EqualOp-Banishing Barriers
No students should miss out on extracurricular activities such as band, chorus, debate and sports simply because they don’t have the money to participate. But some extracurricular activities are asked to be self-sufficient, so that’s what’s been happening. Now, through EqualOp-Banishing Barriers, funds donated through the Foundation are paying those students’ activity fees, which typically cover the cost of transportation, entry fees, uniforms and equipment.

“Thank God for that program,” says the mother of two high school students. “If it would not have been for this, my boys could not have played football this year. I couldn’t have paid the $35 activity fee for each of them.”

She talks about losing her state job a year ago because of funding cuts and being unable to find work for six months. “Until this past November, I had no income, not even unemployment,” she says. “Basically we had no money.”

So during registration before school started last fall, she was surprised and very disappointed to be told that athletic fees were not included in the school’s regular book and materials fees. She would need to come up with another $70 if both boys were to play football. “I didn’t have that much money, and I didn’t know where to turn until a lady standing nearby told me about Equal-Op,” she says.

About that same time, one of the football coaches also told her older son about Equal-Op - which pleases the woman. “It’s important to get the word out to people who need this program,” the woman says. “People don’t want to go around asking for money.”

During this school year, nearly 40 students benefited from EqualOp-Banishing Barriers funding.

Amount donated to EqualOp through Removing the Barriers this school year: $5,000

P.M. PLUS
It’s a given that all children WANT to learn, but that doesn’t mean they can hardly wait to tackle their homework every night. Even students with good intentions run into “homework” barriers—no quiet area for study, lack of supervision, the temptation of television or computer games. Now, an after-school study program in seven buildings provides teachers, resources, a quiet environment and even a snack for students who want to finish homework before heading home. The program is open to all students—from those struggling to pass to those carrying straight A’s.

One West Des Moines mother says P.M. Plus “gave my daughter structured time to do her homework while teachers were there to help. I’m a single parent who works at night. So my daughter would come home after school and start on her homework. But if I laid down, the TV was there and it’s tempting to turn it on.”

“In the after-school program, it was quiet so my daughter could study. Plus she liked the teachers [who staffed the program]. She never had any problem going.”

An important component of P.M. Plus is the three-for-one funding match by the State for all targeted giving in this category. That means for every dollar the Foundation provides for after-school assistance to students at risk of failing, Iowa will allow three more dollars through funding for dropout prevention.

That math that makes a lot of sense when your goal is to help students learn.

During this school year, PM Plus programs were held at Crestview, Jordan Creek and Phenix elementary schools; Indian Hills and Stilwell junior high schools and Valley Southwoods Freshman High School. Every $1,000 in support provides one teacher for 11 weeks of after school services. Each teacher typically serves 15 to 30 students.

Amount donated to P.M. Plus through Removing the Barriers this school year: $10,000

SummerShips
Through two Community Education-sponsored programs - S.A.I.L. (Summer Adventures in Learning) and Jump Start - students can continue learning throughout the summer. But for some families, there’s a catch: S.A.I.L. charges for fees and transportation; Jump Start charges for fees and before- and after-school care, if that is needed. Such fees are enough of a hindrance to prohibit some children from participating - and sometimes, those are the students who need the programs the most.

Now, however, Foundation assistance is enabling many of those youngsters to sign up for the offerings. One West Des Moines youngster who took part in the Jump Start program between kindergarten and first grade had mornings of refresher skills in language arts and math and afternoons of art, science and movement. “They really worked on academics for going into first grade,” says her mother. “They said, ‘This is what you need to know as far as reading and writing are concerned.’ They also worked on cutting, pasting and some math.”

Her daughter loved the experience. “In fact,” says her mother, “she did not once
complain because she missed doing something during the day, like playing or swimming.”

S.A.I.L. also offers refresher classes in reading, writing, math and study skills, along with enrichment opportunities including chess, computers, photography, art and drama. Plus, parents may register for the Extended Day morning program, so they can drop off children before work.

During the summer of 2004, 45 students benefited from SummerShips funding - 18 with S.A.I.L., 17 Jump Start and 10 at the Walnut Creek Campus.

Amount donated to SummerShips through Removing the Barriers this school year: $10,000.

Teachers’ SupFunds
Not many people realize that nine out of every 10 teachers in our district dig into their own pockets for additional educational materials for their classrooms. That’s because the district’s General Fund is simply not adequate to provide all our teachers with every teaching tool they need. Now, monies donated to Removing the Barriers Teachers’ SupFunds are making a difference.

This school year, four schools were awarded funds to purchase supplies for their classrooms. However, teachers at those schools decided to use all the SupFunds to buy school supplies for students who could use extra help. Pencils, paper, notebooks, portfolio folders, markers, crayons, glue, and scissors—the list of supplies purchased is lengthy. One single mother of four says her kindergartener at Phenix got a new backpack full of supplies and the towel to sleep on, thanks to his teacher tapping into SupFunds. “That’s $50 to $100 worth of supplies,” she says. “If I don’t have to buy my kid school supplies, then he can have new clothes for school. You can buy a whole wardrobe if you shop the right way—shoes, jeans sweaters and sweatshirts. If it isn’t sold on clearance at Wal-Mart, my kids don’t wear it.”

Amount donated to Teachers’ SupFunds through Removing the Barriers this school year: $5,000

WDMore Sports
Having fun costs money. For instance, an intramural sports program requires equipment, shoes, supervision and transportation. Plus, adding “new” sports - lacrosse and table tennis, for example - ratchets up the price tag even more. Now, monies donated to Removing the Barriers’ WDMore Sports are making a big difference.

The Foundation knows that the benefits and personal development students achieve from sports cannot be overstated, and hopes its financial support will double the number of participants. This school year, 705 seventh through twelfth graders have participated in tennis, flag football, lacrosse, bowling, basketball, volleyball, dodge ball and girls’ wrestling. Disc golf, badminton and spring lacrosse should attract at least 100 more participants when sign-up is complete.

For one Walnut Creek sophomore, playing on his school’s intramural flag football team has been the highlight of his year. “I’m going to do that every time there’s a chance,” he says. “We practiced two or three times a week and played maybe 15 games at Valley Southwoods’ soccer fields. I played on my high school’s freshman team, but I prefer intramurals because you know the kids and we all get along.”

He says academics “isn’t really my thing, but having an intramural program is important to me.” One of his teachers agrees, adding, “Sometimes, it is programs just like this that keep students in school and heading toward graduation. When intramural football is going on, attendance here is way up.”

Amount donated to WDMore Sports through Removing the Barriers this school year: $5,000