Foundation Comes to the Aid of Needy Students

The District 219 Educational Foundation for Excellence got down to business for the 2011-2012 school year, allotting more than $22,000 for various needs in less than an hour.

The money pays for basic educational tools for Niles Township High School District 219 students who otherwise could not afford the items, chairman Jeffrey Burman said during last week's gathering of foundation members.

“We exist for two purposes: We raise money and then we give it away,” he said.

Earlier:

The needs of some students were especially clear at the Sept. 13 meeting, in the wake of the U.S. Census Bureau's announcement that 15.1 percent of Americans--more than 46 million people--are living in poverty. That statistic was highlighted by Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, who serves on the foundation’s board.

Among the expenditures allocated was money for 70 Texas Instruments graphing calculators that cost about $100 each. A bundle of 60 will be split between Niles West and Niles North high schools. The remaining 10 will be available for students at Niles Central High School, which offers special education services.

The foundation can purchase the devices below retail price because it receives educational and bulk discounts.

The organization began giving them away  about three years ago when teachers realized some students lacked calculators to do classwork, said Jim Szczepaniak, the district’s director of community relations and a foundation board member.

“We found out their families could not afford them, and they were afraid to say anything,” he said.