A well-rounded and exceptional educational experience is about much more than the basics. So often it’s the “extras” that engage a student, sparking an interest, turning a once boring subject into something exciting, helping them find community, and setting them on their unique path to success. At the Issaquah Schools Foundation we believe that opening opportunities for students to expand their horizons opens doors to possibilities they’d never dreamed of before.
“Before joining JSA, I never once considered going forward with public speaking, let alone joining leadership for a club centered around it. I’ve gained so many valuable life experiences, and I can’t think of a single club that has a better community. With the grant, we’ve been able to put together several scholarships and allowed so many people to experience this amazing community.”
Alice Zhao, IHS Junior States of America club member
Program Highlights
Recognizing the essential role of the arts in a comprehensive education, the Foundation’s Dedicated Fine Arts Fund supports drama, visual arts, and music education across all district middle and high schools. With demand in these programs growing exponentially over the last decade, this funding helps schools provide new instruments, equipment, and materials to meet need and keep curricula current.
“Beaver Lake and Pine Lake Middle Schools used the grant to purchase newer and more enriching repertoire and, most notably, an extra keyboard. Students have been especially excited for this, as both schools have limited access to practice rooms. The extra keyboard has been a game-changer when it comes to small group work in the choir classroom, allowing for students to better work on their voice parts in rehearsal.”
– Alex Nguyen, Choir Teacher at BLMS and PLMS
The unique educational model at Gibson EK means unique possibilities for educational enrichment for these students. The Issaquah Schools Foundation is excited to fund opportunities for Gibson EK students to take courses and earn required credentials to be industry-prepared for professional internships, setting them up for immediate success in their post-graduation pursuits.
“Students will be more prepared and competitive for internships and for pursuing career interests and gain experience in areas not readily available for internship opportunities.”
– Tonja Reischl, Gibson EK Principal
First funded as a grant at one middle school, the Foundation now provides access to Gizmos virtual labs at all ISD middle schools. These interactive math and science labs and simulations help bring powerful new STEM experiences to students as they observe and experiment with concepts not easily taught with physical models or in the confines of a classroom.
“One of my favorite Gizmos for physical science is the one that compares weight and mass. Students struggle to see the difference between the two, but when Gizmos takes them to different planets with a spring scale and a mass balance, they learn mass is always constant but weight changes with gravity and you hear the “ooh, now I get it” echo through the classroom.”
– Ashley Potter, PCMS Science teacher
Success after high school looks different for different students and opportunities for success outside of 4-year degrees are more plentiful than ever before. The Issaquah Schools Foundation is committed to helping students launch successfully into their futures, regardless of what those futures hold. For years we have been sponsors of the Great Careers Expo, offering high school students an interactive and engaging opportunity to learn more about careers they can pursue through on-the-job training, the military, certification, apprenticeships, or two-year college programs.
Clubs may be an “extracurricular”, but they are so much more than that to many students. Clubs foster an inclusive environment where students from diverse backgrounds can come together, share ideas, and build lasting friendships. Students learn how to work effectively in teams in activities that can reinforce classroom lessons and build deeper understanding of academic concepts. For many students, it’s participation in a club that opens up a whole new idea of what the future could look like. We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to experience all that clubs have to offer and we’re proud to direct donor funds to help make that possible.
“Robotics has literally changed my life. I’m on FRC Team 1318, the Issaquah Robotics Society, which has received funding from ISF every year. This year I found myself questioning whether I would be able to accompany my team to our travel competitions. Fortunately, ISF had my back. I received financial aid that allowed me to join them in these multi-day competitions.”
– Calvin Rodrigue, 2024 Impact Scholarship Runner-Up
The more exposure students have to different career paths before they graduate, the better equipped they are to choose the right path for them. To help give ISD students access to this real-world learning, we are excited to partner with the Issaquah School District to pilot summer internship experiences for a small group of seniors from Issaquah, Liberty, and Skyline high schools. Up to 50 students will serve as the inaugural class of interns, gaining valuable experience while helping us collect data and information to determine program scalability.
Middle school Robotics programs are often students’ first exposure to bringing classroom concepts to life in a collaborative and competitive environment. Issaquah Schools Foundation donor dollars are used to expand access to these increasingly popular and increasingly expensive programs, helping to ensure that all interested students at each of our middle schools have access to this valuable opportunity.
“Our robotics program cultivates essential 21st century skills in our students. Through hands-on challenges, our students not only learn how to design, build, and program robots, but they also develop critical problem solving and collaborative skills. The robotics team consistently works together to overcome real-world challenges, fostering teamwork, resilience, and creativity. These experiences boost their confidence, improve their ability to communicate effectively, and prepare them for future STEM opportunities. The program has created an inclusive environment where every student, regardless of their prior experience, is encouraged to innovate and succeed, which is a direct effect of the generous support we’ve received from ISF donors. Thanks to these contributions our students are thriving in ways that will benefit them both academically and personally for years to come.”
– Kevin Christensen, BLMS Robotics Advisor
Teacher grants are a core part of our history. Each year Issaquah Schools Foundation donors help fund innovative teaching tools, critical need gaps, and enrichment ideas in schools and classrooms across our district via our Teacher Grant program, with nearly 150 grants awarded since the 2018-2019 school year. Grants have ranged from books of all kinds to arts equipment, elective coursework materials, musical instruments, special education supports and so much more!
Contact
If you have questions about our Academic Enrichment funding, please contact us at (425) 351-8557 or info@isfdn.org.