The Westerville Education Foundation has been providing grants in support of educators in Westerville City Schools since 1995. We've been working in partnership with the district, business sponsors, other local nonprofits, and individual donors to build a lasting legacy of support for our educators and students. These grants form the foundation of our mission and our legacy in the community.
Our Legacy
After School Homework Club
Fouse Elementary
Tracy Price
Provide bus transportation for students to After School Homework Club
Global Games
Heritage Middle School
Jennifer Cole & Debbie Pellington
Purchase of Global Games unit to provide year-long, cross-curricular learning opportunities through game play
African-American Read-In
Blendon Middle School
Lee Rutherford & LaTresa Rieves
Making literacy a significant part of Black History Month by building community, bringing awareness and understanding, and building conversation around diverse texts, especially African-American texts.
Huber Garden Project
Huber Ridge Elementary
Kaylee Reese, Ashley Dias & George Victory
Materials to grow and maintain a school garden to help teach practical skills, and to encourage team building and inclusion, particularly for Emotional Disturbance (ED) students.
Rocky Book Walk
McVay Elementary
Olivia Bechtel
All-weather, outdoor book walk along the trail adjacent to McVay ES, to enable adaptable, continuous student learning.
Longfellow School Garden
Longfellow Elementary
Kristin Potter
Plant and maintain a school garden to help teach English language proficiency and science, particularly for English Learners
Family Engagement
Westerville South
Brandi Young
Post-COVID re-engagement for students and their families through learning various musical insturments and playing various family games
Hang Time Social Skills Club
Westerville North High School
Sarah Painter & Cassondra Wilson
Purchase of event tickets, and access to BrainPOP, to help teach social skills to students who have disabilities, and to help them earn their Student Engagement graduation seal.
Culinary Club
Westerville Central High School
Jody Christy & Richard Heeron
Teaching students how to prepare a home-cooked meal that is simple and inexpensive
Black Voices Production
Westerville South High School
Matt Wolfe
Promoting the arts and showcasing productions that represent black/brown plays written by black women, and featuring a diverse cast.
Warrior Way Mentoring Program
Westerville North High School
Kristina Cameron
Connecting Westerville North students with elementary & middle school students across the district to prepare them for HS and to teach "The Warrior Way."
Summer Reading Program
Mark Twain Elementary
Susan Kaul
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PURPOSEFUL PLAY
Annehurst Elementary
Jessica Stranges
Implementing research-based purposeful play activities for kindergarten students using a light table, translucent bricks, numbers and letters, and magnatiles.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN READ-IN
Blendon Middle School
Lee Rutherford & Latresa Rieve
This grants supports the purchase of workshop materials and supplies for the event.
TRAUMA-INFORMED INTERVENTION
McVay & Huber Ridge Elementary Schools
Sheila Ebbrecht
Grant will fund training for 4 staff members to become trainers in trauma interventions and strategies.
SOCIAL & LIFE SKILLS
Westerville North High School:
Melissa Palmore
Funds for a program for students with autism and Asperger's to help them develop social and life skills.
HUSKY STRONG BOYS GROUP
Heritage Middle School
Anitra Simmons
Grant supports the development of a group for positive modeling for behavior and social skills for boys.
3-D PRINTER FOR CODERS
Hawthorne Elementary
Rhonda Letterio
Funds will purchase a 3-D printer for the Hawthorne Hackers After School Coding Club.
WILD WARBOTS ROBOTICS
High Schools
Leslie Baumann
Supports the all-high school robotics team.
COMFORT QUILTS
Whittier Elementary
Natalie Hetrick & Heather Alexander
Funds a progam to help student create and deliver quilts to The James.
TOURNIQUETS & TECHNOLOGY
Westerville Central High School
Payton McCarthy
Supplied 100 tourniquets for the Stop the Bleed program.
NATURE HOP SENSORY WALK
Huber Ridge Elementary
Tami Richmond & Amy Van Sickle
Creates a sensory movement area at the school, allowing students to walk, stretch, hop, and move while focusing on letters and numbers.
TEAM TEACHING
McVay Elementary
Kate Wirthlin & Rachel Schultz
Funds collaboration on a Clay Catching program to team teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.
JAGUAR UPDATE WITH HUNT
Genoa Middle School
Leah Gaines
Grant funds purchase of a video camera, green screen, and profession editing software for students to create a new program and work with McKayla Hunt, local new anchor, on the Jaguar Update.
M.O.D.E.L.
Heritage Middle School
Tami Santa, Cynthia DeVese, & Jill Ponzi
Program aims to increase girls' sense of self-worth, attitude toward education, help them become self-sufficient as leaders, and improve their school performance.
EL TUTORING
Mark Twain
Kim Glaser
After school tutoring program for English Language learners.
ROX @ WHITTIER
Whittier Elementary
Stephanie Young-Newberry
Brings the Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) program to Whittier Elementary. This program teaches self-empowerment, confidence, and decision-making to girls.
SUMMER READING
Mark Twain Elementary
Susan Kaul
Implements a summer reading program for 600+ students.
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RESOURCE ROOM SET
Hanby Elementary
Megan Hedges
Grant supports the purchase of the Making Connections Reading Comprehension Intervention Resource for use in the Intervention Room.
MOBILE MAKERSPACE
Emerson Elementary School
Jeffrey Militko
Grant supports the purchase of materials to construct a mobile maker space for use at Emerson.
SECOND STEP LEARNING KIT
Early Learning Center
Vicki Shepherd
This kit supports teaching social emotional skills and self-regulation in a developmentally appropriate way that is engaging for young children.
BOOK BUSTERS CLUB
Wilder Elementary
Amanda McQuown
Funds for a 100+ student recess book club.
SMART NOTEBOOK APPS
District-wide
Daphne Irby & Kimi Dodds
Grant funds the purchase of 286 SMART Notebook apps for use on district iPads.
HATCHING EGGS
Huber Ridge Elementary
Kathy Gauen
Grant will replace the broken incubator. The program has been a tradition at Huber Ridge for many years.
EMOTIONAL STUDY IN POTTERY
McVay Elementary
Sheila Ebbrecht & Katie Wirthlin
Students with emotional disabilities will have access to work on a pottery while to give them a positive, creative and physical outlet to release emotions.
ELECTRONIC CUTTING MACHINE
Walnut Spring Middle School
Jean Trimble
Funds will purchase a Cricut Explore cutting machine for student and teacher use in the newly designed Fab Lab
SCHOOL STORE
Hawthorne Elementary
Anne Genuisz
Grant awards funds for fifth grade students to create and run a school store.
EDU-CACHING
Blendon Middle School
Jennifer Eckstein, Jeff McMillan & Lisa Patko
Using GPS receivers, students will be exposed to real-world mathematics and geospatial science.
P.R.I.D.E. INITIATIVES
Heritage Middle School
Ann Bates
Funds will cover fees for speakers, entertainers, awards, books, t-shirts, a button maker and printing costs.
INDOOR MONARCH SANCTUARY
North High School
Erin Zacharias, Kyle Campbell, Cait Maloy & Matt Whistle
An indoor monarch butterfly sanctuary will be established that will raise more than 150 adult monarch butterflies annually. In addition, two outdoor butterfly gardens will be constructed.
MOBILE MAKER SPACE
All Elementary Schools
KK Hunter
Funds a Mobile MakerSpace, where students come together to build, share knowledge and solve problems.
AFTER SCHOOL CODING CLUB
Hawthorne Elementary
Chris Poynter & Megan Winand
Funds will be used to purchase microprocessors and power cables so student's can continue work at home. Three rolls of filament will be purchased so the Hackers can learn how to use a recently donated 3D printer.
SENSORY REGULATION
Blenson Middle School
Marynelle Liston
Funds will be used to provide more sensory regulation items for students with Asperger’s syndrome, mental health issues and multiple disabilities.
TANKS FOR TEACHERS
Westerville North High School
Kyle Campbell
A project that will involve zoology students setting up and maintaining ten 40-gallon aquariums to be placed in different classrooms throughout the school. Each aquarium will contain native Ohio fish that will eventually be added to stock the Larimore Land Lab pond located behind the school.
MAKER RECESS OPPORTUNITIES
Huber Ridge Elementary
Ashley Rable & Judith Gawelek
To provide additional opportunities for students who do not prefer to go outside for their recess time.
DIVERSITY DIALOGUES
Central High School
Kyle King, Natalie Barrett, Cynthia DeVese & Jill Williams
To host guest speakers who come from diverse backgrounds to speak with students during lunch periods and interact in a small setting.
ZEN ZONES
Robert Frost Elementary
Natalie Hildebrandt
To facilitate Social Emotional Learning by creating a designated space where students can experience a calm environment with various sensory options, allowing them to regulate themselves and return to class ready to learn.
9/11 SURVIVOR SPEAKER
North High School
Kristina Cameron
To host guest speakers who come from diverse backgrounds to speak with students during lunch periods and interact in a small setting.
AESOP'S FABLES
Emerson Elementary
Shannon Goebeler
To allow third-grade students to read various Aesop’s Fables and then in March see the Tennessee Theatre Touring Company’s production of Aesop’s Fables at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
MULTICULTURAL VIDEO LIBRARY
Central High School
Christina Lippencott, Nikki Lorenz, Erin Moehl, Holly Park and Jennifer Snider
To purchase a culturally relevant and engaging video library that increases students’ language and cultural proficiency while creating a connection between students’ lives and the identified culture.
AFTER SCHOOL CODING CLUB
Hawthorne Elementary
Megan Winand & Rhonda Letterio
To expand the after-school coding club for third, fourth and fifth-grade students with a greater variety of coding experiences and more advanced challenges.
WILDCAT P.R.I.D.E. PROGRAM
South High School
Sarah Detrick
To increase student awareness of and buy-in to programs that increase students’ sense of belonging, as well as recognize those who model appropriate behaviors aligned to the core values of Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Encouragement.
WARRIOR WEAR
North High School
Angela Karow
To allow SLC students to learn life skills by creating school spirit items through the purchase of a T-shirt heat press and supplies that will be used in conjunction with machines in The SHOP in order to build a sustainable student service venture.
WARRIOR WEAR
North High School
Angela Karow
To allow SLC students to learn life skills by creating school spirit items through the purchase of a T-shirt heat press and supplies that will be used in conjunction with machines in The SHOP in order to build a sustainable student service venture.
PIONEER PROJECT
Fouse Elementary
Emily Considine & Maria Petrozzi
New books for the K-2 Book Room to be utilized by 15 teachers.
PROJECT LIT @ NORTH
Westerville South High School
Brandi Young
Funds will support the implementation of the Project LIT program at South.
I AM A G.I.F.T: FINANCIAL LITERACY
Middle & High Schools
Cynthia DeVese & Tia Johnson
Financial literacy and decision-making program for middle and high school girls.
EBOOKS FOR (S)ELEARNING
Westerville South High School
Brandi Young
For the purchase of a 77 ebook Social Emotional collection for use by students.
DRONES & ENGINEERING
Heritage Middle School:
Matt Fetrow
Funds support the introduction of drones and drone technology into the middle school engineering pathway.
PROJECT LIT @ CENTRAL
Westerville Central High School
Amy Ferris
Funds will support the introduction of the Project LIT program at Central HS.
COMMUNICATION BOARD
Wilder Elementary
Christine Eshenbaugh
For the purchase of two communication boards for use by speech-impaired students during recess.
EL LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS
Multiple Elementary Schools
Jan Fedorenko & Lori Searfoss
Program introduces English learning to families to help them learn about the structure of the school day by engaging in different art activities.
EL LIBRARY EXPANSION
Westerville North High School
Jessica Martin
Funds the expansion of English-Language learning books in the Westerville North library.
MULTISENSORY ART STUDIO
Early Learning Center
Ann Rochon & Betsy Gambone
Funds support the design of the studio into five stations to stimulate the senses.
CHEM GEMS
Westerville North High School
Jeff Bracken
Funds support the Chem Gems, chemistry and business student collaboration to learn about, make, market and sell bath bombs.
FIT FROSTIES
Robert Frost
Eric Indiciani
Before school running club for students.
YOGA FOR STUDENTS
Academic Enrichment Center
Amy Anglin & Scott Ebbrecht
This grant support yoga instruction for students at the AEC to help with social and emotional balance.
MINORITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
District-wide
Amy Spencer
Funded 50 students to train as Minority Scholar Student Leaders. This trained this to become peer leaders, tutors, and mentors in their schools.
PODCASTING
Districtwide
Lane Halterman & Drew Farrell
Creation of a mobile podcasting station for use in schools around the district.
AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORS
Annehurst Elementary
Sarah Flager
Supports the materials needed for after school tutoring.
LEADER IN ME
Pointview Elementary
Kevin Kissling
Funds the purchase of a leadership library of books for the families of Pointview.
PREVENTING SUMMER SLIDE
Pointview Elementary
Kim Holter
Provided books for a summer reading program at Pointview.
NATURE PLAY & LEARNING AREA
Hawthorne Elementary
Christine Doolittle
Funds for create a garden space for students to use for planting. The area will give student an alternative play area.
GRAPHIC MATH AIDS
Westerville South High School
David Schultz
Funds development of large posters of important math concepts for display.
WONDERFULLY UNIQUE
Heritage Middle School
Danielle Brown, Kris Konik & Debbie Pellington
Funds all students to study the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. Student will also create a reflection diary on the book.
LITTLEBITS CIRCUITS
Cherrington Elementary
Michelle Lowe & Jaclyn Gafford
Funds the purchase of circuit sets for use in the classroom.
WRITING CENTER PILOT
Walnut Springs Middle School
Bethany Morvay & Jill Smith
School will pilot a writing center staffed by student volunteers and writing coaches from local universities. Trains students to work as coaches in the future.
IMAGINATION STATIONS
Fouse Elementary
Elizabeth Meta
Funds activity stations in the library that promote 21st century problem-solving and collaboration skill development.
STAND UP FOR LEARNING
Mark Twain Elementary
Christopher Hendricksen
Funds the purchase of thirty standing desks and stools for a fifth grade science classroom.
JAZZ EDUCATION FOR ALL
Blendon Middle School
Amy Levine
The Jazz Arts Group will provide teaching artists to work with the middle school jazz band on fundamentals of improvisation and standard jazz repertoire.
THE MEMORY PROJECT
Central High School
Jen Kiko
The Memory Project is a unique service project organization that pairs high school artists with children from orphanages around the world. Before completing a realistic painting of each child on canvas paper, students will study portraiture. Upon completion, the organization delivers the actual piece of art to the child.
WILDCATS READ
SouthHigh School
Jill Smith & Noelle Spriestersbach
An indoor monarch butterfly sanctuary will be established that will raise more than 150 adult monarch butterflies annually. In addition, two outdoor butterfly gardens will be constructed.
CD PRODUCTION
Alcott Elementary
Jim Ledford
Students will work collaboratively to produce and market their own classroom music c.d. They will be involved in the process of choosing songs, designing a cover, creating a name, advertising and selling the product at a release party.
LETS GET READY TO LEARN
Hawthorne, Annehurst & Heritage Schools
Julie Koontz
Special Education students must be at just the right Sensory Integration level to learn. Providing pupils with a variety of sensory tools and alternative seating options will promote academic success and participation within the classroom. Funds were used to purchase a crash pad, three hoki stools, two scooter boards, cube chairs, beanbags and a beanbag chair.
SONG CREATION WORKSHOP
Walnut Springs Middle Schools
Jean Trimble
he Dick and Jane Project is an assemblage of experienced producers, songwriters, and musicians who collaborate with middle school students to create radio-ready songs.
AUDIO PRODUCTION LAB
Westerville North High School
Damon Mollenkopf
To complete the lab, two professional quality microphones, suspension boom arm stands for those mics, and a protective carrying case for the mixer will be bought to allow for safe, on-site production at events like podcasts, interviews, live recording and live performances.
AP THEORY PIANO LAB
Central High School
Doug Hildreth
To provide hands-on opportunities for students to practice music theory principles and basic piano skills.
WHAT'S MY INTENT?
Central High School
Amy Ferris
To make use of the library’s makerspace to promote mindfulness by creating hand-stamped “My Intent” bracelets for students to focus on what truly guides them.
WALKING CLUB
McVay Elementary
Heather Smalley
To establish “Walking Wednesdays” as a way for students to remain physically active, as well as provide a structured way for students to take fresh air breaks and make wise decisions during recess.
BLACK HISTORY ILLUSTRATOR
Walnut Springs Middle School
Jean Trimble
To bring Bryan Collier to Walnut Springs Middle School to discuss his award-winning books about African American history and the struggle and triumph from slavery to emancipation and the Civil Rights Movement.
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN DRUMMING
Robert Frost Elementary
Jennifer Hall, Sarah Berka, Eric Indiciani & Eric Cacioppo
To allow fifth-grade students to learn about traditional West African dance, drumming and art from resident artists, followed by a culminating performance for the entire school community at an annual variety show.
FAMILY GAME NIGHT
All Elementary Schools-Gifted Program
Angie Heath
To allow the Westerville City School District’s Gifted Education Department to sponsor evening events and family game nights that promote academic and social/emotional support outside the classroom.
MANY VOICES LIBRARY
Central High School
Natalie Barrett, Aaron Starke & Katherine Cress
To establish a library that travels between classrooms and allows students to choose from a diverse selection of books that not only reflect their identity, culture and experience, but also offer views outside of their own life and identity.
CHICKS & GENETICS
Walnut Springs Middle School
Erin Morckel
To allow Advanced Placement Biology students to monitor the daily rate of growth, mass and food intake of chicks hatched in several controlled incubators located in the classroom, resulting in long-term reports of their findings.
WARRIOR 2 WARRIOR MENTORING
North High School
Kendall Wright
To implement a student-led mentoring program that allows upperclassmen with at least a 3.5 GPA to mentor other students with any academic need.
CRIS COMMUNITY CONNECTORS
North High School
Ann Englehart
The program matches interested Westerville students from Central and North with trained and qualified mentors for weekly mentoring in the school, home, or community setting. The program is goal oriented and focuses around academic and employment support, as well as social and civic engagement within Westerville and greater Columbus communities. The request is to maintain and expand services into Westerville North.
COUNTING CRITTERS
North High School
Christina Isaacs, Cait Maloy & Kyle Campbell
This project involves the use of trail cameras a means for students to assess the health of the Westerville North Land Lab through the lens of biodiversity. The cameras will allow for a multitude of studies about local wildlife in several different science classes.
DINOSAUR EXCAVATION
Wilder Elementary
Nichole Price
Students in second grade learn about animals and plants that lived long ago. In the process, they talk about how scientists learn about these animals and plants that we no longer can see or hear, and they discuss fossils.
FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES
Heritage Middle School
Anitra Simmons
This grant funds a pilot design for one of the study halls to purchase bean bag chairs, hexagon desks, and flex stools to allow for more collaboration and flexibility.
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
All Middle Schools
Lisa Huelskamp, Debbie Pellington & Chastity Laufman
Award expands the successful 8th grade Battle of the Books into the 6th grade and eventually 7th grade.
VIRTUAL THESPIAN CONFERENCE
North High School
Kim Mollohan
Registration fees for virtual thespian conference for International Thespian Society (ITS) Troupe 3156
SENIOR-DIRECTED ONE ACTS
North High School
Christian Potter, Addie Schmitt, and others
Various expenses related to the production of Senior-Directed One Acts (SD1A) including materials, licenses, royalty fees, and scripts.
WORD STUDY & PHONICS MATERIALS FOR 1ST GRADE
Mark Twain Elementary
Carol Louden, Natalie Hostetler, Amanda Matchak, and Jude Strain
Purchase of hands-on learning materials and lessons for various reading levels.
STUDENT MEDIA TEAM
McVay Elementary
Jason Fullen
Equipment and software needed to establish a student media team. The media team will engage students in the development and production of school-based media.
RULING OUR EXPERIENCES (ROX)
Robert Frost Elementary
Alisha Porter
Ruling Our Experiences (ROX) is an evidence-based empowerment program for girls.
YOGA @ SOUTH
South High School
Noelle Spriesterbach & Tammy Hanby
South hopes to build mindfulness and yoga practice as an integral and sustained part of the school culture. In partnership with The Youth Yoga Project and Balanced Yoga Studio, they plan to train specific staff members in yoga and mindfulness instruction.
LEADERSHIP VIDEO PRODUCTION
Pointview Elementary
Kelly Ocheltree
Funds the equipment to create student leadership videos and to promote concepts of student leaders
GLOBAL & HUMAN EXPERIENCES
Heritage Middle School
Jenn Cole, Debbie Pellington, Kellie Sheely, Kristin Marks & Allina Green
Students will participate in a cross-curricular unit of study in their English Language Arts and Social Studies classes, examining Trevor Noah's book, Born a Crime.
CREATING GENIUS FOXES
Fouse Elementary
Karol Hanley
Online curriculum Generation Genius provides engaging videos, discussion questions, activities, and assessments.
THE MEMORY PROJECT - ART EXCHANGE
Genoa and Heritage Middle Schools
Juls Rathje
The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding and kindness between children around the world through school-based art programs. Westerville 7th graders will exchange art projects with children from Cameroon.
UKULELES FOR ALL
Cherrington Elementary
Julie Porretta
Purchase of 35 ukuleles, 60 carrying bags, Rainbow Ukulele curriculum, and other related supplies.
KINDNESS ROCK GARDEN
Annehurst Elementary
Jennifer Stoycheff
Materials to create a permanent outdoor art installation project.
SAFE MUSIC MAKING SUPPLIES
Pointview Elementary
Alexander Chapman
Purchase of 30 ukuleles, 40 drums, and World Music Drumming curriculum.
After School Homework Club
Fouse Elementary
Tracy Price
Provide bus transportation for students to After School Homework Club
Global Games
Heritage Middle School
Jennifer Cole & Debbie Pellington
Purchase of Global Games unit to provide year-long, cross-curricular learning opportunities through game play
African-American Read-In
Blendon Middle School
Lee Rutherford & LaTresa Rieves
Making literacy a significant part of Black History Month by building community, bringing awareness and understanding, and building conversation around diverse texts, especially African-American texts.
Huber Garden Project
Huber Ridge Elementary
Kaylee Reese, Ashley Dias & George Victory
Materials to grow and maintain a school garden to help teach practical skills, and to encourage team building and inclusion, particularly for Emotional Disturbance (ED) students.
Rocky Book Walk
McVay Elementary
Olivia Bechtel
All-weather, outdoor book walk along the trail adjacent to McVay ES, to enable adaptable, continuous student learning.
Longfellow School Garden
Longfellow Elementary
Kristin Potter
Plant and maintain a school garden to help teach English language proficiency and science, particularly for English Learners
Family Engagement
Westerville South
Brandi Young
Post-COVID re-engagement for students and their families through learning various musical insturments and playing various family games
Hang Time Social Skills Club
Westerville North High School
Sarah Painter & Cassondra Wilson
Purchase of event tickets, and access to BrainPOP, to help teach social skills to students who have disabilities, and to help them earn their Student Engagement graduation seal.
Culinary Club
Westerville Central High School
Jody Christy & Richard Heeron
Teaching students how to prepare a home-cooked meal that is simple and inexpensive
Black Voices Production
Westerville South High School
Matt Wolfe
Promoting the arts and showcasing productions that represent black/brown plays written by black women, and featuring a diverse cast.
Warrior Way Mentoring Program
Westerville North High School
Kristina Cameron
Connecting Westerville North students with elementary & middle school students across the district to prepare them for HS and to teach "The Warrior Way."
Summer Reading Program
Mark Twain Elementary
Susan Kaul
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