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We created the Learning Innovation Fund for Teachers and Students – LIFTS to support staff as they develop and implement creative ways to engage with students and keep Beaverton students inspired, innovating and successful during these unprecented times. LIFTS has enabled us to respond quickly to meet urgent opportunities and challenges Beaverton students are now facing. We know several staff are planning for the 2020-21 school year already, and know that BEF will be there, with you to support the best ideas.

With thanks to our generous donors, the Beaverton Education Foundation LIFTS campaign has raised $5,400, funding the following five classroom projects so far:

“Brainy Bags” – Playful Learning Activities

ISC Music Matters

Raleigh Park Third Grade Poets

Books @Home for William Walker

Books for Rock Creek Rocket Readers

The Foundation, with our community’s investments, supports the work ahead to keep all Beaverton students growing, learning and preparing for tomorrow.

We are in this together, and together we will find the path forward.

A collaboration between the Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) and the Beaverton School District will provide 8 weeks of remote summer learning to over 600 students at 14 elementary schools, beginning June 29. Now in its eighth year, Camp Achieve aims to reduce summer learning loss by all participants, with a primary emphasis on low-income and academically at-risk students. Certified Beaverton teachers provide high quality supports in reading, writing, and math, along with weekly movement and social emotional learning activities. In addition, each participant will receive in the mail high-interest books at their independent reading level. 

“Our goal for Camp Achieve is to challenge the traditional remedial model of summer school and embrace a collaboration of programs to keep kids actively engaged and preparing them to read, write, and think mathematically all summer long,” said Christy Batsell, Principal at Terra Linda Elementary. 

A hybrid version of the program that incorporated remote learning was developed in 2019. Last summer a triad of schools piloted a curriculum that combined in-person activities with online learning days. Students had frequent contact with their teacher, who encouraged daily reading and writing, along with math practice on Dreambox, an online math program. Teachers worked closely with families to mentor and support parent engagement and personalize online learning.  At summer’s end, students who attended the hybrid Camp Achieve maintained or improved their reading and math levels compared with their peers. The hybrid model results were so compelling that 5 additional schools applied in February to participate in Summer 2020. This year’s class includes over 600 incoming first- through fifth-graders from small, large, Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools across Beaverton. The District’s Multilingual Department provides language support for English Language Learners (ELL), migrant students, and families who speak languages other than English. BEF invested $90,000 in Camp Achieve, which is about about 90% of the program’s cost, and the remainder is covered by the Multilingual Department and a registration fee of $10 or less.

Since the Fall of 2014, AmazonSmile has invested $4,256 in BEF to help support our 41,000 Beaverton students in all 53 Beaverton schools. When you join AmazonSmile and shop, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the Beaverton Education Foundation. Supporting BEF is easy! You’ll get the same products, same prices, same services as the Amazon you know. Sign up today online or by downloading the AmazonSmile mobile app. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

• 1. Join AmazonSmile: If you are not already an AmazonSmile member, sign up on your web browser. Simply select Beaverton Education Foundation as your charity to start generating donations, at no cost to you.
• 2. Get the app: Download or update to the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app on your phone. You can find it in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android.
• 3. Turn on AmazonSmile: Open the app and find ’Settings’ in the main menu. Tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
  

Help support the Beaverton Education Foundation by shopping at Smile.Amazon.com/ch/94-3076723

Arts & Communication Magnet Academy (ACMA) freshman student, Hannah Hunt, has raised $2000 to buy 100 “Brainy Bags” from local toy store, Piccolo Mondo Toys, to give to low-income students.  

“With so many children stuck at home due to Covid, I wanted to bring joy and fun to the students who have very little resources,” said Hannah.  “I thought the activity bags would be a great way to connect fun and learning into one.”

Hannah reached out to the Beaverton Education Foundation, who put her in contact with local toy store, Piccolo Mondo which created “Brainy Bags” for schools in Hillsboro.  The Brainy Bags include a variety of educational games, activity books, stickers and other fun treats.  

Originally, Hannah hoped to raise just $1000 but with the help of the Beaverton Education Foundation’s Learning Innovation Fund for Teachers and Students (LIFTS) Campaign, soon exceeded that goal.  BEF launched LIFTS in mid-March in response to the pandemic that closed schools to help support staff-initiated projects during remote learning.  They helped get school supplies, musical instruments, activity packs, and more so students can keep learning.

“This is another great example of how BEF, using the crowd-funding site Beaverton’s Choice, can broaden community engagement to support Beaverton students,” said Kristine Baggett, BEF Executive Director. 

Hannah will be distributing the 100 Brainy Bags to families during the Grab & Go Meal pick-up at Springville K-8, 6655 NW Joss Avenue Portland, 97229, this Tuesday, June 9, from 11 am – 12 pm.

Congratulations to the 2020 scholarship winners from the 32nd Annual Herzog-Meier Senior Art Scholarship Show! And a big THANK YOU to Herzog-Meier for supporting the students, arts and arts education.

2020 Scholarship & Special Commendation Awards:

Aloha High School

Scholarship: Emily Montalvo Diaz, “Ninos Perdidos”

Special Commendation – Atira Lemke, “Drowning”

Arts and Communication Magnet Academy

Scholarship: Desiree Meek, “Bedroom Environment”

Special Commendation – Heidi Chuc, “For Heinz,” Pierce Sanchez, “Pleasant Patience,” Sarah Boser, “The Over Under Over Under”

Beaverton High School

Scholarship: Nate Taft, “Taxi Driver”

Special Commendation – Romie Avivi, “With Every Ounce of Her Breath,” Drew Field, “Untitled #1,” Nate Taft, “Party,” Naira Cruz Solano, “Interspace”

International School of Beaverton

Scholarship: Matthew Tran, “No More Fun!”

Special Commendation – Cheyenne Estabillo, “Home of the Brave” and “Land of the Free,” Matthew Tran, “First Day at Work,” Jade Bottger, “Moth and the Flame”

Merlo Station High School

Scholarship: Amelia Wild, “Reflection”

Mountainside High School

Scholarship – Sonya Calendar, “Priorities”

Special Commendation – Kylie Thomas, “Pretty,” Abigail Phillips, “How do I look?,” Charles Griffin, “Encroaching Shadows,” Valery Tsai, “Neverland” and “Birthmark”, Mallory Mao, “Endless”

Southridge High School

Scholarship: Julia Takahashi, “Woman and Color”

Special Commendation – Frances Myers, “Growing Relations,” Lauren Rice, “Adoration”

Sunset High School

Scholarship: Regis Wang, “Corona”

Special Commendation – Daniel Infante Pardo, “A Night at the Dine Pt. 2,” Madison Ford, “Nebula,” Mette Voldergen, “Drain,” Monika Gonzales, “Wait,” Rebekah Gibby, “Congeriei,” Collette Chamberlin, “Wanted 1”

Westview High School

Scholarship: Sarah McNamee, “Mellow Yellow”

Special Commendation – Siqi Li, “Lolita”

Be sure to check out all the visual work by the talented seniors of the graduating class of 2020 submitted in the 32nd Annual Herzog-Meier Senior Art Scholarship Show.