Community Builder

Community Garden

Bear Creek Elementary in Bend is transforming and rebuilding its garden area. The school wishes to provide students with hands-on experience in growing food and flowers. Many students will benefit from time outside with a constructive break and to get their hands in the dirt! A garden will provide students with experience in planning, sowing and growing. Students will work together and across grade levels interacting with more adults that can become allies and mentors.

When we work together, we grow together. Students will have opportunities to care for something outside of their everyday life and be proud of their hard work.

Creative Collaboration Mural Project

Adams Elementary School is a Title I school housed in one of the oldest school buildings in the Eugene district. The 1949 building continues to give students an adequate location to learn and grow, but it is greatly lacking expression of the culture and community. The Adams Elementary School Mural Project will not only beautify an external wall of the aged neighborhood school, but give students a chance to express themselves through a large public art piece for the community to share. The wall that has been selected for the project is outward facing, along the school parking lot and sports fields, so the artwork will be enjoyed by everyone coming to and from the school and athletic practices, in addition to neighbors passing along the neighborhood streets.

Outside Learning Oasis

The Outdoor Learning Oasis project aims to create a vibrant outdoor area between the main building and the outdoor music module at Molalla Elementary School. This space will serve as a dedicated outdoor learning and enrichment area for students, promoting their mental health and overall well-being. Given the school’s Title I status and the majority of students on free/reduced lunch, this project seeks to provide a supportive and engaging environment that showcases the care for every student’s education and development.

Thriving through Middle School

Since 2001, St. Andrew Nativity School has been Oregon’s only private, tuition-free middle school exclusively serving families from underserved communities. All its students are eligible for the National School Lunch Program, ensuring access to free and reduced-priced meals. The school is introducing “Thriving through Middle School”, an initiative aimed at equipping the counseling center with wellness kits for families experiencing crises and enhancing the counseling environment to address the diverse mental health and social-emotional needs of its students.

Playground Restoration/Improvement

Rockwood Preparatory Academy in the Reynolds school district aims to enhance its playground area to offer students ample space for recreational activities. Their vision includes incorporating a swing set, soccer field and other games that encourage physical movement. Additionally, the school plans to install a cover over the blacktop area to allow outdoor recess throughout the year. This expansion will provide students with more room for creative expression and play.

Celebrating Culinary Diversity!

Sunstone Montessori School seeks funding to establish a student-driven farming project at their new Milwaukie campus. Their goal is to build a hoop house on the expansive 12-acre property. This structure will provide opportunities for students, their families, and local community members to grow and harvest plants and ingredients that hold significance to their family cultures. This project aims to celebrate the rich ethnic and cultural diversity within both the school and neighboring communities. By cultivating crops that may be new to some, and incorporating foods important that hold cultural importance to others, individuals will have the chance to learn about and celebrate the various heritages, ethnicities, and cultural blends present within our broader community.

Family S.T.E.M. Night Cardboard Creation Room

Rieke Elementary, a Portland public school, is gearing up for next year’s S.T.E.M. night. Recognizing the importance of providing students with hands-on exploration to create outside of the classroom, the schools aims to foster creativity and imagination outside of textbooks. The Community Builder award funds would be allocated towards the purchase of Makedo kits. These kits, which utilize low-tech, real tools, offer engaging and fun learning experiences that stimulate creativity and enhance both fine and gross motor skills. S.T.E.M night serves as an opportunity to welcome the community into the school’s engaging educational environment.

Sutherlin Woodshop

Sutherlin High School students take great pride in the Career Technical Education (CTE) classes, recognizing their importance in bridging the skills gap. For almost a decade, the high school has provided students the opportunity to teach skills and instill the value of workmanship in the school’s shop class. Through partnerships between elementary school classes and high school shop classes, students not only work on projects together but also cultivate meaningful relationships. Now, this project aims to elevate an already successful mentoring program to new heights. With a growing need for hands-on activities for elementary students, a demand for soft skills among high school students preparing for the workforce or college, and a continuous need for skilled employees in various industries, this initiative is vital. While the shop is well-equipped, there are ongoing costs associated with tool maintenance, replacement, and materials that need to be addressed.