As a fanatical Eden Prairie Lifestyle reader, there is much you could teach the youth of Eden Prairie. No child under your tutelage would ever forget where to find our town’s best grocery store, barbecue restaurant, or electric bicycle dealership.
Sadly, your present obligations prevent you from donating your time and expertise at local schools. You have a job and/or fascinating hobbies to attend to. You may even have kids of your own, and still have to teach them a thing or two before sending them off into the fray.
Take heart. Thanks to the Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools (FEPS), it’s easy to do right by tomorrow’s leaders. Simply make a donation to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and let their team tend to the rest.
“When our grants and recognition committee reviews an application, we’re very intentional about reaching students of all ages,” said Liz Dayton, educator and member of FEPS’ board of directors. “We fund the ‘READY! for Kindergarten’ program which helps parents and caregivers prepare their children for what awaits after Little Eagles Preschool. We provide funding to the TASSEL Transition program, which prepares students between the ages of 18 and 22 to achieve independence. Ultimately, if there’s an opportunity to supplement the great work Eden Prairie Schools already does, we’re actively searching for it.”
“We have awarded over $1.7 million to innovative programs since our foundation in 1998,” said Dr. Lisa Sisinni, executive director of FEPS. “Our donors’ generosity made it possible to award our largest grant to date earlier this year: $100,000 for Eden Prairie High School’s new Emerging Technologies Lab, where students will experiment with virtual reality, robotics, 3D printing, and other things that only existed on Star Trek back when we were all growing up.
“We recently provided VR goggles to the elementary schools as well. I got to witness a geography lesson that had children strolling down the Champs-Élysées, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, and soaring high above the Grand Canyon. With all the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ I heard that day, I may as well have been watching fireworks.”
“Many of my daughter’s high school classmates are looking forward to careers in nursing,” said Liz. “They especially benefited from the $4,500 grant FEPS awarded to Eden Prairie High School for its new Medical Terminology and Health Careers course. It enabled health and science instructors Andrea Benzine and Kjersten Welter to cover the costs of stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, and other instruments aspiring medical professionals need to familiarize themselves with.”
FEPS awards many grants for $5,000 or less. When Little Eagles lead teacher Jillian Lorang wanted to purchase ‘Hoot Owl Hoot!,’ ‘The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel,’ and other cooperative board games, FEPS was there. When Cedar Ridge Elementary special education teachers Kim Kelley and Kathy Otos sought funding for a sensory motor area, FEPS was there. And when Eden Prairie High School physics instructor Dr. Michael Nehring requested digital sensors that engineering students could use to learn predictive analysis, FEPS was only too happy to pick up the tab.
“We don’t award grants indiscriminately,” Liz continued. “Sometimes the need for educational materials or a new program is clear as day – but funding for it is available from other avenues. That’s why we frequently direct district administrators’ attention to places where public funding can do the most good for our students.”
“Our grants aren’t exclusively reserved for teachers, either,” said Lisa. “We recently provided MoveFwd with funding for youth counselors in our district. We also help the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club continue one of our town’s most cherished traditions: My Book Day, which provides a hardbound book to each first grader in the city. Ask any Eden Prairie high schooler if they still have their book. Odds are they do!”
FEPS is kicking off their 2024 Annual Appeal to coincide with Minnesota’s Give to the Max campaign on November 21st. Last year’s outpouring of generosity equaled $54,360. Let’s exceed that by December 31st. If you’re looking for the best way to make an immediate and resonating impact in our community (and maybe deduct some choice qualified contributions while you’re at it), then you can learn what to do at foundationforepschools.org.
FEPS’ mission is to support and enhance the legacy of excellence in Eden Prairie Public Schools. Through your generosity, they:
- Fund grants that impact students
- Manage college scholarships awarded to Eden Prairie High School students
- Honor individuals who make a difference