In 2019, The Eagle for Foundation plans to raise $20,000 on March 29 for equipment to furnish the STEAM Lab at Newton Community High School. In 2018, the Eagle for Life Foundation raised $16,828 for new sound system equipment and playground equipment at Newton Elementary School.
The Eagle for Life Foundation will raise funds for the STEAM Lab during its 2019 Day of Giving on March 29 at LIFE Café in Newton. The concept is simple: host one 24-hour period to rally support and raise money for a cause. The giving day model encourages community support, increases an awareness of a project, and encourages individuals to make contributions of all sizes. The day of giving also gives out-of-town alumni the opportunity to engage with the foundation and support their hometown by participating in social media contests and giving online.
STEAM education focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Implementing a STEAM lab will enrich student learning experiences and enhance technology for junior high and high school students by providing an area where students can work together, create and learn by doing. The lab will have collaboration tables, flexible seating, tools to create and edit videos in the video production area, 3-D printers and STEM kits to create, design and invent in the makerspace areas. The STEAM Lab will be located in a former computer lab that is no longer in use now that the students have individual Chromebooks.
“More and more schools are implementing STEAM labs with new requirements from the Next Generation Science Standards set by the State of Illinois,” explains Gina Fox, Media Specialist and Technology Integration Specialist with JCCU #1. “Having this technology available to students will help us meet those standards and ensure that no matter what they pursue after high school, our students will be equipped with first-hand experiences using technology to solve real-world problems.” Fox applied for support from the Eagle for Life School Improvement Fund, which accepts funding requests from Jasper County Unit School District 1 teachers and administration on an annual basis.
Contributions to the Eagle for Life Foundation 2019 Day of Giving can be made online (https://donate.enrichingourcommunity.org/Eagle-for-Life-2019), by phone (217.342.4988), by mail (Eagle for Life, PO Box 1211, Effingham, IL 62401), or in person at LIFE Café (106 W. Washington, Newton) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 29, only. Anyone who donates more than $50 on the day of giving will receive a newly designed Eagle for Life t-shirt. Follow The Eagle for Life Foundation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for special announcements, contests and updates throughout the day.
The Eagle for Life School Improvement Fund is managed by the following fund advisory committee members: Mitch Bierman, June Bierman, Kyle Klier, Ed Kocher, Anthony Richards, Todd Short, Amy Tarr, Lora Short, Dravin Zuber, Alan Rauch and Josie Angel. The Eagle for Life School Improvement Fund is a fund of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation and does not have a separate corporate existence. Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent allowable by law
