Bill’s Word: 2013-2014 Accomplishments

Dear Friend,

Thank you for making impact on thousands of student lives during the last school year through your support of the Alameda Education Foundation (AEF).

You certainly helped Ron.* Ron is an English Language Learner at one of our Alameda high schools. Ron would be the first in his family to attend college. Although he is very bright and capable, he and his mother (who does not speak English) were unaware of the value of a college degree. Ron would be the first in his family to attend college and does not have family members at home pushing him toward a four-year degree. Thanks to AEF’s Early High School Academic Counseling program, he is on track for college – and bettering his family’s situation from this generation forward.

You also helped Maria* who told us: “Being able to participation in AEF’s Middle School Sports program positively impacted my grades. It also kept me occupied and helped bring me closer to my teachers and teammates.”

About a dozen students from our alternative high school went on a four-day outdoor education field trip thanks to support from our Adopt A Classroom program. Besides learning about math and science in nature, they learned self-reliance, problem-solving and conflict resolution, prompting one to say: “This has been one of the best learning experiences I’ve had.”

Thanks to your support, in the 2013-2014 school year AEF was able to:

  • Adopt 169 teachers throughout the city, putting $84,500 directly into the hands of teachers to purchase vital materials and support unique learning opportunities for their students.
  • Begin an Early High School Academic Counseling program enabling approximately 700 students and their parents/guardians to meet after school one-on-one with a school counselor to discuss high school grade course selection and appropriate college and career goals.
  • Provide after school, year round organized sports to 600 6th – 8th grade student-athletes.
  • Offer Enrichment after-school classes and camps to over 4,000 K – 8 students.
  • Establish an internship program to support summer camps and provide experience for middle/high school students.
  • Provide 1,000 low-income students with new backpacks and age-appropriate school supplies.
  • Offer High School Information Nights to over 600 incoming freshmen and their parents.
  • Educate over 200 students and parents about making wise college finance decisions.

With your help, we plan to reach these new goals in 2014-2015:

  • Sponsor after school technology education for high school students through our partnership program with Alameda Municipal Power, Power Up For Learning.
  • Launch a summer program for high school students.
  • Introduce 2,000 students to the magic of music through the Oakland East Bay Symphony’s Young People’s Concerts.

With your help, AEF is able to develop and run vital programs that support Alameda’s 10,000 K – 12 grade students. We could not do this without you. Please check out our website at www.AlamedaEducation.org to learn more about how programs and how you can support our work. Thank you for providing our students with opportunities to grow, learn and succeed!

Sincerely,

Bill Sonneman
President, Alameda Education Foundation

*Names have been changed.