The Alameda Education Foundation (AEF) is a strategic partner to AUSD. AEF manages programs that support AUSD K - 12 students with educational opportunities they would not otherwise have. Tonight AEF will be presenting updates on two of these programs, Equipped 4 Success and Power Up For Learning.
Equipped 4 Success is a community wide school supply drive that is managed by the Alameda Education Foundation (AEF). AEF collaborates with the Alameda Unified School District and local nonprofits to support low-income students in kindergarten through 12th grade, particularly with backpacks filled with age appropriate school supplies to that they can fully participate in the classroom.
School supplies are distributed by our community partners to the low-income students they serve, including
- AUSD’s McKinney-Vento Program
- Woodstock Child Development Center
- Alameda Head Start
- Alameda Point Collaborative
- Alameda Boys & Girls Club
- Girls Inc. of the Island City
This is the third year of Equipped 4 Success. In 2012, we supported 800 students with backpacks and supplies; this year it was 1016!
In addition to our community partners, AEF would like to acknowledge the following major supporters and contributors:
- Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth and Families
- Alameda South Shore Center
- Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan
- David and Melodie Graber
- The Jewish Community Foundation
- Trinity Lutheran Church
- Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
- Perforce Foundation
- Alameda Community Fund
- Alameda Rotary Club
- Alameda Kiwanis Club
- VF Outdoor
- The Family Giving Tree
- Park Street Business Association
- Alameda Police Managers Association
- Trabocco
- Roonga.com
- Local Alameda businesses, organizations and faith communities
- Our generous community!
Power Up For Learning (PUFL) is a collaboration between AEF and Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) that raises funds for technology in AUSD schools. AMP customers designate an amount to be added to their monthly power bill; AMP collects these funds and provides them to AEF to support technology needs at Alameda schools.
This year, PUFL funds are being used to support educational technology needs. Technology is becoming increasingly important in today’s world and it is invaluable for students to learn not just how to use technology, but how to create it.
On July 21, 2014, AEF received a check from AMP for $13,239.29 representing donations over the last two years. These funds will support an after school Robotics class based at Encinal School. This is one of the many programs that was cut when Encinal and Island High lost the 21st Century grant that helped support vital after school programs for students in need.
Robotics Program Description
Students will be able to participate in two Robotics competitions, one in the fall for the High School and Middle School and one competition in the Spring just for the high school students. Students learn how to build a robot, receive coding skills, and compete against other Bay Area schools. Students are mentored by UC Berkeley students. The spring final competition will be held at UC Berkeley where teams from different Bay Area schools compete against one another. High school students will also have the opportunity to mentor middle school students, teaching them how to code the mechanics of building a robot.
Growing the program
In order to sustain the Robotics program at Encinal and support other technology education needs in AUSD, we need to grow the amount of funds received through PUFL. Our goal this school year is to triple the number of donors. Donors may sign up via the AEF website at http://alamedaeducationfoundation.org/programs/power-up-4-learning/