. After sharing how the hands-on tools would greatly improve classroom lessons, Brule was convinced that they should partner with BEF to bring watches to all 75 Camp Achieve third-fifth grade students at both Greenway and McKay. 

“This seemingly simple project is an excellent example of what BEF does best,” said Kristine Baggett, BEF’s executive director. “We were able to respond quickly to Trina’s request, funding a multi-school collaboration over a holiday weekend, ensuring students would have hands-on tools that district staff knew would provide a stronger learning connection and improve opportunities for student success.”

You can learn more about projects like these that are seeking funding here and read about all the programs and projects BEF funded last year in our 2022-2023 Impact Report.

Michael jumped up and down with excitement when he heard, “Go ahead, pick what you like.” As he perused the selections, he began imagining the experiences he could now share with his friends — the room was not filled with treats or toys, but instead offered a full buffet of high-interest books, available for Michael to read over summer break.

This spring the Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) purchased an estimated 19,000 books for students in the Summer Boost program. For Michael, and students at 13 Beaverton elementary schools, their Summer Boost bag is a true life line to school, providing simple materials like dice, a deck of cards and educator-curated books that will help students retain this year’s math and reading lessons, and for some lead to further progress before entering school in the fall. 

“Thanks to BEF’s support, students were able to select books of their very own to read over summer,” said Jennifer Oordt, Bonny Slope Elementary reading specialist and academic coach. “For many, these are the first books they have ever owned. It’s a gift that will last a lifetime.”

As an English language learner who had only attended school via Zoom, Micheal’s reading ability was behind most of his Bonny Slope first grade classmates. He wasn’t interested in class and didn’t want to be away from home. Thanks to a dedicated team of educators and two years of hard work, Michael finally saw himself as a reader and in a place he belonged. 

Participating in Summer Boost helps Michael cement the amazing academic and social milestone he’s accomplished in the last two years. “He’s on a path to success and he’s running with it!”  

Literacy is the foundation for all aspects of learning and a priority for BEF. In the last year we purchased books for Summer Boost, funded after school reading clubs, supported school libraries, helped bring creative literacy activities into the classroom and much more.

Every dollar donated to BEF has a true and lasting impact far greater than the amount of your gift. From summer band camps, to school-wide science nights and literacy programs, BEF leverages community donations to support Beaverton families and students just like Michael. 

“Our work with the Summer Boost program highlights what BEF does best,” explained Kristine Baggett, BEF executive director. “Working in tandem with Jennifer and the 13 Summer Boost teams, we were able to utilize our funding and community connections with Powell’s Books and Barnes & Noble to surpass our initial goal of books purchased by more than 50%, delivering 19,000 high-interest books to program participants.” 

Last academic year, donors like you helped BEF fund 153 programs and classroom projects at all of the district’s 54 schools. All of Beaverton’s 39,000 students deserve an opportunity to reach their brightest future – become a part of their success story today.

Thanks to our generous donors Beaverton Education Foundation has awarded $119,517, funding 63 classroom projects for the 2022-23 academic year.

Close the Literacy Gap

William Walker Elementary School
Students Served: 125+
Recipients: Rich Feely, Alisha Bent, Chelese Schurman, Lubna Abuhamdi, Scott Brenny, Terresa Cawthra-Cornelius & Steve Palau
Award: $753

Funding provided by The Anne Kelly Ofstun Tubby Fund

William Walker Elementary will close literacy gaps for some of the neediest and most vulnerable students in the district, resulting in better educational outcomes across the board. Thanks to your support for additional Primary Phonics books, teachers will no longer need to share the same materials from class to class, allowing for greater classroom flexibility and the ability to deliver timely and efficacious instruction. 

Coyote Cooking Club’s Recipe for Success!

Kinnaman Elementary School
Students Served: 13
Recipient: Emily Nelson
Award: $2,003

Funding provided in part by the BEF Building STEAM 4 All initiative

Coyote Cooking Club students at Kinnaman Elementary are building life skills, learning to be independent and healthy, all while furthering their understanding of fractions. Support from our generous donors funded the sustainable supplies needed for students to experience free cooking classes and the impact has already been felt across the community. 

Celebrate Surrealism with ISB

International School of Beaverton
Students Served: 100
Recipient: Sarah Hawks
Award: $2,500

Funding provided in part by the BEF Building STEAM 4 All initiative

Visual Arts students from the International School of Beaverton will celebrate Surrealism and finish the year out strong thanks to your support for new art supplies. Surrealism offers a chance for students to think about contrast and symbolism in a playful, whimsical way. 

Support Springville’s Range of Readers

Springville K-8 
Students Served: 50
Recipients: Amy Molony & Rachel Strozeski
Award: $1,082

Funding provided in part by the Springville PTO

First graders at Springville K-8 have access to a range of high-interest reading tools, increasing learning engagement for all. Your generous support will help students accomplish more with sets of magnetic tiles to build words, flash cards and a larger selection of high-interest beginning chapter books.

ACMA “Braiding Sweetgrass” Book Project

ACMA
Students Served: 300+
Recipients: Clarice Mohammadi & Dawn Morgan
Award: $477

Funding provided in part by the ACMA PTO

Middle School students at ACMA will understand Tribal and Shared History-related material in a context that exists outside the classroom thanks to our community’s support for a class set of the book, Braiding Sweetgrass.  The perspective offered by the author, both as a scientist and member of an indigenous community is invaluable and will help students relate to indigenous life and gain an appreciation of how we are all dependent on the Earth. 

Good Literacy Instruction Helps All Students!

McKay, Oak Hills and Sexton Mountain Elementary Schools +  Five Oaks, Tumwater and Whitford Middle Schools
Students Served: 70
Recipients: Cassie Sementelli & Special Education Department
Award: $3,650

Funding provided in part by The Hoover Family Foundation

Special Education classrooms can offer robust literacy and communication instruction for students with significant disabilities with new tools for comprehensive instruction. Now students can develop stronger reading and writing skills to contribute to the larger school community.

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, Beaverton Education Foundation’s online resource that brings community and classrooms together.

Eighth graders are constructing their own antennas in a new unit focusing on amateur radio, or as it’s more commonly known ham radio. Along the way, students are learning more than the obvious skills of assembling a device. They are unlocking valuable life lessons as they troubleshoot, problem-solve and find solutions together. Beaverton Education Foundation support is bringing these hands-on activities to middle school students across the district.

BEF partnered with Eric LeMoine, a BSD teacher on special assignment, to integrate ham radio experiences into middle school FutureLabs, a program designed to give students opportunities to explore trades and different career paths before they begin high school.

Amateur radio assignments offer a preview into radio technology, and for some, may lead to STEAM-focused career choices or future involvement in the larger amateur radio community. Ham radio is over a century old, but is still used today to create maps and communicate during emergencies and socially, even as far away as the International Space Station. 

BEF’s support made this journey possible, rallying generous individual donors and organizations, including the American Radio Relay League, Amateur Radio Relay Group, Inc. / K7RPT, the Oregon Tualatin Valley Amateur Radio Community Services and First Tech Federal Credit Union. Together they contributed $6,000 that BEF used to support ham radio experiences in nine middle schools.

“Thanks to BEF support, in 1994 I was able to establish the district’s first internet connection,” said LeMoine. “Since then I’ve seen BEF’s funding bring innovative, STEAM-focused opportunities to more kids than we will ever know. I can easily say, I would not be where I am today without their support.”

You can help support an educator’s dream. Learn more today.