Apples are ripening, you need your heavier coat, and traffic is snarled (worse than usual). Welcome back to fall in the Northwest!

We love this season here at the Lake Washington Schools Foundation because we get to run our annual campaign to help kids Start Strong. A hearty thank-you to the compassionate donors who helped us raise $40,000 for programs to benefit children in our schools. (Did you want to give to this campaign or share the link with someone who might? Click here).

The Start Strong campaign benefits programs like Pantry Packs, our volunteer-run weekend food program that undertook a big move to a new storage facility off Willows Road over the summer. Want to get involved? Check out our Pantry Packs information page, especially the links at the bottom of the page. You'll find everything you need to run a food drive, volunteer at a packing party, or get your child signed up to receive a pack.

Have you submitted your charitable contributions to your employer for a match? Many local employers match employees' charitable contributions dollar-for-dollar. Ask your human resource or employee services manager for details on how to submit your donation for a match. Let me know if you need a fresh receipt for your last donation to LWSF.

Finally, I want to send a special thanks to Darrin Helfrecht, Director of Nutrition Services for the Lake Washington School District through Sodexo, who volunteers his time to write (and win!) grants for Pantry Packs. Three cheers for Darrin!

Sincerely,

Larry Wright
Executive Director
Lake Washington Schools Foundation

P.S. Cookies for Kids is back! Chick-fil-A Totem Lake is donating $0.25 to LWSF for every Chocolate Chunk cookie sold at their location in October. Buy a treat for yourself or take a whole platter home this month from Chick-fil-A Totem Lake (12026 NE 124th St Kirkland WA 98034). ​

As we head into summer and look back upon an incredible year, we consider with gratitude the hundreds of compassionate people who donated funding, time, and social support to help the Lake Washington Schools Foundation create opportunities for student success.

For all you've done for students, thank you. We simply cannot do this work without your help.
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In this Impact Update, you'll find details on our commitment to invest more than $350,000 in our schools next year, be introduced to our $10,000 college scholarship recipients, and learn the results of our spring FAN campaign to benefit summer school scholarships.

I hope you enjoy your summer. Let's talk again in August about how we can best support students, teachers and families. Together, we truly can give every child in the Lake Washington School District the opportunity to flourish.

Sincerely,

Larry Wright
Executive Director
​Lake Washington Schools Foundation

P.S. Our summer Find Your Fit workshops covering college applications and application essays are full. We see that families want more of these free events, and we'll try to get a few more on the calendar. Want to be the first to know if we do? Follow us on Facebook or
Twitter. ​​

Foundation invests more than $350,000 in schools
​Lake Washington Schools Foundation support ranges from classroom grants to district-wide programs.
​Kirkland Reporter, June 21, 2018
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Outstanding character and achievement earn post-secondary funding for local students.
​Redmond Reporter, June 18, 2018

Lake Washington PTSA Council and Lake Washington Schools Foundation have announced a combined total of $37,500 in scholarship awards to sixteen local students.

Through a joint application process that received more than one hundred applications and required more than thirty community readers, the LWPTSA Council conferred fourteen individual $1,250 student scholarships in the categories of merit, education and perseverance. The LWPTSA Council bestowed an additional $500 each to exceptional teachers Eleanor Jones at Thoreau Elementary and Steve Okun at Redmond High School.
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​When we heard that the LWSD was expanding its summer school catalog, we knew we had to make sure every kid had the chance to attend--money shouldn't be a barrier to educational opportunity. So this spring, we ran a community Fund-A-Need campaign that gathered more than $15,000 in donations to sponsor every kid who applied for need-based summer school scholarships.

“This scholarship campaign has made an incredible difference for kids,” wrote Heather Sánchez, LWSD director of Accelerated Programs, Choice and Innovation. “These scholarships enable the students to participate in Jr. DigiPen courses, STEM, Drama and Integrated Art/Writing Camps and a wide variety of core academic courses. These students will experience academic support and unique enrichment opportunities this summer. We are so thankful to the Foundation and all the individual donors for making this a special summer for kids.”

Thank you to everyone who donated to this incredible grassroots campaign. It isn't often that you get to say you sponsored every kid who needed a scholarship--but this year, you did!

​Poverty. Hunger. Homelessness.
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These are not words that one normally associates with Eastside schools, but the Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s annual benefit luncheon on March 27, attended by 400 people, drew attention to the population of Lake Washington School District students who come from families struggling to make ends meet.
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Summer school in the Lake Washington School District is expanding! Now, along with opportunities to re-learn previously taught content, students can undertake accelerated coursework and engage in enriching experiences. From STEM and drama camps, integrated art/writing, and sustainable design, to multiple Jr. DigiPen courses (including game design, art and animation, music and sound design, and fictional worldbuilding) there's something to interest every kid.
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But not every kid can afford to go.
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That's why the Lake Washington Schools Foundation is sponsoring need-based scholarships for summer school. With your help, we'll raise $12,000 this May and secure summer school opportunities for students who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Sponsor a student, register for summer school, or apply for a scholarship:

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It all adds up. When you bring your reusable shopping bags to your local Whole Foods, you have the opportunity to donate a $.05 per bag credit to a local non-profit. We were honored to be one of the options at Whole Foods Redmond for the first quarter of 2018.

We weren't sure what to hope for, but more than 14,000 reusable bags were used at the Whole Foods Redmond in just three months, raising more than $700 for LWSF! We're astonished and grateful to everyone who not only donated their credit to the Foundation but remembered to bring their bags (sometimes, that's half the battle).
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Special thanks also to the dedicated team at Whole Foods Redmond, who continually think of innovative ways to support our mission. We're lucky to have their partnership.

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Have you heard the excitement surrounding the KITE STEM Challenge? We've teamed up with Google and Kirkland Parks Foundation to encourage students in the LWSD to use their STEM skills outside of the classroom by answering STEM questions via an iOS or Android app. Not only can you win money for your school but there are prizes available each week for participating students.
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It's not too late to participate in the challenge, so what are you waiting for? Download the app, have some fun outdoors while winning prizes for your school and your student! But hurry, the competition ends May 13 with an awards ceremony at Google Kirkland on May 23!
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P.S. Don't forget to reserve your seat at our March 27 luncheon!

​Remember, this is our only spring benefit this year, and we're limited by the Marriott Redmond Town Center to 400 attendees. We have about 100 seats left but we do expect to hit capacity and close to registrations soon. Register today! I'd hate for you to miss your opportunity to be a part of this joyful community event.

​We were excited to interview Carrie Steedly, a facilitator of the group known as Girl Power. Girl Power is a part of the WE organization that started over 20 years ago with two Canadian brothers wanting to empower local youth and encourage them to make a difference in their community and abroad.

The WE Girl Power group consists of a few parent leaders, however, the girls do the vast majority of the work. They started out as a girl scout troop which then grew into Girl Power, consisting of 10 middle school students and one high school student. These WE service groups are given the opportunity to support a cause at a local and global level. For their global cause, they sell rafikis which are beaded bracelets created by women in Kenya known as “mamas”. These Rafikis are sold for $10 where $5 goes to the “mamas” to benefit their families and livelihood, and the second $5 (chosen by the group) was to support education in India.
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As for the local cause, the girls chose a program very close to home...
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LWSF is proud to co-sponsor the KITE STEM Challenge, a Google-sponsored challenge between Lake Washington School District schools to encourage students to use their STEM knowledge outside of the classroom. The challenge begins on April 23, 2018 and runs for three weeks, during which students will have the opportunity to answer STEM-related questions to earn entries towards winning up to $10,000 for STEM programming at their schools. Students who answer questions on the app while in a geofenced Kirkland park will earn additional entries.

The challenge runs from April 23, 2018 through May 13, 2018, with an awards ceremony at Google Kirkland on May 23, 2018.
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​LWSF has partnered with Tableau Software Foundation and Cultural Nexus to create a bi-lingual magazine for families in the Lake Washington School District. This English/Spanish magazine shares information about community events and provides updates on what's happening in the Lake Washington School District.
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The very first publication will arrive soon at all LWSD schools. Have any questions? Want to tell us about an educational opportunity? Email us today or connect with us on Facebook.

I hope you had a peaceful and merry holiday season.

Here at the Foundation, 2017 finished with grace and generosity, as supporters like you gave nearly $2,800 in our Zero Balance campaign to erase school lunch debt.

We've hit the ground running in 2018. With upcoming Reach for Success grants to benefit classrooms, our new FAN campaign to fund music arts in schools, and a Find Your Fit presentation LWTech on January 31, we're finding more ways to help you bridge the gaps between what our students have and what they need to succeed.

In this second issue of the Impact Update, I'm excited to share with you the moving story of Kim and Bailey, a mother and daughter who are making a difference in our community. Read on to learn about our upcoming events and campaigns, and don't forget to register to attend our annual spring benefit luncheon.

Please note that we're hosting just one spring event this year--a luncheon at the Redmond Marriott on Tuesday, March 27. Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib is our keynote speaker and Juanita High School student Grace Harrington returns as an MC. It promises to be an inspiring afternoon. I hope to see you there.

Sincerely,
​Larry Wright, PhD
Executive Director
Lake Washington Schools Foundation

Lake Washington Schools Foundation is pleased to partner with Lake Washington Institute of Technology to present the next step in its "Find Your Fit" series. Free and open to all Lake Washington School District families, this presentation and Q&A session (with tours available after) will introduce the array of workforce-ready programs available at this vibrant local college.

Get ready to think outside of the classic college box at this exciting presentation. Sign up today and arrive on time for a free chicken sandwich; this event will fill up! ​

Do you know a teacher, school club, or other school-associated need that could benefit from a little extra funding? Lake Washington Schools Foundation funds innovative educational programs that enhance or expand district curriculum, support a school’s goals, and are in line with the Foundation’s mission to support academic excellence and success for all district students. A grant application can be written up to a $3,000 maximum request per project, and applications will be available on the LWSF website the last week of January.
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Need help with your Reach for Success application? Have questions about the program? Visit our information page for grant guidelines, frequently asked questions, and more.​

Sign up today to engage with like-minded community members and be inspired by remarkable speakers while enjoying a delicious luncheon at the Marriott Redmond Town Center.

This year, we're honored to welcome Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib as our guest speaker and the fabulous Grace Harrington has agreed to return as a student MC...with a little co-hosting help from KOMO meteorologist and Redmond High School alumna Shannon O'Donnell. Hear from an inspiring group of everyday philanthropists and learn just what it takes to build a bridge in our community.

Email us now to become a Table Captain or Corporate Sponsor. Only a few tables are left. ​

It's Pantry Packs day.

Every Friday, all over the Lake Washington School District, more than eight hundred children will walk into their school counselor's office or open their locker and pick up a non-descript grocery bag filled with nourishing food.

If you donated to our fall campaign, Pantry Packs is one way you're making an impact. If you've given an unrestricted donation, you're also contributing to the steady progress a student makes while working with his Avid tutor, the connections made between a high schooler and his LINKs mentor, and dozens of other programs and grants.

Here, in Impact Update, we'll gather stories and report back to you on the impact you're having, and give you opportunities for more. I hope you enjoy this first issue.

Sincerely,
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Larry Wright, PhD
Executive Director
Lake Washington Schools Foundation

P.S. Reach out to me anytime--I'd love to hear your ideas.