Foundation News

The USD 250 Foundation will open applications for its annual Teacher Grant Program on Friday, Nov. 7 . Educators can apply online at   usd250foundation.org/teachergrants . The Foundation is committed to excellence in educational opportunities for all students through the enhancement of school facilities, services, and programs.  Teacher grants play a vital role in that mission by providing funds for projects that help students learn, grow, and succeed, noted Kelynn Heardt, Fo

Friends, We invite you to be part of something special! This year, the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) is expanding its annual Match Day event into Match Week,  running from Nov. 10-14, 2025 . Now, your generosity will have an even greater impact on our organization by helping us earn a portion of more than $100,000 in matching funds  being offered by CFSEK.  We need your support  to make the most of this incredible opportunity. Every dollar you donate is amp

Fourth graders at George Nettels Elementary planted and maintain flower pots at the school thanks to a Foundation grant. The growing season is nearly over, but lessons learned by fourth graders at George Nettels Elementary school this year will last a lifetime, says teacher Whitney Rogers. With the help of a grant Rogers received from the USD 250 Foundation, the students planted and tended their very own container gardens in the spring. They grew and harvested standing garden

The lives of hundreds of students in Pittsburg Community School District will be positively impacted by $28,000 in grants given to more than 30 teachers by the USD 250 Foundation Thursday afternoon. The grants were awarded in a recognition ceremony at Pittsburg High School attended by the recipients, board members, school personnel, and media. “This is a chance for us to publicly recognize teachers who are receiving this year’s round of teacher grants, and to say a big public

Reading and math just got more fun and engaging at George Nettels Elementary School, thanks to a USD 250 Foundation teacher grant. The grant — one of 26 awarded to teachers throughout the school district this year to expand learning opportunities —  was led by Natalie Vanderbeck and Lacey O'Brien, who teach Title I reading and math. They used the funding to purchase 60 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) kits from Pitsco Education and made them available

Students in Wildlife Biology at Pittsburg High School now have access to two classrooms: one indoors, and one outdoors, thanks to a teacher grant from the USD 250 Foundation.  “We have this natural area — this wetland — that was built several years ago, as well as the wooded and grassy areas surrounding it, that we can incorporate into our science curriculum,” said Steven Seeley, teacher.  But students needed to be able to access it without getting shoes, socks, and pant legs

Two teams from Pittsburg High School earned state honors and scholarships at their first competition, and helping them get there was a teacher grant from the USD 250 Foundation that paid for equipment and uniforms.  The PHS Culinary program, directed by Chef Anthony Fischer, had a solid showing at the Kansas ProStart Invitational, a premier high school competition sponsored by the National Restaurant Association that focuses on restaurant management and the culinary arts. Fou

Tickets are on sale now for an event that raises money for scholarships for graduating seniors and teacher grants: the USD 250 Foundation’s 3rd Annual Night of Dragons, planned for 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, at Crestwood Country Club. “It’s heartwarming to hear from past recipients just how much this scholarship has made a difference to them in starting and pursuing a college education,” said Foundation President Dawn McNay, “and to hear from our teachers about the

From planting gardens to competing in culinary competitions, 26 teachers in the Pittsburg school district hoped to expand learning opportunities for their students with enrichment activities and additional resources.  In coming months, they’ll be able to make that happen thanks to $18,633 in teacher grants awarded by the USD 250 Foundation. The Foundation raises the funds for the annual grants at events like Night of the Dragons — this year’s is planned for Feb. 23 at Crestwo

For 54 seniors at Pittsburg High School, their goal of earning a college degree has been made a bit easier: they were awarded a total of $116,000 in scholarships on Sunday, April 16, 2023, at the Pitzer Family Scholarship Event organized by the USD 250 Foundation. Held at PHS, the event brought together numerous donors from the community and the students and their families so that the names behind the scholarships became more meaningful and personal.  Some donors gave scholar