Annual Report 2013-2014

Linking Community Resources to the Needs of Our Youth

1 Student Advancement Foundation

Dear Friends,

Every child deserves the opportunity to dream big and pursue those dreams. We think Grand Rapids Public Schools seventh grader, Rose Gerson, says it well,

“I hope kids will continue to have this trip to the Civic Theatre. Some kids have never been to a theater and it’s really important because maybe they’ll think, ‘I want to go onstage one day!’”

Don’t miss the rest of Rose’s story on page two. Thanks to your support, the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation helps children like Rose have inspiring opportunities that allow them to discover their own dreams.

With 17,000 students, Grand Rapids Public Schools is the fifth largest school district in Michigan. These students are our community’s future. The need to invest in them has never been greater. But neither has the opportunity. From environmental education to physical wellness, the Student Advancement Foundation is providing every child in the district an opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Each year we provide students critical tools like library books and graphing calculators, and vital enrichment experiences to places like the Grand Rapids Symphony and Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Here are just a few things we’re proud of from 2013-2014:

• Supporting literacy by providing greater access to reading material—purchasing more than 1,200 electronic books for middle and high school libraries. • Fostering creative learning by putting paint, clay and print-making tools in students’ hands—stocking all district art rooms with needed supplies. • Encouraging students to develop active, healthy lifestyles—supporting afterschool sports for more than 4,000 kids. • Helping students “dress for success”—providing 1,000 school uniforms for families in need.

And there’s much more to come! Watch for details about dynamic new plans for theGrand Rapids Public Schools as we work with Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal and the district’s talented, dedicated educators to create innovative opportunities for students. Your investment in our youth has never had a greater impact and on their behalf, we offer our profound gratitude. We hope you will continue to join us in recognizing the vast potential within our community’s children for a bright, successful future.

Letter from the Student Advancement Foundation

Amy Turner-Thole, Past Board Chair

Michele Suchovsky, Executive Director

Sincerely,

Annual Report | 2013-2014 2

Rose Knows. Two years ago, while in fifth grade at Coit Creative Arts Academy, Rose Gerson joined twenty of her classmates and began attending classes through Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s award-winning School of Theatre Arts. Though Coit and the Civic are less than one mile apart, the program was out of reach for most Coit studentsbecause of cost and lack of transportation. To help bridge that gap, the SAF now sponsors Coit students—kids just like Rose—providing them the opportunity to participate in theatre classes each year.

Once a week, from September through May, Coit students board a bus after school and head to the Civic where they explore acting, directing, scenery creation and all the technical elements of a production. Rose explained, “I learned a lot! It was fun to go with people from my school and to have that time on the bus to talk about what we were doing in our classes.”

For Rose, theatre classes helped turn her dreams into reality. This confident, charismatic young woman made her Civic debut this past spring when she was cast as Lucille in Junie B. In Jingle Bells, Batman Smells. Thanks to the many donors who invest in the Student Advancement Foundation, the old adage that, “all the world’s a stage,” is certainly true for budding thespian and GRPS stand-out, Rose Gerson.

“You have to work hard in the theatre and at school! And all the arts help you

as a student.” - Rose Gerson

Impact Area Spotlight: The Arts

Pho

to C

redi

t: St

udio

3Tw

enty

Rose as Lucille in Junie B.: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells (above); Liliana’s piece created for comparing and contrasting with

Mathias Alten’s, Broken Mast (left).

Writing with the Influence of Art. Do you know any Language Artists? Not sure what a Leopardog is? Meet Liliana, a third grade student at Congress Elementary. Through the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s widely acclaimed Language Artists program, Liliana created both a picture and story about how Leopardog responded to bullying from the other forest animals.

Designed to complement and reinforce standards within several subject areas, the Language Artists program deepens and expands learning by providing students the opportunity to explore writing through an arts lens. Liliana and her classmates learned how to critically examine and understand the artwork of the masters, then created their own artwork and stories including a “compare and contrast” analysis with art featured at the museum.

The research is clear—participation in the arts can improve overall student achievement, especially for children who, because of socioeconomic disadvantages, are less likely to be exposed to arts programs outside of school. The Student Advancement Foundation is proud to support our students’ participation in programs such as Language Artists, through grade-level trips to community gems including the Grand Rapids Symphony and Frederik Meijer Gardens. Each year, over 8,400 students have these enriching experiences thanks to our generous donors.

3 Student Advancement Foundation

Impact Area Spotlight: The ArtsDo You Know What It’s Like to go Without? Matt LaFleur doesn’t. He’s never had to. Thanks to the Student Advancement Foundation’s commitment to arts education, Matt’s art classroom at Southwest Community Campus has always been well-stocked with paintbrushes, clay and other essential supplies.

Matt knows it hasn’t always been this way. He’s heard stories from colleagues who remember what it was like before this support existed. Teachers either went without or used their own money to buy supplies. Matt recognizes that without the Foundation’s support he would have to scrounge and scrape to get whatever he could. His students would not be able to explore the breadth of art projects that delight them today, like the study of Mesoamerica that Matt leads with his sixth graders. Students create an artifact that exemplifies the reigning cultures of the pre-Columbian period and use special glazes for the clay that make their pieces look more authentic—like they were just dug up. Or the project Matt describes as the highlight of his year—making pinch pot monsters with second graders. He throws out strict guidelines and instead gives kids the freedom to create whatever they can imagine.

Matt describes his class this way, “Art isn’t about art—it’s about life. I try to give my students as many experiences as I can provide.”

With the necessary tools, Matt can keep inspiring his students to dream and create.

Matt and his students at the GRPS citywide art show (above), Southwest second graders’ Pinch Pot Monsters

on their way to the kiln (below).

The Student Advancement Foundation’s programming in the arts is sponsored in part by the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Thanks to their generous grant, Grand Rapids Public Schools students had the opportunity to attend field trips to local arts organizations and participate in specialized programs, and teachers were able to purchase much-needed supplies for their classrooms to help all of their students to learn, grow, and succeed.

Annual Report | 2013-2014 4

The Impact2013-2014 at-a-glance

1,200 e-book titles were purchased

8,400 students took trips

to local arts organizations

Over 150 calculators were provided to students through an in-kind partnership with

Grand Valley State University

First, third, and sixth graders received science instruction at Blandford Nature Center

2,700 elementary students played

afterschool sports

There are 17,000 students in Grand Rapids Public Schools and more than 86% live at or below the poverty line. Thanks to our generous donors, we’re able to provide these tools and experiences to help students overcome barriers to

learn, grow, and succeed.

Over 1,000 school uniforms

were provided to elementary and K-8 students in need

16 GRPS juniors and seniors went to

Michigan State University for a college prep

experience

20 eighth grade girls attended lunch with

keynote speaker Col. (R) Jill Chambers through Women & Girls Lead

We know that the arts are critical to the learning and success of our students. This is why the Student Advancement

Foundation created the Arts impact area ten years ago. We want all children to have

opportunities to learn in the arts—visual, musical and cultural.

5 Student Advancement Foundation

MindShare 2014: Igniting Dreams

On April 22, 2014, the community gathered to celebrate our 11th annual gala, MindShare: Igniting Dreams. The crowd was delighted by the performance of the young violinists from Gerald R. Ford Academic Center. At the end of the evening, Ottawa Hills High School student Rufus Jackson reminded us why we do this work and inspired us with his story of overcoming barriers to make a better future for himself.

Rufus shares his story about the importance of education (above); students from the Gerald R. Ford

Academic Center’s strings program perform their set (below, right).

presented by

Save the Date!MindShare 2015Wednesday, April 29JW Marriott, Grand RapidsStay tuned for more details!

Annual Report | 2013-2014 6

2013-2014 Financial Snapshot for the Year Ending June 30, 2014

This snapshot provides an overview of the Student Advancement Foundation’s day-to-day financial operations.

Total Revenue...........................$405,175Total Expenses.........................$473,836Change in Net Assets...............($68,661)

Contributions, 36%

Revenues

Expenses

Unrestricted Fund Balance2014 2013$150,285 $218,946

Represents the day-to-day financial operations of the

Student Advancement Foundation.

Temporarily Restricted Fund Balance

2014 2013$916,810 $1,821,265

The Student Advancement Foundation serves as the fiduciary for many projects

and programs on behalf of GRPS and its students. Those funds are held in temporarily restricted accounts and those fund balances reflect the status

of those programs and projects.

Permanently Restricted Fund Balance

2014 2013$454,823 $420,500

This balance represents the Joan P. Secchia Breaking Barriers Fund.

Earnings from the funds will be used to help GRPS students participate

in enriching activities.

Fundraising Events, 51%

Government Grants, 5%

Investment Income, 7%

Fees & Other Income, 1%

Program, 79%

Management & General, 16%

Fundraising, 5%

7 Student Advancement Foundation

Our Giving Levels

Joan P. Secchia Breaking Barriers Endowment FundDeb BaileyBob & Susan ChaplaJoseph & Martha CrawfordDean TransportationBen & Sue EmdinMichael & Sue JandernoaTim & Ping LiangArend & Nancy LubbersDavid P. & Linda MehneyMeijer FoundationThe Missad FoundationSibsco CorporatonBill & Patricia WaringWege FoundationAnn Zoellner*

ValedictorianGifts of $9,000 or aboveAmway One by One Campaign for ChildrenBISSELL Inc.Richard & Helen DeVos FoundationDoug & Maria DeVos FoundationFifth Third BankGillett Family FoundationKlopcic Family FoundationMeijerMeijer FoundationMichigan Council for Arts & Cultural AffairsMSU Alumni Club of West MichiganPeter & Joan SecchiaSteelcase Inc.Steelcase FoundationVanderWeide Family FoundationW.K. Kellogg FoundationWege Foundation

SalutatorianGifts of $1,800-$8,999AutocamKarl & Patti BetzBlue Cross Blue Shield of MichiganBlueWater Partners, LLCClark Hill, PLCCrowe Horwath LLPCurrie FoundationDavidson PlyformsDean TransportationEYThe Barbara A. & Mark J. Gerson Trust

Gene & Tubie GilmoreRalph HauensteinGreg & Leah HooksMichael & Sue JandernoaKeller FoundationFred & Linn KellerKendall College of Art & DesignKentwood Office FurnitureJack & Rita KirkwoodWally & Rebecca KnackLegacy TrustElizabeth Welch Lykins & Jerry LykinsMcGarry Bair PCTerry McGovern & Carol Paine-McGovernMercy HealthMark & Elizabeth MurrayNorris, Perné & French, LLPTimothy & Karen O’DonovanThe Paine Family FoundationPerrigo Company Charitable FoundationRonald McDonald House CharitiesSibsco CorporationDonna & Clark SuchovskySteele & Mary TaylorAmy & Nick TholeSteve & Cheryl TimyanMarilyn TitcheUniversal Forest ProductsThe Steve Van Andel FoundationVanerum StelterThe Veldheer, Long, Mackay & Bernecker Group of Merrill LynchMaribeth & John WardropWolverine Worldwide

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the individuals, families and organizations that have made generous contributions to the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation.

Joan P. Secchia Breaking Barriers FundThis endowment helps GRPS students participate in enriching opportunities like college preparatory experiences, intensive theatre classes, special training or programs that help students develop budding interests and talents by removing economic barriers.

Honor SocietyThis group of individuals has made a significant, unrestricted investment in the Student Advancement Foundation and the students of Grand Rapids Public Schools with their sustaining support of our work.

2013-2014 Donors This listing includes contributions received between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. If you have not received the proper recognition in this Annual Report for your gift, please accept our apologies and notify the Student Advancement Foundation as soon as possible so that we can correct our records.

Annual Report | 2013-2014 8

Gifts Supporting our Work

Honor RollGifts of $900-$1,799AnonymousAmway Hotel CorporationAquinas CollegeCharles AshDeb BaileyBDO USA, LLPBrookton & Clare BehmJohn & Micki BenzDavid & Mary Kay BerlesBetz IndustriesRichard & Peg BreonChuck & Mary Jo BurpeeCalvin CollegeChemical BankComcastCuster, Inc.CWD Real Estate Investment Davenport UniversityDavid* & Stephanie DublisDWHAndrea EsslingFLEXCOFounders Bank & TrustCharles & Julie FrayerGrand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority Community Inclusion Group

Grand Valley State UniversityRichard & Carla GrantJeffrey GurneyArt & Betsy HasseHungerford Nichols CPAs & AdvisorsJohn HuntingIrwin Seating CompanyMark & Cindy JanesJim & Amy KeaneLake Michigan Credit UnionMike & Kiki LownJon & Mary Ann MarchJeffrey & Jennifer MeslerMiller JohnsonMLive Media Group/ The Grand Rapids PressNucraftORION CONSTRUCTIONParrish ConsultingStacy & Howard PaulDan Pfeiffer Auto GroupPNC BankAndrew & Clare PortengaDean Marsha D. RappleyRockford ConstructionRockwell AutomationAlan SchaertelRobert & Kim SchermerDavid & Amy StartSuzanne TigglemanTitan Wheel Accessories LLCTowerPinksterJeff & Julie TownerTriangle Associates, Inc.Dave & Carol VanAndel FoundationVarnum LLPTodd & Lauren WalkerWest Michigan JanitorialWilliams GroupWilliams Kitchen & BathJim & Sue WilliamsRobert & Tracy Wolford

Head of the ClassGifts of $500-$899Armed Forces Services CorporationBaker Holtz CPAs & Advisors

Rob & Shelly BatterbeeBert & Jan BlekeCascade Engineering, Inc.Bob & Susan ChaplaMark & Rebecca DantonioCarlton & Marilyn FailorFusion Business ServicesDon & Laurie GardnerGrand Rapids Community FoundationHoffman JewelersKenneth & Sandra HofmanHuntington Win & Kyle IrwinSusan JohnsonMike Lloyd & Kathy Ellis LloydRay LoeschnerJohn & Kate McGarryMercantile BankMr. & Mrs. Robert V. MackMSU College of Human MedicineRhett & Jeralyn PinskyJames & Marie PrestonMichael & Glynn Ann RuggeriScreen IdeasThe Sharpe CollectionSpartanNashJames & Terry StelterMichele Suchovsky & John GabrosekGreg & Audrey SundstromThe Bank of HollandBrian & Michelle ThrasherCarl & Sandy VerBeekWarner Norcross & Judd LLPPatrick & Laurie WebsterJohn WertWhitecaps Community Foundation/West Michigan WhitecapsSusan WyngaardenEdward & Ruth Zeilstra

MindShare 2014: Igniting Dreams Sponsors are indicated in bold. Thank you to the corporations, foundations, and individuals who support this

annual event.

9 Student Advancement Foundation

Gifts Supporting our Work

GRPS Teachers and Staff Support!

GRPS Teachers and Staff are designated with *. These donors contributed more than $12,000 through our Payroll Campaign

this year!

Gifts of $250-$499Rick & Loy AdamyAna* Alemán-Putman & Tim PutmanDavid & Mary BardolphDaniel & Valerie BehmBrightformatMaleika* & Gabriel BrownRob & Karen CarpenterRobert & Julie ConnorsJoseph & Martha CrawfordEric & Sharai DeLongJerry & Diana DitripaniDave & Patsy EislerBen & Sue EmdinSteve & Karen EnderLawrence & Nancy ErhardtGreg & Shari FarrMichael & Kim FedrigoCarmen Fernandez*Sharon Fuller Chamberlain*Aimee Garcia*Art & Kristin GrayMichael & Dana HebreardBob & Barbara HerrDavid & Leslie HookerRobert & Judy HookerRick & Christy HuempfnerAamir & Halima* IsmailNikki Jones*James & Carrie KressMary Jo Kuhlman*Rodney Lewis*Marsh USA Inc.David & Linda MehneyGregory & Margaret MoceriMonsma Marketing CorporationMorrison Family FoundationJames & Carolyn MorsePeter & Carol Perez

Lupe Ramos-MontignyKarel Rogers & John VerhagenEduardo Sanchez*Vernis SchadJeff & Susie SchreurPeg & Mike TurnerJon Michael & Sara WashburnTeresa Weatherall Neal*Jill & Sean WelshLarry & Betsy Willey

Gifts of $100-$249 Tim & Jeaune AllardMarty & Susan AllenVanessa Allen*Dixie AndersonDavid Baak & Betty ZylstraClaudia & Carl BajemaAmy & Aaron BartoKaty Beebe*Marcus & Claudia BeversluisJoe & Peggy BishopBen BoerkoelGina BoveeJonathan & Grace BradfordOtto* & Jodie BrannumKevin Briggs & Carol KarrRobert & Kathy BrowerGeorge & Nancy ButhJohn & Debra BylDominic & Molly CarboneEllen CarpenterDavid & Cara CassardTandy ChampionBridget Cheney*Diane Clayton-Triggs*Sally Coburn & Chuck CarterJohn & Penny CollinsMary & Paul CommandBob & Ann Cooper

Dori & Dave CouvreurCraig J. Graves & Company Inc.Jeff & Beth CransonAl & Phyllis CurtissMark & Kellie CusterBob Dean & Susan HopkinsCamille & Andrew DeBoerBruce & Patricia DillenbeckMichael & Nancy DodgePaul DoylePatricia DuthieSusan Dykema*Louise EdisonJohn & Bridget EdwardsMarla EhlersBill & Kay FarrLori FeenstraCharlene FirlikMary Beth FitzgeraldAmy FlickLinda & Themis FotieoFrey FoundationMark* & Jennifer FrostLarry GardnerTerence Gaule*Jim & Carol GehrkeJane Gietzen & Sue ClelandChad GilesTom & Sally GleasonGoodrich Quality TheatersRon* & Melissa GormanMarc & Andrea HaidleMaureen HaleJennifer Hall*Harrington & Kieft LLCJohn Helmholdt*David & Ruth* HollandMartha Holmgren*Kevin & Lindsay HooksKristine HuizenRyan* Huppert & Dawn HeartwellEugene Idziak*

Annual Report | 2013-2014 10

Gifts Supporting our WorkGifts of $100-$249 continuedBarbara IrwinPhil & Cherry JacobusCara JonesCourtney Jones & Ora McConner-JonesJeffrey & Mary JonesJoe & Jessie JonesDeb Kalinka Manning & Dan ManningJoanne KeltyMaureen KirkwoodKenneth* & Susan KlomparensKarin M. KnappDouglas & Louann KohlbeckDonald & Loretta KoneckiHarvey & Mary KoningFred Kraft & Gayle DavisRhonda Kribs*John KunnenArnold & Kristin LeeLizbeth LeesonJohn & Mary LoeksTom & Ann LoganMack & Teresita LongSara LongLost & Found Treasures of Old & NewKaren LothRay & Susan LovellArend & Nancy LubbersPeter & Barbara Lundeen Janelle & Christopher MahlmannTempy Mann Master Precision Mold TechnologyJosh McAlpine & Emily Alemán-McAlpineGary & Marlene* MescherKathryn Meuser*Brian & Megan MillerRichard & Roslyn MoeDennis & Linda MorozBruce & Susie NeckersJacqueline & Eric NickelRichard Noel*Norman Family DentistryPamela Orgeck*Melissa Paramo*Linda PattersonDeborah Pebley*Cynthia Peck*

Debra Perry*William & Elsie PetersonTom Pfister & Kelli Langan PfisterBruce & Rebecca PientonPioneer IncJames & Kathleen PonitzDeborah & Mark PosthumusStefanie PostmaPaul & Marge PotterSammy & Beca PublesJoel RahnMonica Randles & Andrew MaternowskiTimothy & Dona RaymerShanna Reynolds & Jason JacobsonJoAnn RiemersmaJonathan & Becky RinehartRMG TechnologiesMichael & Lauren RodewaldMilton & Barbara RohwerChris & Elizabeth RushtonPatricia RyanDavid & Kathy* SakMicalene Savage*Matt & Diana SchadJohn & Cynthia ShinskyGerald ShoultzNeal & Jill SilvermanDon & Renee SinkeTom & Linda SouthwellMisty Stallworth*Daniel & Cheri StantonRichard & Susan SteketeeStephanie & Tom StotenburCheryl StoweJody Swanson Brown*Tazzia Lawn CareAnn & Mathew TeliczanPatricia Tergerson*Joan ThrallJames & Cindy ToddBruce Townsley & J.M. KarpinenPatti TrepkowskiEarnest Trice*John & Cheryl TullySusan VanBronkhorstRichard & Christine VerburgMatthew & Paula VicariAndrew & Lana Voelker

W. Ford Kieft III & Emerencia KieftPamela Wells-MarcusseWest Michigan Glass Block Inc.Christella Wheeler*Troy* & Trisha WilbonDoug & Jill WilterdinkJanet Wyllie

In TributeJim & Gail FahnerFord Family Trust/ William & Mary FordEstate of Barbara “Bobbie” UhlJoseph & Marilyn MartinCandace & Bruce Matthews

In-Kind GiftsAria Show TechnologiesMark AugustynCreative Displays & MarketingEastern FloralJunior League of Grand RapidsOpen Systems TechnologiesStellafly

Planned giving and the Student Advancement

FoundationDo you plan to make a gift or have you included us in your estate plans? We’re

here to assist you. Thank you for helping us ensure that all GRPS students have

the tools they need to learn, now and in the future.

Photography & Design CreditsBrian Kelly Photography • Studio3Twenty • TJ Hamilton Photography • Bryan Esler, stellafly

Julie Way • Graphic Design Program, College of Business, Ferris State University© 2014 Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation

Board of Directors2013-2014

Amy Turner-Thole, PresidentDeb Bailey,Vice President

Maria DeVos, SecretaryCarla Grant, TreasurerEmily Alemán-McAlpine

Charles AshBrookton BehmTracey Brame

Tony CampbellJoseph Crawford

Ben EmdinArt Gray

Mark JanesJoe Jones

Rebecca KnackKathy LloydJon March

Karen O’DonovanCarol Paine-McGovernLupe Ramos-Montigny

Jim StelterTodd Walker

Maribeth Wardrop

Ex OfficioTeresa Weatherall Neal

Wendy Falb, Ph.D. Paul Helder

Honorary DirectorsDoug and Maria DeVos*Rich and Helen DeVos*Fred and Linn Keller*

Judge Benjamin LoganDavid and Linda Mehney*

Lena Meijer*Dr. Juan Olivarez

Charles and Stella Royce*Peter and Joan Secchia*

John Wheeler*

In MemoriamPeter Cook*Fred Meijer*Tom ShearerPeter Wege*

Casey Wondergem

*Founding Scholars

Michele Suchovsky, Executive Director Alyssa Morillo Scheidt,

Director of Programs and CommunicationsLynne Stolk, Administrative Assistant

111 Library St NEGrand Rapids, MI 49503616.988.5430

www.grsaf.org

www.facebook.com/GRSAF

@GrandRapidsSAF