Page 4 - Downtown Beaverton - December 2013

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DOWNTOWN BEAVERTON | Thursday, December 19, 2013

PROFILE

DOWNTOWN BEAVERTON

Beaverton Education Foundation

funds extracurricular activities

As public schools struggle perennially with budget shortfalls, one nonproit continues to ill in the gaps

Story by Saundra Sorenson
| Photography by Jaime Valdez

The Beaverton Education can offer students hands-on learning.
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) High school students, participating

nonprofit, has spent the past in the foundation’s annual phone-
25 years raising money for
a-thon, manned phones at Ruby

“academic extras,” through private Receptionists this year. Several
funding and business donations.
students later reported learning a
The foundation was established lot about “the work world,” Baggett

shortly before the passing of Oregon says.
ballot Measure 5 in 1990, which Beaverton School District

capped and ultimately lowered the teachers, counselors and staff are
amount of property taxes that could
eligible to apply to one of three types
of grants from the BEF.
be dedicated to

The Classroom Innovation grants Beaverton school funding.
award $500 to $1,000 to student- Since then,
School District
engagement projects that encourage teachers, the foundation
“classroom innovation.”
counselors has stepped in to

BEF Middle School Extended and staff are fund after-school,
Day awards provide funding for eligible to before-school
before- and after-school programs and classroom
apply to one
that provide tutoring and other of three types programs
enrichment activities to middle that might not
of grants from
school students. Lastly, the Kids the BEF.
normally fit the
Count grants are $5,000 to $10,000 purview of the

awards for programs that “extend” Parent-Teacher
the school day or school year with Organization, Executive Director
activities for students.
Kristine Baggett explains.

“I think one of the challenges Throughout what Baggett
all of our schools have faced is the describes as BEF’s “long and varied

changing demographic and the history,” foundation grants have
changing expectation,” Baggett allowed English Language Learning
says. “For a long time, Beaverton high school students in Aloha

was thought of as this fairly to partner with the Oregon Zoo
homogenous suburban community. Education Department, challenging

But in fact, it’s the most diverse students to contribute to a Pacific
school district in the state.”
Northwest-themed exhibit.

But educational expectations The founation has has also funded
have also changed with Barnes Elementary School fifth-
technological innovation, she adds.
graders producing films about their

“(The foundation) is really trying experiences as English Language
to think about the differences kids Learners in Beaverton.

have to respond to,” Baggett says, And those are just two examples
“and making sure they can walk among the more than 1,200 from the
out the door of school with every set
foundation’s list.
Leigha Berg, cookie department manager at Beaverton Bakery, makes cookies that will be sold to help raise money for the Beaverton
Continued on Page 5 >>
Even the fundraisers themselves
Education Foundation.