For Immediate Release – 10/4/2018
Brevard Schools Foundation Receives Matching Grant
The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) recently awarded Brevard Schools Foundation $91,089.42 in matching funds through the School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program. These funds are used to support three programs for Brevard Schools Foundation including Bright Ideas Classroom Grants for Teachers, the Supply Zone, and Destination Space.
Each year, Brevard Schools Foundation awards Bright Ideas teacher grants for innovative and creative projects with a focus on increasing student achievement. These projects range from the chemistry and biological facets of raising an organic garden and coding robots to building solar cars and using literary science super hero novels to bolster reading comprehension and improving science scores. “The matching grant funds allow us to amplify the impact of the grants we offer while teachers are able to find new ways to engage their students and bring learning to life” said Janice Kershaw, President and CEO of the Brevard Schools Foundation. “We greatly appreciate the Legislators for providing this incentive for donors to double their gift.”
The Supply Zone for Teachers is entering its’ fifth year of operation and currently serves 25 of Brevard County’s highest poverty public schools. The Supply Zone is set up like a retail store comprising of aisles of schools supplies and books and is 100% free for teachers to shop at for their students in need. To date, the Supply Zone has distributed over $2 million in free school supplies to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children in our community.
Destination Space (formerly known as Space Week) is a unique program offered annually to 6th grade students in Brevard Public Schools. Focused on STEM education and celebrating our rich history in space, the Brevard Schools Foundation partners with elementary curriculum leaders in developing an exciting program designed to inspire student’s imaginations and spark their curiosity. This curriculum culminates in a day long study trip to Kennedy Space Center where students’ experience the advancements in space research and exploration first hand. “Having an educated workforce and students interested in STEM careers is particularly important here on the Space Coast” said Janice Kershaw, President and CEO of Brevard Schools Foundation. “We have seen many students discover a passion for engineering through the truss build exercise or develop a new perspective for math when they realize they could be the one to get people to Mars.”
Through the collaborative effort of its members, the CFEF successfully advocated for the creation of legislative matching funds in 2000 which has provided a dollar-for-dollar incentive for local education foundations to raise private contributions for eligible projects. Since then, nearly $92 million in combined private and state dollars has been employed for local projects that serve low-performing students and literacy initiatives, encourage STEM and career/technical education, improve teaching quality, and/or increase graduation rates.
The CFEF is the membership organization for Florida’s school district-wide local education foundations. Established in 1987, the CFEF maximizes the individual and collective strength of Florida local education foundations to support local partners and schools in achieving student success. The CFEF now has 65 member foundations with 1,100 business and community leaders serving as volunteer board members. Collectively, they raise $64 million annually to support students, teachers and schools through a variety of programs. The CFEF has facilitated more than $46 million to local education foundations since 2002 through various private- and public-sector partnerships, including the State of Florida School District Education Foundation Matching Grant Program.
To learn more about the CFEF and the statewide impact of the program, visit www.educationfoundationsfl.org.
ABOUT BREVARD SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
Brevard Schools Foundation fills educational funding and opportunity gaps at all of our 83 public schools for over 74,000 students and 5,000 teachers by supporting innovation, engaging communities, and changing lives. Funds come from private contributions, corporate support, public matching funds, fundraising and endowments. The Brevard Schools Foundation is nationally ranked for their role in supporting public education in Brevard County.
Contact: Katherine Allen, Brevard Schools Foundation
Phone: 321-633-1000 ext. 474
Email: allen.katherine@brevardschools.org