Board of directors

OfficersTrey Phillips, President

Deborah Grove, Vice PresidentJeffrey Richards, TreasurerPaula Warrender, Secretary

MembersDon C. Adams, Ph.D.

Carol BrestickerAmy Dowling

Bill EmeryChristine Kavanagh

Edward LyonTim Mahoney

Trisha Gibbons MartyCraig Niklaus

Philip SprungerSpencer Sweeting

Philip ThomasJ. Michael Wiley, Esq.

Robert Williams, Ph.D.

Executive DirectorGregory L. Hayes, Jr.

The WASD Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization,

incorporated in 2004.

2780 West Fourth StreetWilliamsport, PA 17701

570.327.5500 ext. 33495www.wasd.org/foundation

Return to Glory Capital CampaignFoundation exceeds $1.8 million toward WAHS stadium project

There’s exciting progress to report on the WASD Education Foundation’s Return to Glory Capital Campaign in support of the restoration and upgrades to the Williamsport Area High School’s athletic complex.

“To date, we have a commit-ment of more than $1.8 million of our $3.5-million goal,” said Executive Director Greg Hayes.

The campaign publicly launched last fall during a halftime kick-off celebration at Homecoming after a $500,000 commitment from the district’s transportation company, Stu-dent Transportation of America, Inc. That donation secured the naming rights to the high school stadium.

The upgrade will benefit the community and students of all ages with expanded opportunities for soccer, track and field, football, marching band and other activities. The project includes the installation of an expanded all-weather turf field for football, soccer and band; a new, eight-lane track-and-field complex; and other infrastructure

improvements to the stadium.

The campaign is driven by a volunteer task force of community leaders. Making it easy to give is one goal of the campaign, as donors are being offered flexible, long-term payment options.

For more information on the campaign, visit its official website at www.wasd.org/returntoglory or contact the Foundation office.

Student Transportation of America, Inc., present its $500,000 contribution to the campaign to Foundation and district officials at Homecoming on Oct. 18, 2013.

‘Raise the Region’ Draws in $9,980 for ‘Return to Glory’The WASD Education Foundation secured $9,980 during the 2014 Raise the Region event, the 30-hour, online giving event hosted by the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania.

This is the second year the Foundation participated in the event. Gifts received from the online fundraiser went toward the Return to Glory Capital Campaign.

Harlem Wizards Event Brings Fun, Comedy, While Raising $8,657The “Millionaire Magicians,” a team of teachers, staff, principals and high school students, took on the Harlem Wizards in a chartiy basketball game on Feb. 17 at WAHS. The event brought in $8,657 for the Foundation, which host-ed and coordinated the event. More than 1,500 people from the community packed the gym to watch the district’s team of 20 go up against the entertain-ment basketball squad.

NeWsLetter | JUNe 2014Securing resources, enriching education

Orchestra Room Under Way at WAHS$100,000 anonymous gift helping fund new orchestra studio

An anonymous $100,000 gift is helping to bring a new orches-tra room to the Wil-liamsport Area High School, a project now actively under way as demolition began last winter.

For the last 23 years, the orchestra studio/classroom has been in a limbo of sorts, having been placed on stage in the audi-torium in a makeshift

setting when the old orchestra room was closed due to poor ventilation. As a result, it has created a conflict of space for other activities and meetings that require use of the auditorium’s stage. But now, thanks to the $100,000 contribution, the high school will have a committed, full-time orchestra studio for the 150 students involved in the orchestra pro-gram, and ultimately will free up the stage for the entire school

during the academic day without sched-uling conflicts. The space will be acousti-cally treated and will provide a great envi-ronment for orchestra and other ensembles.

The gift acted as catalyst for a com-plete renovation of not only the orchestra room but also the band room and Black Box Theatre. Renovations of each of these spaces are scheduled for completion this fall.

The gift acted as catalyst for a complete renovation of not only the orchestra room but also the band room and Black Box Theatre.

HELPING TO BUILD BRIGHT FUTURES

Violet Compton Estate Supports Music NeedsIn October, the high school’s Steinway Piano returned to the stage after an extensive restoration done by Robert M. Sides. A portion of the restoration, $10,950, was funded through the Foundation’s Violet Compton Estate Fund. Ms. Compton donated $65,974 as a bequest to the Foundation when she passed away in 2007, designated for musical endeavors. Her memory lives on in the Williamsport Area School District by helping keep our musical program alive through a variety of projects. The Steinway Piano originally was purchased by the school district in 1971 for about $100,000.

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The Foundation holds more than $1.6 million in restricted, unrestricted and scholarship

funds.

The Foundation has raised about $40,000 through its annual golf tournament to support future equipment needs of the new WAHS

Fitness Center.

The Foundation has put more than $100,000 of private and

business donations back to the classroom since its incorporation in 2004.

All donations are taxdeductible to the fullest

extent of the law, and 100% of every donation goes back

to the district.

Find out ways you can give at www.wasd.org/foundation

Supporting Learning with Teacher Mini-GrantsThe Foundation allocated $10,928 this year to fund nine innovative projects and programs across the district. Through this program, teachers can receive up to $1,500 per project by applying for funds.

Funding our primary and intermediate libraries with summer readingThis fall, $2,000 worth of new books will enter the primary and intermediate schools, dedicated to those students who successfully complete the Summer Reading Program.

Using EITC funds to enhance curriclum programsFacilitated and allocated by the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania (FCFP), the WASD Education Foundation seeks programs and continued funding for use of Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program dollars that filter through FCFP to the district. One of the pro-gram’s highlights this year was a $5,000-donation made by Brodart Co. for a new literacy program at Stevens Primary, called Stevens READS, an incentive based program aimed at increasing independent reading. To date, more than $40,000 in EITC monies has gone back to the district since 2011.

Providing scholarships for continuing educationThe WASD Education Foundation manages and administers all scholarships of the Williamsport Area School District. In 2013, the Foundation distributed $27,385 in scholarships and awards to graduating seniors.

Interested in giving the gift of education? The donor determines the criteria for the scholarship, which may include grade point average, course of study or achievements. Scholarships may be established by families, individuals, companies or organizations.

For more information on establishing a scholarship or award, contact the Foundation office at 570.327.5500, ext. 33495.

FUNDING PROGRAMS FOR SUCCESS

2780 West Fourth St.Williamsport, PA 17701

A NEWSLETTER OF THE WILLIAMSPORT AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Over the past 10 years, the WASD Education Foundation has aspired to accelerate the pursuit of an excellent experience in education for the chil-dren of the Williamsport Area School District. Now a decade into existence, we are celebrating our “decade of growth.”

This newsletter is to help serve as a demonstration of that success. We invite you, as donors, to learn what we’re about and review some of our accomplishments that were only pos-sible because of your help. With more than $1.6 million under management, we raised more than $100,000 this year as well as secured committments totaling more than $1.8 million for our Return to Glory Capital Campaign.

I hope you feel inspired by the results of your support, and continue to help give the gift of education to our stu-dents in the coming year.

•A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR •

GREGORY L. HAYES, JR.