Supporting Seniors with Scholarships
May 2023
Together with Senior Leadership, the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation happily sponsored the Class of 2023 Senior Breakfast on May 26 at Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church. Seniors enjoyed breakfast catered by HyVee and watched their senior video. Following the breakfast, seniors went to graduation practice then back to their elementary and junior high buildings for the annual senior walk.
The Foundation would like to thank their 2023 Platinum, Gold and Silver Business Sponsors for contributing to the success of this event – Platinum: i smile Orthodontics and Skogman Homes; Gold: Highway 63 Diner, Montage, Panther Builders and BTC Capital Management; Silver: Cedar Falls Booster Club, Magee Construction Company, Vorland Chiropractic, Coloff Media, Harris Cleaning Service & Sales, Inc., and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Supporting Seniors with Scholarships
May 2023
On May 9, at the Cedar Falls High School Honors Convocation, our donors made a very special impact and investment to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of our 2023 scholarship recipients. Eighteen scholarships, amounting to $31,000 total, were awarded:
- Bill Close & Ron Streed smARTstart Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Sarah Kreck
- Bill Ellinger Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Rachel Mandt
- Cedar Falls Rough Risers Kiwanis Club Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Torin Brown
- Dan and Bea Brown Memorial Scholarship - $4,000 awarded to John Pezley
- Do Better. Be Better. Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Colby Cryer
- Elsa Roberts Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Alli Gray
- Frank and Dorothy Horn Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Briar Stover
- Kathy Bunger Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Reagan Stotser
- Kristine Martinson and Family Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Annalise Martinson
- Lauterbach Memorial Scholarship - $4,000 awarded to Anna Wetlaufer
- Lauterbach Memorial Scholarship- $4,000 awarded to Kylie Buchholz
- Lauterbach Memorial Scholarship - $4,000 awarded to Megan Anton
- Legacy of Learning Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Carter Guse
- MIRAE Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Jordan Jones-Whitaker
- Rick VerHeul Memorial Scholarship - $2,000 awarded to Andrew Langner
- Ronald E. Juhl CAPS Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Johnna Dieken
- Sandy Remmert Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Jaden Swarts
- Todd Blanford Memorial Scholarship - $1,000 awarded to Henry Giddens
To read more about our scholarships, click here.
Best wishes Class of 2023!
Molly Magill Awarded Nero Memorial Grant for Continuing Education
May 2023
Molly Magill, Cedar Falls High School, has been awarded a $575 John and Doris Nero Memorial Grant from the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation for continuing education. The Nero's dedicated their careers to education as teachers and guidance counselors. After John's passing in 2011, his wife Doris established the fund to continue John’s passion for helping and encouraging new teachers, especially to pursue professional development. “This is a highlight of our year. It’s an opportunity for us to show new teachers that we support them, while continuing the legacy of the Nero’s” commented Monica Boyer, Foundation Executive Director.
Molly is an English and Acting teacher and will be using the grant toward her first Master’s course, Introduction to English Studies, through Ohio University. "The program at Ohio University encourages students to find their voice as they move through coursework; that is my goal with my students," shared Molly.
Awarded annually, seventeen teachers have thus far been impacted by the generosity of the family and friends of John and Doris Nero.
Congratulations Molly and best of luck to you as you continue your education!
Pictured (L to R): Rafael Benitez, CFHS Associate Principal, Kathy Grauerholz (daughter of John and Doris Nero), Monica Boyer, Molly Magill, Jason Wedgbury, CFHS Principal, Lisa Johnson and Amy Kohlhaas, Curriculum Professional Development Leaders
Foundation Awards $350,000 for Furniture at New High School
April 2023
Ms. Elna Christensen left a legacy to “perpetuate quality of life in her hometown,” through a $1,390,000 endowed gift, establishing a fund in memory of her parents, Nels and Kirstine Christensen, for the Cedar Falls Community School District.
Since 2005, the district has been able to purchase various items such as technology equipment, instruments and makerspace materials with the earnings from Ms. Christensen’s fund, held and managed by the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation (CFSF). On April 3, foundation board members and staff presented the district with a check for $350,000, the largest single disbursement from the fund since it was established. The money will be used to purchase new furniture for the new high school.
“What a gift it’s been to see the many areas of impact this fund has supported. We’re thankful for Ms. Christensen’s passion for Cedar Falls Schools and look forward to continuing her impact,’ shared Monica Boyer, CFSF Executive Director.
Double Your Gift!
April 2023
GreenState Credit Union members can receive a matched gift (up to $500) to the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation through April 30 with the credit unions Give & Grow to Schools program.
Donations should be submitted through GreenState’s website. Thank you GreenState Credit Union for supporting our staff and students!
CAPS Associates Receive Grant for Plant Project at New High School
March 2023
Four Cedar Falls Schools graduates – Elle Culberson, Matthew Brokenshire, Alex Smith-Masters and Elie Considine recently received news that a grant proposal they submitted has received funding. Ten thousand dollars from an anonymous foundation will support the project, entitled “Implementing Plants in the New High School,” which was part of their work during their Business Solutions strand of Cedar Falls Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS). The group worked with INVISION Architecture and researched the health benefits, types of plants, budget and placement of plants at the new high school.
“Our CAPS program has been so fortunate to work with Invision Architecture on multiple projects and this one was extra special as our associates jumped in head first. From research and analysis of building designs, to pitching in front of the board of education, our associates took great initiative to ensure their project came to fruition,” commented Chris Wood, CAPS Careers instructor.
In their discovery process regarding health, the associates found many positives that could benefit the new high school’s learning environment. Plants freshen air, improve student and staff wellbeing, increase attention and encourage responsibility. Plant suggestions, based on their resiliency, included the Areca Palm and Snake Plant, along with plant walls. Plant walls are a sleek, modern and adaptable to the environment. “The new high school has been in the making for over 10 years. Time, money and love has been poured into the plans and we want to ensure the learning environment is best for students and staff,” stated Elle.
“It was great working with CFHS students implementing known research that biophilic design and plants in our learning environments impact student learning and health,” said Brad Leeper, Partner, Architect, INVISION.
The High School’s Environmental Science Club, led by Mr. Jason Lang will implement the plant project at the new high school. The donation was made to the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation.
Special Guests get a Sneak Peek of the New High School!
March 2023
Dr. Andy Pattee, superintendent, led past school board members and past Cedar Falls Schools administrators on a tour of the new high school, set to open in the fall of 2024. “We want to acknowledge the role our past school board members and administrators had in the construction of the new high school – giving them the opportunity to be some of the first people to see the space felt like a great way to honor their contributions. We can’t wait for the entire community to see what they’re supporting!” shared Monica Boyer, Cedar Falls Schools Foundation Executive Director.
CFSF Gives Big on Giving Tuesday
November 2022
To celebrate Giving Tuesday, the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation was thrilled to present a check to the school district in the amount of $33,237.97, representing 14 excellence grants submitted by district staff earlier this fall.
Giving Tuesday is a national day of giving which falls after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday and Cyber Monday. It’s a day to reflect on the ways one may want to give back to their community whether it’s volunteering, lending a creative skill, talent or resource or a monetary gift to support a non-profit.
2022 Excellence Grants included:
- No Child Grieves Alone, All Elementaries | $5,000
Grant made possible in part by Farmers State Bank - Gymnastics Equipment, All Elementaries | $4,288
- Cedar “HI” Squad and Ambassadors, Cedar Heights Elementary | $824.49 Grant made possible in part by Collins Community Credit Union
- Soft Start Mornings & Curriculum Enhancements with STEM, Cedar Heights Elementary | $2,027.43 Grant made possible in part by Skogman Homes
- Sensory Room, Hansen Elementary | $2,500 Grant made possible in part by Amy Weinands
- 6th Grade Science Equipment, Hansen Elementary | $3,876.40 Grant made possible in part by INVISION
- On the Road to STEAM – Sphero indi Robots, Lincoln Elementary | $1,450 Grant made in memory of Pat Lyman, former Lincoln Elementary volunteer
- FCS Curriculum Enhancement, Holmes Junior High | $851.99
- DIY Science and Engineering Experiments and Models, Holmes Junior High| $1,704
Grant made in memory of Tom Bertch, former History and English at Holmes Junior High - Pedometer Project, Holmes Junior High | $3,279 Grant made possible in part by iSmile Orthodontics
- FitStep Pro Stream Pedometers, Peet Junior High | $3,279 Grant made in memory of Jim & Karen Bolger, Karen was a former P.E. Teacher at Peet Junior High
- CFHS Jazz One Performance at The Midwest Clinic, High School | $1,965.60
- Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, High School | $1,200 Grant made possible in part by the Class of 1968
- Turing Tumble, High School | $992.06
Grant made possible in part by the Class of 1970
Pictured (L to R): Cedar Falls Schools Foundation 2022 Excellence Grant Committee members: Monica Boyer, Jim Sprau, Vickie Robinson and Helen Pearce with Cedar Falls Community School District Administrators Dr. Andy Pattee, Eric Rosburg, Pam Zeigler and Tara Estep.
Did You Know?
September 2022
Last school year, the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation invested over $105,000 to support students, staff and the district! Watch our short year-in-review video below to see the projects and programs we were able to support thanks to donors!