East Lansing Educational Foundation

Happy homecoming! We had the best time at the parade.

Proud to be a Trojan! 💙🤍

Hey East Lansing! Keep an eye out for our Trojan Tailgate signs!

Join us Friday, 9/27 at East Lansing High School from 5-7pm for a fun night of Trojan spirit to cheer on our Varsity Football team vs. the Dewitt Panthers.

$5 per person. Includes a hamburger, veggie burger, or hot dog, potato salad, watermelon, chips, cookie and a drink.

All new Kindergartners get a free hot dog meal.

We will have free face painting, games, and the ELHS Marching Band Drum Line will make an appearance.

Happy first day of school East Lansing Public Schools!

Preschool openings available at East Lansing Public Schools for the 2024-2025 school year 🍎 Apply at inghampreschool.org

Mark your calendars for the ELEF Golf Outing on Monday, July 8 at Forest Akers West. Prices include green fees, cart with GPS, snack @ turn, post-play lunch, prizes, and more! Sign up using the link below, prices are $125/golfer and $550/foursome with a hole sponsorship.

Sign up here: https://elef.us/news-events/golf-outing

Last month ELEF held our Annual Awards Dinner. It was a wonderful evening celebrating our award recipients and East Lansing Public Schools. Thank you to all who attended and a special thanks to our business partners and raffle donors for making the event a success!

Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Robert and Judy Posey two ELHS Class of 2024 graduates have received $10,000 scholarships! Dr. Posey and Judy are pictured here with the 2024 recipients, Khaled and Magdelene. The Posey's established the Weng Scholarship which is awarded to exceptional students who exemplify the values and commitment to education embodied by Will Weng and Damaras Weng Rogers.

The East Lansing Educational Foundation extends its warmest congratulations to Khaled and Magdelene on their outstanding achievements and sends our wishes of continued success in their next chapter at the University of Michigan.

Tickets are still available for our upcoming event! Join us on May 2 at Eagle Eye Banquet Center for a fun night raising money for the students and teachers East Lansing Public Schools.

We have a number of raffle prizes including two staycations, one-night stays at AC Hotels by Marriott, East Lansing, $100.00 dinner gift card to Toscana and movie passes for two to NCG (worth $475.00). A $500 Heat’n Sweep gift card, and four baskets of gift cards worth over $700 each to local businesses and restaurants. Raffle tickets are just $20 each.

Purchase tickets here: https://elef.us/news-events/annual-awards-dinner

There's still time to purchase tickets for our May 2 event. Bring your friends for a fun night raising money for East Lansing Public Schools students and teachers!

Dinner tickets are $75 and raffle tickets are $20. You don't have to be present to win. Raffle prizes include a $500 Heat and Sweep gift card and gift baskets full of gift cards to local East Lansing restaurants and businesses.

Purchase tickets here: https://elef.us/news-events/annual-awards-dinner

Tickets are still available for our Annual Awards Celebration on Thursday, May 2 at Eagle Eye Golf and Banquet Center!

We are honoring our 2024 award recipients including, Polo Tate, Sonya Gunnings-Moton, Will Kopachik, Dorinda Carter Andrews, Mark Pontoni, and Robert and Shelagh Miller. As well as celebrating the impact of East Lansing Educational Foundation. This year, ELEF surpassed a total of $925,000 in grants to the teachers and students of East Lansing Public Schools.

Dinner tickets are $75 and raffle tickets are $20. You don't have to be present to win.

Raffle prizes include a $500 Heat and Sweep gift card and two gift baskets full of gift cards to local restaurants and businesses.

Purchase tickets here: https://elef.us/news-events/annual-awards-dinner

Please join us Thursday, May 2 for our Annual Awards Celebration dinner. This year we're celebrating a lot, it's the foundation's 40th anniversary! This year, East Lansing Educational Foundation surpassed a total of $925,000 in grants to the teachers and students of East Lansing Public Schools. Additionally, we are honoring our 2024 award recipients for their impact in our community. It's sure to be a fun night!

You can purchase tickets here: https://elef.us/news-events/annual-awards-dinner

The ELEF Golf Outing is scheduled for July 17th. Sign up on the ELEF website,

East Lansing Educational Foundation - Home Pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising, and effective programming.

I am speechless.

Thank you so much East Lansing Educational Foundation for awarding me close to $5,000 in grant money to purchase Remo Inc. tubanos from West Music for Red Cedar Elementary!

With these drums, not only will my students immerse themselves in multicultural music traditions with the World Music Drumming curriculum but incorporate cooperative learning opportunities that will help my students grow in the classroom and help foster their musicianship and social skills.

Final reminder! Foursomes are due tomorrow for the ELEF golf outing on 9/22. Hope to see you there!

https://elef.us/news-events/golf-outing

East Lansing Educational Foundation - Golf Outing Pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising, and effective programming.

Come join us in support of East Lansing Schools at the upcoming East Lansing Education Foundation golf outing on September 22nd. Get your foursome together by 9/14! See you there!

https://elef.us/news-events/golf-outing

East Lansing Educational Foundation - Golf Outing Pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising, and effective programming.

Thank you to Robert and Judy Posey for establishing the Will Weng and Damaras Weng Rogers Memorial Scholarship! Dr. Posey and Judy are pictured here with the 2022 recipients, Mori Rothhorn and Taylor Mitchell. Good luck to Mori and Taylor as they continue their education at the University of Michigan!

ELEF is proud to support the Model UN Club that recently competed in the Mid-American Model United Nations conference in Kalamazoo. Congratulations to advisor Mark Pontoni and the club for earning several awards including second place at the conference!

Thank you to the Class of 70 for their class gift! In honor of their 50th reunion, ELHS class of 70 presented ELEF with a check for $5,070. Thank you for celebrating 50 years with this wonderful gift!

Pictured L-R ELEF Board President Dane Sprecher, Melinda Dickinson, Joy Rimpau, Mike Alexanian, Dave Chapin, ELEF Development Director Erin Cazal

Support the kids and teachers of the East Lansing Public Schools. Make a donation today at www.elef.us

East Lansing Educational Foundation - Home Pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising, and effective programming.

Thank you to everyone who attended the ELEF tailgate. It was a great success and we appreciate all of your support!

East Lansing Educational Foundation updated their phone number.

Congratulations to Diana Tarpoff, a founder of the East Lansing Educational Foundation and Andy Wells, East Lansing High School Principal for their recent Crystal Awards from the City of East Lansing!

Diana Tarpoff has been a long time community leader and is a past board member and advocate for the ELEF. The ELEF is proud to sponsor the Sarah Tarpoff writing award, a writing contest open to ELPS students. Through the creation of this award, named in memory of her daughter Sarah, Diana helped launch the foundation and create the vision that the ELEF strives to carry out to this day.

Andy Wells has committed his career to building community in the East Lansing Public Schools. An alum of the high school himself, his ongoing dedication to educational excellence as well as his ability to make all students at the high school feel appreciated show the kind of leadership he exhibits.

We are grateful to see these two individuals recognized for their contributions to the East Lansing community. Congratulations to them and the other winners of this year’s Crystal Awards!

The East Lansing Educational Foundation Awards over $26,000 in Teacher Grants to East Lansing Public School Teachers.

The East Lansing Educational Foundation (ELEF) awarded 29 grants totaling $26,818.91 to East Lansing Public School teachers on Monday, February 8, 2021. More than 2,000 K-12 students in the ELPS community will benefit from grants that create added curriculum opportunities in the arts, science, technology and math. In its 36-year history the foundation has funded more than $400,000 in grants to East Lansing Public Schools.

ELEF board president Jeff Powers “This round of grants reflects the challenges and opportunities presented by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd. This is one of the largest giving totals in recent history and signals a commitment from the foundation to help support district wide diversity, inclusion, and equity training initiatives and teaching in this current pandemic environment.” “This is the mission of the foundation and the board, along with donor support will keep working to increase the financial resources available to the teachers, staff, and students in the East Lansing Public School district. This support allows the foundation to continue to fulfill grants like these, each and every year.”

Behind every grant is a story of students and teachers; here are just a few:
• Elementary buildings will receive over $8500.00 for diverse literacy enrichment books
• MacDonald Middle School will receive $2700.00 for a Laser Cutter for their technology class
• Marble Elementary, MacDonald Middle School and the High School will receive $3749.00 for virtual music performances
• East Lansing High will receive $1100.00 for the Model United Nations program

For a complete list of the grants go to: www.elef.us/grant-program

Grant funding came this year from the Foundation’s Year End Campaign, the Awards Dinner Letter Campaign and from our all-important Business Partners.

To make a donation towards future ELEF grants, go to: www.elef.us/donations

Mission Statement:
The East Lansing Educational Foundation is a diverse organization pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising and effective programming.

Vision Statement:
The East Lansing Educational Foundation supports all ELPS educators and students to excel and innovate by
collaborating with the community to raise and distribute financial and in-kind resources.

East Lansing Educational Foundation - Grant Program Pursuing excellence and innovation in education through community engagement, strategic partnerships, ongoing fundraising, and effective programming.

Thank you for making a difference every day! The East Lansing teachers are a big deal and the ELEF is proud to be able to support their efforts. To lean more about the ELEF or to donate funds, send a PM or visit www.elef.us ELPS