DEER VALLEY EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC

DVEF BATTLE OF THE BOOKS DVEF BATTLE OF THE BOOKS IS AN EXTRA-CURRICULAR READING INCENTIVE COMPETITION FOR 5TH AND 6TH GRADERS. FORMING TEAMS OF UP TO 3, STUDENTS READ 4 PRE-SELECTED BOOKS EVERY QUARTER FOR A TOTAL OF 12 BOOKS A YEAR. DVEF PAYS FOR ABOUT $12,000/YEAR TO PURCHASE BOOKS, ETC. FOR OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM. OUR 1ST YEAR (2013/2014): 8 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED WITH A TOTAL OF 32 TEAMS IN 2024-2025: 27 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED WITH A TOTAL OF 217 TEAMS WHICH INCLUDED OVER 640 STUDENTS KIDS LOVE THIS PROGRAM. COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS / COLLEGE BOUND STUDENT DUAL ENROLLMENT / AP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM DVEF DUAL ENROLLMENT AND AP TEST SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDE FUNDS TO STUDENTS IN ALL 5 OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO COVER FEES FOR THEIR ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS, CTE COURSES, AND/OR COLLEGE CLASSES WHILE ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOL (DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES). THIS YEAR, WE GRANTED SCHOLARSHIPS TO 2 STUDENTS, AND 5 STUDENTS WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT FUNDING TO QUALIFY, STUDENTS MUST BE A HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR OR SENIOR AND EXHIBIT FINANCIAL NEED. TEACHERS OF THE YEAR/1ST YEAR TEACHER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR / SCHOOL NURSES SUPPORT EACH YEAR, DVEF HONORS DVUSD SEASONED TEACHERS AND 1ST YEAR TEACHERS. TEACHERS ARE NOMINATED, AND IF APPROVED BY THEIR PRINCIPAL ASKED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION A COMMITTEE OF RETIRED TEACHERS AND BUSINESS PARTNERS CHOOSE WHICH TEACHERS ARE INTERVIEWED THIS YEAR, 13 TEACHERS WERE HONORED. EACH WINNER IS PRESENTED AT A DVUSD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, GIVEN A TROPHY, A ROSE, AND A CHECK FOR $500. THE MAJORITY OF FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM COMES FROM DVEF. NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION IS A NATURAL PROFESSIONAL STEP FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS. THIS PROCESS ENERGIZES EDUCATORS, INCREASES THEIR EFFICACY, AND EMPOWERS THEM AS LEADERS WHO CAN ARTICULATE DECISIONS AND DEMONSTRATE REFLECTIVE PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES. DONATIONS TO THIS PROGRAM COVER CLASSES, INSTRUCTORS, ETC. FOR OUR DVUSD TEACHERS TO RECEIVE THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION. THE NEWLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS ARE ALSO HONORED AT THE DVUSD BOARD MEETING ALONG WITH THE TEACHERS . DVUSD PRESENTLY HAS OVER 25 NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHERS THROUGHOUT OUR CAMPUSES. TEACHERS SUPPLY FUND A LITTLE OVER 8 YEARS AGO, A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS CONTACTED DVEF BECAUSE THEY FELT IT WAS UNFAIR THAT TEACHERS ARE UNJUSTLY BURDENED WITH SPENDING MONEY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS TO BUY SUPPLIES FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND CLASSROOMS. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO GIVE 2ND YEAR TEACHERS WHO COMPLETED THEIR FULL YEARS DISTRICT TRAINING EACH $200 FOR SUPPLIES. THESE TEACHERS LET US KNOW WHAT SUPPLIES THEY PURCHASED WITH THIS FUNDING AND SOME SEND PHOTOS. 32 TEACHERS COMPLETED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS. DVEF FAMILY SHELTER AND FOOD FUND INCL ANNES CLOSET THANKS TO THIS PROGRAM, FOOD AND OTHER NEEDS LIKE CLOTHING, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, ETC. ARE GIVEN TO APPROXIMATELY 400+ STUDENTS PER MONTH SO THEY ARE GUARANTEED TO HAVE FOOD NOT ONLY AFTER SCHOOL, BUT OVER THE WEEKEND, DURING WINTER AND SPRING BREAK, AND OVER THE SUMMER. WE ALSO NOW HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO SUPPLY A NIGHT OR TWO OF SHELTER AND OTHER NECESSITIES FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE A TEMPORARY NEED. WE PROVIDE INFORMATION TO LET THEM KNOW OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM. ANNES CLOSETS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS IN 3 OF OUR TITLE I SCHOOLS FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING TO OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. DVUSDS TRANSITION TO WORK STUDENTS ARE 100% INVOLVED WITH ANNES CLOSET INCLUDING INVENTORY, SORTING, RETAILING, ETC. STEM PATHWAYS GRANT DVEF HAS BEEN AWARDED A GRANT THAT FUNDS A STEM CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM EXPOSES OUR 5-8TH GRADE STUDENTS TO HIGH-QUALITY STEM CAREERS IN HIGH-DEMAND INDUSTRIES. THE FUNDS PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT TO SCHOOLS FOR SUBSTITUTE FILL -INS, LUNCHES, AND TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS TO LOCAL STEM BUSINESSES FOR HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES, PROVIDING THEM WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF STEM CAREER PATHS. THREE FIELD TRIPS TOOK PLACE THIS YEAR.