.
.
Our Impact
When you donate to the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation, you’re doing more than giving of your time or money—you’re giving the gift of education. We are empowering teachers and giving students opportunities many would not otherwise have. As a one-stop shop for charitable donations, a gift to the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation is the most efficient and effective entry point to donate money to the classroom. We offer a centralized way for parents, alumni, and community supporters to give to the teachers and/or schools they wish to support.
2021 Public School Proud Grant Winners
Galactic Mallet Space Stations
Anna Hakeman and Jesse Miller from Whittier Middle School have been awarded the largest grant ($9,931.48) for their proposal, “Galactic Mallet Space Stations.” They will purchase four Pearl Malletstation controllers and the accompanying software. In addition to aiding in the development of strong mallet players, Malletstations give directors and students the flexibility to use correct instrument sounds in modern band literature without the need to purchase uncommon and costly instruments. This grant will impact more than 400 fifth- through eighth-grade students each year.
Smithsonian Science for the Classroom
Justin Stanford from Discovery Elementary received $6,249.25 for his submission, “Smithsonian Science for the Classroom.” Justin will use funds to purchase STEM module kits for life science, earth science, physical science, and engineering design to supplement current district science resources. The Smithsonian Science for the Classroom program is a fully integrated STEM curriculum developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is designed to engage students in phenomenon-based learning and connect students firsthand to the world around them.
Cyber:bots: Ready for Competition
Valerie VanHeuveln from Washington High School received $4,595.49 for “Cyber:bots: Ready for Competition.” She will purchase 12 sets of Parallax cyber:bots and coding software. Students will program the robots to move, perform tasks, and navigate various obstacles. Through these activities, students will gain skills in trouble-shooting and critical thinking and learn that teamwork is paramount to problem-solving.
MaKey MaKey
Sara Southwood from Rosa Parks Elementary received $2,582.11 for her grant, “MaKey MaKey—Connecting the Whole Student to Music Through Coding.” MaKey MaKey is an engineering invention kit that turns everyday objects into touchpads and combines them with the Internet. Students will use MaKey MaKeys to create an interactive musical instrument. With the help of the visual arts instructor, students will create a piece of artwork and then compose music to accompany their art. More than 700 students will benefit from this grant.
Your Donations In Action
“The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation has provided me the opportunity as an educator to expand my students’ knowledge base and help them grow as problem solvers and critical thinkers in the world around them! Our Public School Proud Grant, "MaKey MaKey - Connecting the Whole Student to Music Through Coding", will allow every learner to reach new levels of thought processing, risk-taking, and out-of-the-box thinking within the safety of the classroom environment. Thank you, Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation, for providing a fun way to access coding resources for all of our learners at Rosa Parks Elementary School!”
Sara Southwood
Music Teacher at Rosa Parks Elementary