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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BELLEVUE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION GRANTS $128,089 TO SCHOOLS
Schools across the Bellevue School District receive 150 grants to create special academic and learning opportunities
SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 20, 2002 -- From learning more about African American poetry to exploring local wetlands to
tracking the Lewis & Clark trail, students in the Bellevue School District will have an additional 150 learning
opportunities this year thanks to funding from the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF).
The Bellevue Schools Foundation, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to funding educational and youth
initiatives across the Bellevue School District, announced today the recipients of the final round of student
learning grants for the 2002-2003 school year. Total grant funds for this round of $70,590 has been approved for
89 grants written by teachers at 23 schools across the Bellevue School District.
The BSF provides several grant writing opportunities to BSD teachers and staff every year as part of its ongoing
support of the Bellevue schools. Total approved grant money for the entire 2002-2003 school year, including
this latest round, is $128,089, representing 150 grants written by teachers at all 28 BSD schools.
"The grants we received from the Bellevue Schools Foundation will make a huge difference in our efforts to
provide an excellent education for all students in Bellevue, no matter what their background, socioeconomic
level or grade," said Jill McLeod, principal at Phantom Lake Elementary School, which received funding in this
round for 10 grants submitted by teachers and the principal herself. "Without these funds, we could not provide
the programs and experiences our students want and need to excel."
Like many schools in the Bellevue School District, Phantom Lake has a diverse student population, with nearly a
quarter of its students speaking a first language other than English, and 30 percent qualifying for free- and
reduced-price lunches.
In November 2002, the BSF received more than 130 grant applications from 23 schools, totaling $185,000 dollars
in requests - the largest pool of requests ever received. The approved grants were chosen by a committee of
volunteers, which uses a set list of criteria to evaluate and make recommendations for each grant request.
"It is an incredibly difficult process and we wish we could fund every one of the grants," explained Morgan West, Jr.,
vice president of grants, Bellevue Schools Foundation.
Some of the projects funded through these grants include:
- Author Day
- Exploring Wetland Habitats
- Integrated Study of African Tales of Earth and Sky
- Enhancing Mathematical Understanding
- The Story of Lewis & Clark
- Family Science Night
- Multicultural Reading Festival
Beyond student learning grants, the BSF provides funding for mentor programs for at-risk youths, the Arts Immersion
program for middle school students, music grants, early childhood scholarships for low-income children and other
programs. The largest amount of funding goes toward district-wide projects, such as "Project Discovery," which
placed science kits in every elementary school classroom and cost $660,000.
For more information about the Bellevue Schools Foundation or to make a donation, please contact the BSF at 425-456-4199
or email info@bsfdn.org.
About the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)
The Bellevue School Foundation is a powerful partnership between business and community leaders, parents and members
of the education community. BSF was created in 1979 by a concerned group of parents and community leaders, who
wanted to ensure quality education for Bellevue's children despite the economic challenges facing the school
district. Its mission remains consistent: to promote and help fund the best possible learning opportunities
for all students of Bellevue Public Schools. During its 23-year history, the BSF has raised $6.6 million for
programs that reach over 12,000 students every year. For 2002-2003, the Foundation's fundraising goal is $895,000.
It will help fund district-wide curriculum innovations; expand professional development, mentoring programs and a
wide range of other programs that meet students' special needs across the district's 28 schools.
As a private, non-profit organization, the BSF depends on individual and corporate donors in order to fund its
school programs. In partnership with the Bellevue School District, the Parent-Teacher Associations, the Bellevue
Chamber of Commerce and school educators and administrators, the Bellevue Schools Foundation helps Bellevue's
public school students achieve excellence.
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Media Contact:
Margaret Dawson
The Silver Company (for Bellevue Schools Foundation)
Tel: 206-624-0388
Cel: 206-355-6872
margaret@thesilvercompany.com
or
Ann Grometstein
Bellevue Schools Foundation
Tel: 425-456-4199
ann@bsfdn.org
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Last updated Wednesday, March 17th, 2004.
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