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.