At Fundraiser, Chappaqua School Foundation Showcases Its Role

The Chappaqua School Foundation, in many ways, acts as an auxiliary to the school district, providing grant money for many well-known programs and materials that the schools use, and at its annual spring benefit, the organization invited members of the community to celebrate and to observe its accomplishments for students.

The April 30 fundraiser, held at Grand Prix New York in Mount Kisco, showcased programs and equipment that had been funded by the foundation last year for each of the districts elementary schools, middle schools and high school. Exhibits, to name just a few, included a SMART Board, a Chinese language program and a robotics program at Horace Greeley High School, a community garden project at Seven Bridges Middle School, digital document cameras at Roaring Brook Elementary School and electronic book materials at Westorchard Elementary School.

Anne Bonington, who is a reading specialist at Westorchard, worked on the audiobooks exhibit, called "Westorchard Additional Reading Experience." The materials included a subscription service called TumbleBooks, while another part of her exhibit featured called Playaways, which are preloaded with audiobooks and have a shape and interface common to that of digital music players, such as the iPod.

Bonington said it was wonderful to get a grant funded and then to be able to share the results of it.

Leslie Koch, president of the foundation, said they really try to make it a community-wide event, and that it is an opportunity for people to come out and support the schools, as well as to have a great time.

The foundation has raised more than $1 million since it was founded in 1993, Koch said, and they just distributed $150,000 in grants for 2010-11.

Janet Wells, a former New Castle Town Supervisor and Chappaqua school board member, co-founded the foundation. At its beginnings, the foundation was small and was started with nothing.

"We didn't have money to pay for the stationery to write the first fundraising letter," she said.

When asked if she expected the foundation to become large, Wells said that she hoped it would be because she felt there was certainly an interest in education in Chappaqua.

A large number of prizes were auctioned off in a silent auction, both big and small. They ranged from a diamond necklace from ICD in Chappaqua to a photo of Alex Rodriguez, to a private chef donating services, according to Ingrid Hershman and Randi Kreisler, co-chairs for the event.

Board of Education President Jeffrey Mester said that it is a terrific event. "It's a way to both raise money for the schools and to celebrate the district and the people in the district," he said.

Superintendent David Fleishman called it a wonderful community event.

At the height of the benefit, Koch and Board Member Lenny Stern spoke to a crowd of attendees and talked to them about the foundation's role, and noted how it can help supplement the school budget.

Stern announced a new foundation initiative to raise money for SMART Boards for third graders. Fourth graders currently have access to the board, he said, thanks to donations from last year. He said that the boards help with a new math curriculum for third and fourth graders.

Stern's speech was followed by a performance from the Enchords, an a cappella group of Horace Greeley High School students, who performed unique renditions of songs that included Use Somebody by Kings of Leon and Just The Girl by The Click Five.