The Eudora Schools Foundation has awarded 148 classroom grants throughout its history for student resources, after-school clubs and new programs.
The foundation hopes to continue that level of support for teachers and students as it aims to raise $50,000 Tuesday for its annual Give Day.
The money will go toward its continued goal of creating and sustaining new programs, providing student resources and rewarding teacher achievements.
The foundation started more than 16 years ago. Throughout that time, it has helped build a multitude of programs to serve and address student needs. It also recognizes teacher, staff and student excellence.
Executive Director Shanda Hurla said the purpose is to serve as a nonprofit that can bring resources into the schools.
“It’s been incredible to know how much the Eudora community, individuals and businesses have wanted to give back to the schools,” Hurla said. “So we’ve been able to make a lot of amazing things happen, whether it’s doing classroom grants or going after external grants from other organizations in the region.”
The foundation spent more than $32,000 in classroom grants this past fall, she said.
One of the foundation’s most successful ventures has been the enrichment programs at the middle school.
It started with only 14 programs, but that number continues to grow.
“Students need to know that they matter. They need to know that what they’re doing with hands-on stuff relates to something in the future,” Hurla said.
Many of the teachers started clubs based on their own interests and shared those with the students. These enrichment programs allow students to participate in something they already love or find a new passion.
Teacher Heather Moore organizes the jewelry club and tabletop club at the middle school. Her clubs are 100% funded by the foundation. She believes they create a safe space for students to connect and form friendships.
“It allows kids a place where they can shine and show what they know, and help other people, or meet new people,” Moore said.
At her tabletop club, students play board games, such as Catan, Dungeons and Dragons, and Risk. It brings students with common interests together who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to mingle.
Officer Caleb Lewis leads the field dressing and handling wild fish and game club with assistant principal Ty Pattison. They received a grant from the foundation as well as an external grant through DECA.
The club planned to cap membership at 15 students, but after seeing the response, it made room for all 38 interested students.
Lewis and Pattison are both outdoor enthusiasts and hunters, which inspired the club.
“We just wanted to be able to offer another club that’s outside the box,” Lewis said.
In the after-school program, the students learn about the anatomy of wild game and how to properly clean and cook it. The students even had the opportunity to try cooked rabbit and geese.
“My dad hunts and fishes a lot, and I like to go fishing. When I get my hunter safety license, I really want to hunt,” member Kamden Gentry said.
The hands-on class teaches students proper protocol to ensure their hunted meat does not go to waste.
“I really wanted to know how to field dress animals, and I just thought it was really cool,” member Gillian Akers said.
Through its enrichment programs and grants, the foundation strives for student success. At the high school, the foundation has provided various resources, such as vocabulary-enhancing board games, speed timing chips for PE classes and light emission tubes for science classes.
In the past couple of years due to the pandemic, the foundation has centered more on the well-being of the community.
“We’ve had to do a lot of focus on helping students in need or families in need in our community. A lot of our efforts have gone towards that, whether it’s food, security or being able to help them when they’re in a financial situation,” Hurla said.
At the elementary school, the foundation helped implement a fruits and vegetables program, allowing students a free healthy snack throughout the day. They have donated various resources for the kids, from math and science tools to food and clothing.
“We have clothing and hygiene items in our food pantry that have helped kids daily,” Principal Seth Heide said. “That’s how the giving benefits us. From the food pantry, the clothing, to just all these, the classroom grants, it impacts our kids here every day in a variety of ways.”
The funding for the foundation is through internal donations and external grants. On Tuesday, their Give Day, the foundation is awarding various donors throughout the day with gift cards, certificates and coupons.
Donations can be made on the Eudora Schools Foundation website.
Reach reporter Katie Hanney at [email protected].
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