Salute Woodinville’s Raise the Paddle this year will be benefiting Northshore Schools Foundation “Removing Barriers Fund.” The fund includes multiple areas of focus, with special emphasis on providing “opportunity” to the students of our district, while also providing support and resources to those families in our community experiencing homelessness.
You see, within the Northshore School District there are students whose experiences are missed due to lack of economic resources. Within the overarching Removing Barriers Fund we find the Basic Needs Aid Fund, The M.I.L.K. Fund (Making an Impact on Learning for Kids) and one which was initiated with a Woodinville Chamber donation 15 yrs ago, the Backpack for Kids Fund. There is also a fourth, the new “Opportunity Fund.”
We spoke with Carmin Dalziel, executive director of the Northshore Schools Foundation about the Removing Barriers Fund and how important closing the “opportunity gap” is to each student. The student who misses out on an educational opportunity doesn’t just miss out on that specific event. Dalziel explained, “When a student misses an experience that is accessible to others, the ‘opportunity gap’ grows exponentially and effects the future of our students.”
Examples provided by the foundation are:
- For $49 a year a student can earn as many tech credits as possible. These credits help bridge the gap to trade school and are offered at a greatly reduced rate, resulting in less student loan debt and a shorter time between school, graduation, and securing a living wage paying job. 627 students earned tech prep credits last year that, unfortunately, will not go towards their college transcripts because they did not register for those credits.
- Each spring, hundreds of students participate and win local academic competitions like Science Olympiad, DECA, FBLA, HOSA and National History Day. With such an exciting win, they are then met with the burden of travel expenses to attend regional or national competitions. At a cost of $500 – $1500 in travel, lodging, and food they usually only have 4-6 weeks to find the funding due to competition schedules. Furthermore, teacher advisors are required to chaperone these events and school funds must be directed to support them.
How does your donation remove barriers for a student?
- A student experiencing homelessness will have an ASB card, class photos and a gown to graduate in.
- A student who places in an academic competition but is experiencing poverty will get to compete with their peers in national & regional competitions.
- A student taking Technical classes will earn the college credit associated with the class and can earn the credential and certification they are qualified for.
- A family experiencing a crisis will receive funds to fill their gas tank and buy groceries, so they can concentrate on solving the issue at hand.
Raise the Paddle, make a difference
You will have the opportunity to Raise the Paddle on March 16, 2019 at the Salute Woodinville dinner & auction and make a difference in filling that opportunity gap and avail to those students the same opportunities as their classmates.
Please plan on attending Salute Woodinville and raising the paddle in support of opportunity for the students of Northshore schools.
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Salute Woodinville
There is still time to purchase your own ticket, and donate an item to Salute Woodinville.
