Education Foundation of Greenville

WHAT WE DO

Founded in 1991, the Education Foundation of Greenville’s mission is to acquire and distribute financial, and other resources, to the Greenville Public Schools. These resources are to be used for programs and projects that enhance and/or supplement educational programs and provide extended educational opportunities to students in our community.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Consider donating to one or more of these:

• Academic Enhancement Fund

This endowment provides critical funding for innovative programs designed to meet the needs of academically ambitious students.

• Performing Arts Fund

This endowment fund is designed to sustain programming and staffing to preserve performing arts education.

• Athletic Enhancement Fund

This endowment fund is designed to provide funding for GPS Athletics above and beyond the valuable support of the

Athletic Boosters.

• Donation to Teacher Grants and Student

Scholarships

Your gift will provide funds for Student

Summer Camp Scholarships and Teacher

Grants for the students and teachers at

Greenville Public Schools.

Middle School Students preparing for their 5K race at the snowy 2019 Yellow Jacket Challenge

EVENTS AND FUNDRAISING

Fundraising Sources:

• GPS Employees / Payroll Deduction • Individual Donations • Business Donations • Memorials • Fundraisers • Investment / Interest Income

Annual Fundraisers:

• FALL FESTIVAL DINNER & AUCTION

Normally held in mid September

The 2019 Fall Festival and Dinner featured students from the GHS LINK Program that pairs general education and students with special needs to form lifelong friends through mentorship. This historically raises about $10,000 per year.

• WINTER CONCERT

December

For 19 years the EFG partnered with

Stafford Media Solutions to bring the

Grand Rapids Symphony and their Holiday

Pops Concert to Greenville High School’s

Performing Arts Center at Christmas time.

This Winter Concert event usually nets $8,000-$12,000 per year.

• OUR3 VARIETY SHOW

Fall

This annual Variety Show features local talent of all ages and raises funds in support of the Performing Arts

Endowment and helps provide resources and supplies to the K-12 Performing Arts

Department. This show raises about $5,000 Annually.

• YELLOW JACKET CHALLENGE

Spring

Yellow Jacket Challenge (YJC) is a familyfriendly event that features a 5K run, one-mile walk and the Yellow Jacket Fun

Run. We average about 350 5K runners and about 100 walkers/fun runners taking part in this annual event. Event proceeds allowed the average $8,000 annually.

FAST FACTS

• The EFG presents an Outstanding Alumnus

Award each year to a graduate of Greenville

High School, who has been out of school for 10 years, and has modeled citizenship by sharing their talents for the improvement of the quality of life for their community, and enhanced the development of youth. The 2020 Outstanding Alumnus was Stephen

Wyckoff, class of 1965. Nominations can be made on our website at efgmi.com. • The EFG was able to help academically ambitious students pay for dual enrollment college credits in the Fall 2020 Semester at

Montcalm Community College, Western

Michigan University and Aquinas College. • Our Endowment Campaign started in 2008, and currently holds a combined amount of $1.4 million, of which we only spend the interest each year. • Combined total for gifted funds since inception in 1991 in Grants and Scholarships to Greenville Public Schools is $1.2 million.

CONTACT INFORMATION

1414 Chase St., Greenville, MI 48838 616-225-1000 www.efgmi.com

BOARD MEMBERS

Jamie McNinch..................................................Chair Maureen Wolverton............................... Vice-Chair Michelle Blaszczynski...............................Secretary Michael Hurst............................................. Treasurer Wendy Baty................................Executive Director Kara Tiesworth.......................Recording Secretary

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bob Byram Miranda Haywood-Curry Steven Day Harold Deines Penny Dora Steve Foster Steve Kemp Kathy Korson Carolyn Slocum Linda VanHouten Joel VanHouten Kire Weirda

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

Sophia Plate Mia McNinch

AN ORGANIZATION FOUNDED TO SUPPORT THE STAFF AND STUDENTS OF GREENVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Giving to the EFG is especially important this year. Students and teachers are under an incredible amount of pressure as they adjust to a new normal of teaching and learning in socially distant, face to face, hybrid and online learning. Unfortunately, living in a world with a global pandemic has forced us to cancel all of our 2020 fundraising events and to dip into our reserves. However we continue to be dedicated to supporting Greenville Public School teachers and students!

• The 2020 CARES (Coronavirus Aid,

Relief, and Economic Security) Act provides tax incentives for giving in 2020. Charitable donations may be eligible for tax deduction of up to $300 from your taxable income. • You may give a one-time gift or pledge to become a monthly or yearly donor. It is a nice way to honor or remember an individual or loved one.

PLEASE GIVE! • Donations can be sent to:

Education Foundation of Greenville

Wendy Baty 1414 Chase St., Greenville, MI 48838 • Donations can be made online at: www.efgmi.com/efg/igive/ 30 Years of Funding: • Over $423,400 has been awarded for teacher grants over the last 30 years. These are given for innovative instruction, artist/scientist-inresidence, and wellness initiatives. • Over $273,000 in scholarships have been awarded to Greenville Public

School students to attend seminars, camps and institutes, and college. • EFG OUR3 endowed funds at the Greenville Area Community

Foundation have awarded $523,260 since the fund started 12 years ago.

These funds are focused on: • Academic Enhancement: An educational endowment fund to provide funding for innovative programs designed to meet the needs of academically ambitious students. • Performing Arts: An endowment fund that would sustain programming and staffing to preserve, protect, and enhance performing arts education. • Athletics: An endowment fund to provide funding for GPS Athletics. • Byron and Dolores Cook Fund for Music: A donor directed fund to preserve Music Education at Greenville Public Schools. • Bill Braman Scholarship Fund for Graduating Seniors: A

Scholarship for high school seniors who are the first generation in their family to attend college, OR for students entering technical/ vocational career training.

GMS Band Director and GHS Jazz Band Director Joe Radtke and the Jazz Band at the 2020 OUR 3 Variety Show in January. EFG funds helped the Performing Arts Department bring in guest artist Trevor Miles of Hamilton to teach the students about performing on Broadway. 275765