The Eudora Schools Foundation hopes to raise $65,000 in 24 hours to support classroom grants, enrichment programs and provide more career connection opportunities.
The money donated on March 5’s annual Give Day will be invested directly back into schools for students in a variety of ways, Executive Director Shanda Hurla said.
Since the foundation became a nonprofit in 2008, it has raised over $1.1 million to invest back into classrooms.
Historically, Give Day has always helped fund Prize Patrol for teacher grants and funding for those running enrichment programs at the middle school, but the foundation is also exploring new projects and ways to ensure they continue to provide for student needs and district changes.
Last fall, almost 30 teachers received grants for their classrooms totaling more than $34,000 to make innovation projects happen. Since 2006, the foundation has given out over 200 grants to classrooms to fund over $175,000 in new classroom programs.
The foundation’s message this year is focusing on not only needs Eudora kids and teachers have now, but what Eudora will need as it starts to grow, and what will prepare students for the future and long-term success, Hurla said.
The goal last year was $50,000, which the foundation surpassed by $10,000.
“We felt like, yes, it’s an ambitious goal, but also it’s really something that we feel like we can accomplish together,” Hurla said.
This is the fourth Give Day for the district.
It’s exciting to see day-to-day how this money makes an impact, Hurla said. She regularly sees firsthand how the foundation’s grants give teachers new resources to help students learn.
The foundation is able to take chances on new or different teaching resources so classrooms can try them out, she said.
The event is about more than a day of donation, she said. It’s an opportunity for the community to come together and support its children.
“And to realize that we’re working together to accomplish some pretty amazing goals for our youth or kids,” Hurla said. “So, it’s a day of ambition.”
People can donate now or on March 5 by clicking this link or by delivering donations on Give Day to the district office. Prizes are available depending on the hour that donations are submitted. There are also prizes for those who donate before March 5.
Here is the full list of prizes and themes.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at eudoratimes.com.
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