The Buckeye Education Foundation
Now in its fifth year of existence, the Buckeye Education Foundation has accomplished much.
An early goal was to establish a community theatre. After just two years of financial support from the Foundation, the Buckeye Community Theatre has become self-sufficient and independent from the Foundation.
Through innovative grants to Buckeye staff members, the Foundation has funded such varied projects as visiting artists, kindergarten reading incentives, equine companions for learning disabled, and Mock United Nations attendance. More than $21,000 has been invested in forty-nine Innovation Grants over the last four years.
The Buckeye Education Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Jennifer Blossom Endowment Fund in the amount of $60,000. A gift to the Foundation from her parents, the endowment is to be used to advance the study and appreciation of the arts in the Buckeye School District.
Jennifer Mack Blossom was both a graduate of Buckeye and a 30-year teacher at Liverpool Elementary school. Jennifer was a 5 ½ -year cancer survivor when the cancer returned and took her life on March 31, 2006. Mrs. Blossom was a very caring and dedicated teacher to all of her students and fellow staff members at Liverpool Elementary. She always made learning fun with all her hands-on projects and home projects. She continued with this dedicated teaching style even through her illness. She is greatly missed by all who have had the great fortune to have been touched by her kindness and generosity through her years at Buckeye.
This endowment, in her memory, will continue to impact Buckeye students for many years.
RoBucks is another community-generated and supported program that is creating interest and knowledge in technology and the sciences. Now in grades 4, 5, and 6, we hope to expand the program this year to include engineering competitions within the elementary building. We have also hosted a visit to our 6th grade at York from Highland, Wadsworth and Cloverleaf science teachers in the hopes of spreading interest and participation in this program. Teachers were recently presented with RoBucks polo shirts in appreciation of their dedication in implementing this new program.
How you can help
There are many ways to help the Foundation carry out its activities, which are solely directed at improving and enhancing educational opportunities for Buckeye learners. Financial donations are the most direct and efficient. Gifts of any size are appreciated and recognized as tax deductible. Other forms of outright gifts to consider are real estate, life insurance policies, or marketable securities.
Another way to donate is to become involved with Foundation fundraising events as a sponsor for “Run With the Bucks” and/or the annual Foundation Golf Outing. Volunteers are always needed for these events as well. As a volunteer for the Foundation you can help in any capacity; your talents can make a difference in the lives of the children in our community. Go to www.blsfoundation.org for more information.
Through a special gift to the Foundation, our teachers have been able to enroll their classrooms in the “Stock Market Game” and Buckeye teams have won several games in the Northeast Ohio Region. Another special gift has paid for a new sound system for the high school auditorium.