Natick Education Foundation (NEF) Kicks Off the School Year with New Leadership and Community Activities

Issue Date: 
September, 2017
Article Body: 

The Natick Education Foundation is pleased to announce the election of Stacy Bradford, who will join Kyla P’an as co-president. Rosemary Driscoll will remain active on the Board as President Emerita.
Kyla has spent many years involved with a variety of educational institutions both professionally and as a volunteer. She has been an active member of NEF since 2013, first as a member of the grant committee and then the full board. She stepped up as president in 2016. She is thrilled that Stacy is bringing her leadership skills and enthusiasm to the role of co-president.
Stacy is a trained educator and a long time Natick resident who has been involved in many Natick school boards and committees. She currently serves on the NHS School Council and is a member of the Parent Coordinating Council, which she has co-chaired for the last two years. She joined the Natick Education Foundation in 2016 and is looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving the Natick Schools and the community in this new role.
The Natick Education Foundation (NEF) is a community-based non-profit organization in Natick whose mission is to support public education and the awareness of the importance of education in the health and growth of the community as a whole. NEF has been in existence since 1991 and an all-volunteer organization. Since 1991, NEF has contributed over $900,000 to the Natick Public Schools and other community education efforts.
NEF fulfills its mission through a variety of programs and initiatives including: funding classroom based grants awarded to Natick teachers and administrators; community education outreach efforts including support of TEDxNatick (day-long programs of stimulating talks which attract community members of all ages); funding professional development initiatives such as the NEF Master Teachers fellowships; funding scholarships to future educators; and supporting parent skill workshops to help parents/guardians become stronger partners in their students’ academic and personal development.
Upcoming events for the 2017–2018 school year include a table at Natick Days (September 9, 2017) where you can play “Spin It to Win It” by stopping by the table on Natick Days. “This is a great way to win a cash grant for the school of your choice. NEF will once again donate $500 to the school that gets the most “Spin It to Win It” players,” according to Stacy Bradford, NEF Co-President. “Smaller amounts will be contributed to the second and third place ‘Spin It’ winners. It’s a fun, free, way to win money for your favorite Natick school.”
Also in the works is the first, annual “Apple Pi Run”, a health and education focused running event at the Natick High School track on Sunday, November 12. This event is geared for pre-school and elementary students and will be a fund-raiser for NEF’s grant program. Kyla P’an, NEF Co-President, explained, “The idea for this fun run and fund-raiser first came from Gary DeMayo, Lilja’s physical education teacher. So, we decided to ‘run’ with it, working with the elementary school PE teachers. We are still working on the details, but definitely put this on your calendars for November 12, 2017.”
Readers are encouraged to visit the Natick Education Foundation’s website at www.natickedfoundation.org to find out more about the organization, how to get involved, and ways to contribute.