Though group photos are currently on hold due to COVID-19, scenes like this 2017 presentation to Meridian Elementary have been common over the past 25 years thanks to the Grosse Ile Educational Foundation.
BY BILL STEVENSON
Quietly and without fanfare, the Grosse Ile Educational Foundation marked its silver anniversary this past month, continuing to live up to its tradition of going “Above and Beyond” in “carrying on programs to enrich and enhance the educational experience of the children and citizens of Grosse Ile.”
Created partly in response to the change in school funding under Proposal A, but always committed to the high expectations of the community, the Grosse Ile Educational Foundation was incorporated on March 9, 1995, with three main purposes:
“To promote the educational experiences of the residents of Grosse Ile by making private funds available to Grosse Ile Township, the Grosse Ile Township Schools, the Township Recreation Department, and other community organizations.”
“To focus financial support on programs which will improve education on Grosse Ile by providing resources to promote the development of innovative educational projects, the acquisition of materials and equipment, and the study of alternative means of educating the students and citizens of Grosse Ile in order to expand challenging educational opportunities in the schools and in the community.”
“To provide funding for projects, programs, or materials which otherwise would not be provided by the Grosse Ile Township Schools.”
GIEF President and founding board member Kurt Kobiljak said the group’s origin was the outgrowth of concern about the future of school funding.
“Twenty-five years ago several people got together to address community and school funding, and held the belief that funding would become a greater challenge as time ran into the future,” said Kobiljak, a longtime Downriver attorney and former Grosse Ile supervisor. “In 1995, I had the pleasure of working with Patti Mans, Sally Hawk, and Jan Smith to establish the fundamental platform of the Foundation.”
Further, among the original incorporators were then-Superintendent Harrison Cass Jr., John Colina, Debra Holzworth, Mary Kasperek, Merri Lewis, Wally Prechter, Rosemary Rogers and Ann Schiebner.
“It has been a tremendous blessing for our community and schools to have seen the Foundation touch so many aspects of educational life on Grosse Ile. During these last 25 years, I have had the privilege of working with so many incredible board members who have given of their time and talent, while experiencing the overwhelming generosity of the Foundation’s donors.”
Indeed, over the course of 25 years, the GIEF has become a force in the community, and is recognized as one of the best performing 501(c) non-profit corporations of its size throughout the State of Michigan. The Foundation has funded over $1,500,000 in educational grants to support life-long educational experiences for students and families of Grosse Ile.
In addition to its general fund, the GIEF holds and administers contributions from: the E.F. Mayne Jr. Fund supporting the schools in achieving the best teacher practices by extending opportunities for professional development; the Kristin A. Connors Endowment Fund, supporting the schools in the areas of Foreign Languages and International Studies; and the Anthony M. Dubuar Endowment, supporting the schools and the community in the areas of Health, Physical Education, and Fitness. Additional monies are raised through donations, sponsorships, and yearly fundraisers.
This year’s fundraiser, “A Totally Awesome 80’s Party,” scheduled at the Pilot House for May 16, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent “shelter-in-place” order in effect. Hard-working chairperson of the event, Sarah Szymaszek, looks forward to a rescheduled date when it’s safe to celebrate with all our donors.
To that end, any Grosse Ile Township School employee or nonprofit community group in Grosse Ile may apply for a variety of grants offered by the Foundation.
“Great Ideas Teacher Grants,” up to $2000 are exclusively for teachers of the Grosse Ile Township Schools. Larger scale, “Foundation Grants,” are intended for Grosse Ile school use-only, and involve large scale educational programs or projects. “Community Grants” can vary in expense from mini-grants to larger allocations, and are open to non-profits on the Island. All grant recipients are required to submit a Grant Performance Report (GPR) within 30 days of program completion or implementation.
But, long before the crushing sweep of the pandemic, the GIEF was busy this year purchasing grant items paid for by last year’s wildly successful, “Derby Day Race for Music Fundraiser.” Besides updated sheet music for band and choir programs at both the high school and middle school, four tubas, a baritone sax, a French horn, and an alto sax were acquired under the direction of music directors, Katie Baynes and Nate Bearinger to the tune of $79,289. Joe P and Doc Parker would be proud.
$1820.68 was spent on dissection supplies for high school science teacher, Eric Flood’s ethnology and ecology courses; $1734.55 was allocated for fifth-grade classroom leveled library books for John Durnian’s students at Meridian Elementary; $1171.16 was approved for clay and glaze materials for middle school art teacher Casey Irvine’s 3D seventh and eighth grade art classes. A $900 grant was approved for Parke Lane Elementary teachers Lindsey Parsons, Mariah Nemeth, Kallie Davey, and Shelby Rempel to attend a Feb. 25 conference on Jan Richardson’s Teaching Reading in Small Groups. Teacher-training funds made available through the Edward F. Mayne Jr. Fund.
Also approved was the purchase of $255 worth of materials for Preschool and Early Elementary Language development for the Sensory Room at Parke Lane Elementary, as requested by speech-language pathologist Andrea Allen.
At the last meeting of the GIEF, Danielle West from Community Grown Gardens, located at Westcroft Gardens, gave an informational presentation on the history of their works. Community Grown Gardens were seeking a large scale grant to review appropriate curriculum and expand their operational capacity.
Then, life as we knew it, stopped — and changed. Schools are out. Life is on hold. And, as we move into an uncertain future, GIEF President Kobiljak projects, “The Foundation’s presence in our community remains clear — the Foundation is here to fund educational community and school programs to provide exceptional learning throughout Grosse Ile.”
Whenever and whatever it may bring…
To find out more about the Grosse Ile Educational Foundation, visit gieducationalfoundation.org. Contributing writer Bill Stevenson is a lifelong educator and former principal of Grosse Ile High School.