Join Us in Supporting the Zionsville Education Foundation
Oct/Nov 2023
As a parent of two children who have gone through K-12 in the Zionsville Community Schools, it is not only a personal interest of mine to support the Zionsville Education Foundation. As a local reporter who has reported on several of the classroom grants over the years, I have seen first-hand the impact that these grants awarded to teachers and students have on their educational experience at ZCS.
A Brief Look at ZEF’s Contributions to Our Students and Teachers
If you missed this year’s ZEF Bash on Nov. 4, the annual fundraiser for ZEF, not only did you miss a great evening of community, good food and music in support of ZEF, you missed hearing about their latest Classroom Grants enriching STEM, technology, arts, literacy, interdisciplinary, cognitive/motor skills and social sciences curriculums. Examples of recent initiatives funded by ZEF include laptop programs, equipment for a student-run video production studio, materials supporting a school-wide literature study, and financial support for artists-in-residence.
ZEF’s Imagine Professional Development Grants are awarded to experienced educators in our community, promoting professional growth and renewal opportunities.
ZEF also supports students involved in extracurricular activities through their Student Enrichment Grants, which award funds to school-sanctioned academic, philanthropic or student government teams and clubs.
Lastly, the Community Foundation of Boone County provides a generous grant that lets ZEF contribute matching funds for Donors Choose projects.
ZEF 2023 Fall Grants Announced
ZEF announced $20,038.55 in grants to ZCS teachers on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. The ZEF prize patrol, consisting of ZEF board members, community Grants Committee members, and ZEF staff, visited classrooms to surprise teachers with the funding for their grant applications.
Among the 2023 Fall Classroom Grants, students will gain the opportunity to build and program robots, gather and analyze weather data, learn science and social studies state standards through gardening in an outdoor classroom, immerse themselves in the creation of flipbooks and stop motion animation, and learn the game of disc golf. These creative projects will promote academic excellence this year and for students in future classes.
Did You Know?
Zionsville Community Schools is the lowest-funded public school corporation per student in the state. The funds raised by ZEF are used to help bridge the gap between the basic curricular necessities provided by the state funds and the innovative ideas our educators create to encourage our students to develop into lifelong thinkers.
Please join us in supporting ZEF’s mission by becoming a corporate sponsor or an individual donor! Attending fundraising events such as the annual ZEF Bash or donating throughout the year at zionsvilleeducationfoundation.org will help secure future grants and fund academic excellence across the ZCS district.
For more information on corporate sponsorship or community merchant support, please contact Julie Bradley by phone at 317-873-8052 or email at [email protected]. For more information on ZEF or to make an online donation, visit zionsvilleeducationfoundation.org.
Writer:
Janelle Morrison
Photography:
Courtesy of ZEF