It’s a good-natured joke around the water cooler. Whether candy bars for a sports team or cookies for the Girl Scouts, people who have kids seem to always be soliciting coworkers and neighbors to buy something. These small fundraisers occur frequently enough that their impact is often overlooked.
Orcas Island Education Foundation, OIEF, is currently selling Sally Foster products as their fall fundraiser. The Sally Foster line includes wrapping papers in vintage and modern styles with jolly, fat bears and simple graphics echoing nature. There are soft centered chocolates and a line of home decor accessories in heady scents like Meyer lemon and pomegranate.
Behind the purchase of a thank you gift for the cat-sitter or a ready cash of holiday supplies is a donation to a mission which reaches beyond the utilitarian use of wrapping paper.
As state budgets have repeatedly been unable to fund federally mandated programs, Orcas Island faces a tough fiscal challenge to maintain quality education for students. The shortage threatens everything from books to staff to high school electives.
Established in 1984, OIEF’s only mission is to raise money to support public education. The foundation secures donations and distributes them to the benefit of Orcas Island Public Schools.
“We support whatever programming needs there are at the school,” OIEF president Michelle Reed said.
During the 2009-10 school year, OIEF is paying for AP United States History, part of Elementary Music, and part of the second grade teacher’s position.
Principal Barbara Kline says most of the money raised by OIEF goes directly into the classroom supporting several teachers and staff at both the high school and elementary schools, which keeps class sizes small.
“When you think about it, without the second grade teacher we’d have mixed classes,” Kline said. “And they would have lost that individual attention.”
Referring to OIEF’s funding of AP classes in the high school, Kline said, “Without those AP classes, the kids who really, really want to try for that college credit wouldn’t have that opportunity. They could still work hard but they wouldn’t have the extended learning opportunity.”
Previous programs that OIEF has helped save include AP Biology, AP United States History, AP European History, AP Calculus, Strength and Conditioning, Integrated Math, Government/Civics, Zoology, Middle School Foods and Clothing, Career Choices, Woodworking, an elementary math specialist, music, and all-day kindergarten. These programs were slated for cuts when OIEF came in with supplemental revenue.
“We are in the habit of giving grants,” Reed said.
The grants OIEF gives are annual scholarships to graduating seniors. In June 2009, three scholarships were awarded by OIEF. The scholarship recipients were Eliana Blaine, $1000; Lily Sky, $1000; and Madelyn Smith, $500.
Madelyn Smith is currently attending the College of William and Mary in Virginia, where she was recently selected among the incoming freshman as one of 75 Sharpe Scholars. Sharpe Scholars are recognized for their leadership in civic engagement and provided with the tools to continue lifelong service to community.
“They recognized her leadership ability. I’m really proud of her, but also the whole community for raising such a great kid,” Smith’s mother, Lynsey Smith, said. “She really wouldn’t have been able to afford to if she hadn’t been gotten all the local scholarships. There are people in [OIEF] that Maddy really paid attention to, and they modeled for Maddy.”
Sky is currently attending New York University. Her father, Michael Sky, said of the scholarship from OIEF, “That’s a lot of money. It’s a challenge for kids to go to school. College is expensive. She would still be there, but with a lot more debt.”
Reed says the foundation also helps fund the Arts Education Initiative, including bussing to see theatric performance at University of Washington, and the Farm-to-Cafeteria program.
OIEF’s Sally Foster fundraiser will run until Oct. 9. To purchase Sally Foster products go to www.sallyfoster.com and use the account number 292645 to support OIEF. Catalogues are available in the parents’ office at the school.
“We try to fill a need,” Reed said.
