A child’s capacity for learning is infinite. Sadly, the funding available for their education is anything but. That is why the Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools (FEPS) proudly supports students, teachers and staff across our district as they implement innovative classroom programs that bring learning to life and ensure our future leaders are college and career ready.
FEPS awards grants to teachers and community organizations who are passionate about helping students of all ages. The non-profit organization also provides scholarships to high school seniors, and they host the annual Red & Black Gala during which they recognize individuals who best embody their mission through the Legacy Awards.
“At its heart, our mission is simple,” said Dr. Lisa Sisinni, executive director for FEPS. “We want teachers and students to follow their dreams without having to worry about the limits created by budgets. Thanks to the boundless generosity of the Eden Prairie community, we’re coming closer to realizing that mission every day.
“If you walk past Prairie View Elementary, you’ll likely notice the splendidly maintained little garden in their courtyard. It exists because one teacher saw an opportunity to teach her students about ecology and botany without ever having to leave school grounds. She requested a small amount of money in order to bring her idea to life, but the garden she and her students grew serves as an excellent example of the difference an educator can make with just the tiniest extra budget.
“We don’t solely award grants to teachers. So long as they have an innovative idea that will help Eden Prairie’s students – and the ability to implement it – anyone can receive a grant from FEPS. For example, we recently partnered with the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club to grow the organization’s My Book Day Program. It is a beloved program in our school district, in which every first grader is brought to the high school’s auditorium to watch a presentation and receive their own book to keep. If you speak with any of our high school seniors, they’ll almost certainly remember the book they received 12 years ago and still have it!
“Members of our local business community often step up to support our students as well. Eden Prairie High School has a program called Eagle Vision News, where students report stories of interest to their peers over live broadcast. Unfortunately, the program’s teleprompters became so obsolete that students had to read their reports from their notebooks – hardly the best way to hone the skills they’ll one day need as professional journalists!
“When FEPS learned about this need, we brought it straight to 3M, a company which is phenomenal for their commitment to furthering education opportunities in any city they proudly call home. Their team took immediate interest in Eagle Vision News, and even sent one of their representatives to meet with the students in person. As a result, 3M donated the $5,000 needed to buy new state-of-the-art teleprompters.
“As the mother of a special needs student myself, the TASSEL Transition Program is especially near and dear to my heart. It prepares students with disabilities to achieve independence, secure rewarding employment, and become fully participating members of their community. Last year TASSEL came to us with the idea of opening a full-scale screen-printing shop, where students would learn how to design, create and market T-shirts. Now that we have invested in the necessary equipment, TASSEL students have already produced their first line of officially branded merchandise and are implementing ways to serve local businesses for their promotional materials.
“Sometimes FEPS makes a difference by focusing on a single individual. We awarded the Griffiths Family Scholarship for Health Sciences to Neetij Krishnan, a local Fulbright Scholar who has already done an internship with the National Institutes of Health and is determined to become a doctor. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Harold Griffiths and his children, Neetij attended and graduated from St. Olaf College and has now been accepted to medical school. He is well on his way toward achieving his dream.
“FEPS is an admittedly small group of volunteers. But we have a passion for educational excellence, and we appreciate just how dearly our teachers and our community care about our youth, so we work hard to make big dreams come true. However great or small your contribution to FEPS might be, I promise it will do wonders for the future of Eden Prairie.”
Visit foundationforepschools.org to learn more about FEPS and how you can support their mission. If you are interested in donating or volunteering, feel welcome to contact Dr. Sisinni directly at Lsisinni@foundationforepschools.org or (952) 975-7205.
