Blog

It’s nearly impossible to express how much the Beaverton Education Foundation appreciates the staff in our Beaverton schools. The dedicated staff who lead Beaverton students to greatness are the heart and soul of Beaverton schools. This was made loud and clear by the outpouring of gratitude BEF saw during our May Staff Appreciation Celebration. Hundreds of families and community members donated to BEF’s Staff Appreciation drive in honor of Beaverton staff. 

As we closed out this school year’s project-funding cycle, funds raised from BEF’s Staff Appreciation Drive were used to boost some final Beaverton’s Choice projects across the finish line. Projects benefiting from this boost were Classroom Tea Party For Montclair and Classroom to Home Lending Library at Nancy Ryles Elementary.

And, speaking of a boost! Staff applying for Beaverton’s Choice project funds in the 2024-25 school year will get a boost through a simplified and streamlined application process. 

To share updates and improvements, BEF will host an occasional “Beaverton’s Choice How-To…” event where you can network with your peers, share best practices for hitting your fundraising goal, and get all your questions answered to help you successfully apply for and launch a Beaverton’s Choice project next year. 

Want to schedule a How-To learning session just for your school to learn how to apply for and receive awards from the Beaverton Education Foundation? Send your preferred date and time to BeavertonsChoice@beavertonEDfoundation.org

All BSD staff are invited to a BEF hosted Beaverton’s Choice How-To during Pre-Service Week: 
Wednesday, August 21, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

(Event location will be shared with school administrators and secretaries.

Mark your calendars, and come say hello!

We are excited to introduce four community leaders who recently joined the BEF Board and bring unique perspectives, ideas, and talent to the BEF team. Please join us in welcoming: Jonas Cisneros (Intel Corporation); Jessica McBride (Strategies 360); Vincent Pollard (OnPoint Community Credit Union); and Olga Vargas (Vernier Software and Technology).

Each new member shares BEF’s vision to create opportunities for Beaverton students to reach their highest potential. Today, we introduce Vincent Pollard.

Vincent Pollard, OnPoint Community Credit Union
Financial Wellness Manager

BEF owes our gratitude for Vincent’s arrival on the BEF board to our long-standing partnership with OnPoint Community Credit Union. OnPoint is a dedicated supporter of BEF’s annual Answer The Call fundraiser and leadership partner in BEF’s mission to support students and staff in Beaverton schools. Vincent’s career has been dedicated to youth and education, making him a natural fit for our BEF board.

“I was familiar with the Beaverton Education Foundation and when a colleague of mine and former BEF board member asked if I was interested in getting involved, I enthusiastically said, ‘yes’! Through my work with BEF, I hope to lend my knowledge related to fund development and corporate engagement to secure financial resources to support the needs of Beaverton-area students.” 

Vincent wasted no time plugging into BEF and our work in the community. Last month, Vincent rolled up his sleeves and got to work preparing bags and stacks of books to send home with elementary students participating in this year’s BEF’s Summer Boost program.

Vincent is an active member of the Beaverton community. In addition to the BEF board member, Vincent serves on the Leadership Beaverton Board of the Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Want to volunteer with BEF? Applications are accepted at any time of the year. Learn more today!

A classroom visit turned into an around-the-world following for SRC students who run the Doggie Dots business at Aloha High School. 

“By partnering with the Beaverton Education Foundation, Sgt. O’Reilly and his K-9 pal Radar were able to promote the students in the Aloha High School Structured Routines Center and feature their Doggie Dots artisan dog treat fundraiser. The success of this partnership will support the Specialized Program at Aloha High School and allow them to thrive for years,” William Rourke Lowe, SRC Teacher and Case Manager at Aloha High School.

Under the leadership of Rourke Lowe, Aloha students bake, package, market, sell and deliver organic dog treats to staff at Aloha high school. The students were quietly running their business until a recent visit by Washington County Sergeant Eamon O’Reilly and his K9 partner, Radar. 

Seeing the students in action set Sergeant O’Reilly and Radar on a path to connect with the Beaverton Education Foundation and explore how to bring attention (and donations) to the excellent work taking place in Mr. Lowe’s classroom. 

What started with a single social media post to a BEF fundraising site has resulted in video and television coverage, highlighting Doggie Dots at the Washington County K9 Trials and nearly $35,000 in donations from supporters around the world.  

Mr. Lowe, his students, Sgt. O’Reilly and Radar now have friends and fans around the world. BEF is honored to have been a part of this special opportunity to build awareness of a student-run business at Aloha High School. 

BEF is excited to announce we have been selected as 1 of 10 finalists for an Advantis Grow Grant, but we need your vote! With an Advantis Grow Grant, BEF will advance student-run businesses at Beaverton schools. Increasingly, these small businesses are becoming part of career technical and workforce development courses in middle and high schools. Help us secure a grant by voting for Beaverton Education Foundation once per day through June 17. 

A vote for us is a vote for students!

The Beaverton Education Foundation is excited to share that we recently received generous funding from First Tech Federal Credit Union and the Autzen Foundation. 

First Tech’s Education Grant award will be dedicated to the Innovation Lending Library and the Building STEAM 4 All initiative, while funds from the Autzen Foundation will be used for after school math support during the 2024-25 school year.

The Beaverton Education Foundation once again received the Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency with Candid. Since 2019, BEF has maintained Platinum status, the highest level awarded by the organization, giving funders insight into our organization, instilling donor confidence and enabling educated grant giving decisions. View our full organizational profile to keep up to date with our impact.