The Solanco Education Foundation

Solanco Strong Drinkware Sale between Monday Feb. 26 through Sunday Mar. 17 is now closed.

20 oz, 32 oz and 40 oz drinkware available in four color options: red, yellow, black or mint.

Each sports the Solanco Strong logo and you have the option to add your initials or name for an additional $5. Your purchase shows your support for Solanco and its efforts to assist students and the financial needs of their family. Thank you!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR DRINKWARE.

 

SEF Provides over $15,000 in Take Home Books Through EITC Donations

The Solanco Elementary Admin Team was excited to receive Take Home Book Collections for kindergarten and second grade classrooms! Jane Ausel and Brenda Roark recently presented the books on behalf of the Solanco Education Foundation. Photo in the masthead slider above.

Lancaster County Conservation School

Eagle Photo

Congratulations Colby!

The Solanco Education Foundation was pleased to accept an invitation to a delicious outdoor sponsor dinner held Sunday during the first night of the 2023 Lancaster County Youth Conservation School. There, one of our board members had the chance to chat with Colby Kurtz – the rising Solanco High School freshman being sponsored for the camp by SEF. Colby is a Boy Scout and avid fisherman who says science was his favorite class during his time at Swift Middle School.

Here’s a sampling of items on the agenda July 23-28 for Colby and the other campers: A biotic index stream survey, a controlled burn for field and meadow habitat, critical thinking exercises, an electrofishing survey, habitat construction, stabilizing a streambank, dove banding, lessons on forestry and a visit to Middle Creek. They’re camping not too far from the important bird flyway site. Sound like something you’d be interested in? If you’re going to be 14, 15 or 16 years old next summer, bookmark this site so you can apply in 2024. Have fun, Colby! For more info, visit https://lancasterconservation.org/youth-conservation-school

The Solanco Education Foundation will offer a limited number of scholarships for this event in 2024. 

solanco education foundation logo

Our Mission

To inspire greater academic achievement in the Solanco School District by working with the community to generate funding which provides students and teachers with innovative, exciting and creative educational programs and opportunities.

General donations from the public sector and EITC business donations provide the financial resources needed.

Solanco Strong

Solanco Strong News

Solanco Strong provides critical and educational needs for students at or below the poverty level and their families, allowing students to achieve and thrive.

Click here to learn more about Solanco Strong and some of our Solanco Strong community donors.


2023 Tee It Up for Education Golf Outing

It’s an afternoon of fun with your friends at Tanglewood Manor Golf Club and your participation supports the Solanco Education Foundation that provides scholarships to high school seniors, reader-level baggie books for elementary students, support for educational activities for all grade levels, plus teacher venture grants and more.

Registration starts at 12 noon on Friday, Aug. 18. Shotgun start at 1 pm.

Click here for the Registration Form.


Congratulations 2023 SEF Scholarship Recipients

SEF provides 3 types of scholarships each year to senior students.

The Futures Scholarship is for graduates whose parents/guardians have not attended college or university. The Opportunity Scholarship is for graduates who are planning on attend a trade school. The SEF Scholarships are for graduates planning to attend a 2- or 4-year degree program.
This year, these students will receive a $1000 initial scholarship. If the students maintain an appropriate grade average during their freshman year, they will receive another $1000 for their second year of higher education.

To be considered for a scholarship, students are required to submit an application to SEF, providing the required content specified for each scholarship type. We encourage students to apply to SEF and other scholarship providers.

These students are our 2023 scholarship recipients:

SEF Scholarships:
Emma Baxter, Lina Dominguez, Logan Furches, Anika Hodgdon, Emma Kline, Acacia Kreider, Kara Peace, Stella Woy, and Levi Zook
Futures Scholarship:
Anthony Solis Morales
Opportunity Scholarship:
Sarah Landis

2023 scholarship recipients

2023 – 2024 Teacher Venture Grant Recipients – Congratulations!

Jessica

Jessica Tipping (HS)

PROJECT : 

Happy Atoms

WHAT IT IS:

This STEM project will cover all the of the STEM components: science, technology, engineering, and math.  The Happy Atoms sets would allow the students to build three-dimensional models of assigned molecules and then use an app on their smartphone to identify its name and real-life application. 

Emily

Emily Wagner (PR)

PROJECT : 

Play without Words

WHAT IT IS:

This project will promote nonverbal learners’ independence and encourage increased communication by using communication boards, ultimately making playtime more enjoyable, introducing more vocabulary and promoting inclusivity.

Maria Y

Maria Young (PR)

PROJECT : 

The Power of Play-doh

WHAT IT IS:

This project will encourage students to use their imaginations and think in new and innovative ways while improving hand-eye coordination.

Jennifer T

Jennifer Thompson (HS)

PROJECT : 

Halloween Hallways Animal Experience

WHAT IT IS:

During the community out reach program Halloween Hallways hosted by Solanco High School students visiting children and their families will interact with live animals in an experience to remember.

Nate K

Nate Klansek (SM)

PROJECT : 

Announcement Project

WHAT IT IS:

This project will introduce 8th graders to movie making include storyboarding, framing, lighting, and video editing.  Students will be able to share their creations on the morning announcements.

Erin M Erica B

Erin Martin & Erica Beichy (SM & SW)

PROJECT : 

Ukulele-expansion

WHAT IT IS:

This highly popular musical program would provide students the next step in expanding their learning with a baritone ukulele.

Matt H

Matt Himmelberger (SM)

PROJECT : 

Sphero Robotics and Coding

WHAT IT IS:

This project, Sphero Robotics and Coding, utilizes resources and opportunities to engage students with hands-on robotics experiences in fun and exciting ways! This project will incorporate computer programming and robotics and allow students to either choose a provided coding challenge or design and develop their own.

Matt J

Matt Jansen (SM)

PROJECT : 

Passionate for Pickleball with Carrie Falduts

WHAT IT IS:

Solanco students will now benefit from the great aerobic exercise sweeping the nation…Pickleball!  In addition to all the health benefits that come with exercise, pickleball promotes self-esteem and socialization.

Carrie F

Carrie Falduts (SM)

PROJECT : 

Passionate for Pickleball with Matt Jansen

WHAT IT IS:

Solanco students will now benefit from the great aerobic exercise sweeping the nation…Pickleball!  In addition to all the health benefits that come with exercise, pickleball promotes self-esteem and socialization.

Emily M

Emily Miller (QE)

PROJECT : 

Fluency and Fitness +

WHAT IT IS:

Fluency & Fitness+ helps students get in some movement breaks, while still learning. It’s the perfect way for the students to release some extra energy, without losing precious instructional time.

Leah W

Leah Willis (PR)

PROJECT : 

Managing Mindset Matters Phase II

WHAT IT IS:

The learning support program proposes to purchase games, lesson activities and a variety of room enhancing items to promote emotional regulation. The goal is to increase enthusiasm, discussion, interaction and retention of materials for students.



Educators interested in submitting a request for 2024-2025 SEF Venture Grants should contact Becky Guhl at becky_guhl@solancosd.org

For more information about Teacher Venture Grants please visit our Venture Grants Page.

More SEF Sponsorships

Baggie Book Delivery 2022

SEF delivers 2200 baggie books for Solanco 1st Grade Students !

11 bags of books are on the way to each elementary with their principals.  

Each bag has 200 books for each 1st grade classroom.

$12,000 in EITC money was spent on the grant Early Literacy Take Home Book Collection: “Baggie Books”.  EITC donations by The Restaurant Store, Clark Assoc., Fulton Bank and Warfel Construction made this presentation a reality. Thank you!

SEF also supplied bags for each classroom for students to use as they transport the books back and forth from home.

 


SEF supports Odyssey of the Mind 2022 Teams

Here’s a report from the event. A Solanco Team finishes in 6th place in competition with approximately 50 teams from USA, Poland, Switzerland and Korea.

Comments from coach Caley Roark: 

“6th Place is the first position that gets publicly announced at the awards ceremony, which makes it feel extra special. The team did especially well in the spontaneous portion of the competition, that is, solving a previously unknown problem in a limited amount of time.

While at the competition, the team met and interacted with students from across the US, Poland, Switzerland, and Korea. Along the way to and from Iowa State University, we visited the US Air Force Museum, the Museum of the Grand Prairie, the Phillips Park Zoo, and managed to escape from an escape room.”

Participating students shown above:
Dennis Kretzing, Emma Kline, Autumn Butler, Aidan Todd, and Alexianna Groff.
(Bridget Gracie Hartigan and Chris George were on the team but unable to attend the trip.)

Here’s more info about the Odyssey of the Mind Team Competition:

The Odyssey of the Mind World Competition took place on May 25 – 28 at Iowa State University. In addition to the initial $2500 SEF provided for 3 Solanco Teams to participate in the state competition, SEF provided an additional $1000 to help this team get to the World Finals event. Details below.

Students included in the Team advancing to World Finals were: Gracie Hartigan, Lexi Groff, Emma Kline, Autumn Butler, Dennis Kretzing, Aidan Todd and Chris George. 

Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition that “teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. OM brings the classroom to life as students apply what they learn and combine it with their interests and passions to solve unique open-ended problems. OM also emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more. This program is designed to help students grow as individual learners, grow as team members, and to reach their full potential.” Solanco students have participated in Odyssey of the mind for over a decade, sending numerous teams to the state competition, and two teams to the World Finals.

For the first time ever, an elementary team has qualified for the state competition. There are seven students on the elementary team, comprised of three 4th grade students and four 5th grade students. The elementary Odyssey of the Mind team: Ava Denver, Wyatt Kershner, Mikaela Kreider, AJ Miller (from Bart-Colerain), Brette Dawley, Travis Henry (Clermont), and Anthony Vincent (Providence).

Two high school teams had also qualified. The teams are comprised of three 9th grade students, two 10th grade students, five 11th grade students, and four 12th grade students. The high school Vehicle Team: seniors Nicole Arrowsmith, Lexi Heisler, Katie Jensen, and juniors Wyatt Festerman, Charlie Golden, Renee Moran and Grace Pursel. The HS Performance Team (advancing to Worlds): senior Dennis Kretzing, junior Emma Kline, sophomores Autumn Butler and Aidan Todd, and freshmen Chris George, Lexi Groff, and Gracie Hartigan.

This is the first time the Solanco District has had three teams advance to the 2022 Pennsylvania State Odyssey of the Mind competition, held April 2, 2022 at Lock Haven University. While the gifted department collectively budgets for two advancing teams, we’ve historically never had the need to pay to advance three teams. Additionally, the need for a larger number of rooms limited our hotel selection, which in turn increased the expected lodging price. SEF was pleased to donate $2500 toward the competition expenses.

Also attending this trip will be their coaches, Mr. Caley Roark and Mr. Ryan Humphries, and each elementary student is bringing a parent chaperone.

Odyssey of the Mind is a competition that our students have had much success over the years. 

 

More about the Solanco Education Foundation

The mission of the Solanco Education Foundation is to inspire greater academic achievement in the Solanco School District by working with the community to generate funding which provides students and teachers with innovative, exciting and creative educational programs and opportunities.

The top priority of the Solanco Education Foundation is to encourage educational excellence and academic enrichment for all students, kindergarten through 12th grade, in the Solanco School District.

The Solanco Education Foundation is a volunteer, non-profit organization that supports and enhances education in the Solanco School District by partnering with local residents, businesses, and organizations.

Since its founding in 2002, the Solanco Education Foundation has distributed over $300,000 for student scholarships, teacher venture grants, and education programs.

The Solanco Education Foundation has awarded:

  • More than $110,000 in Student Scholarships
  • Over 100 Teacher Venture Grants
  • More than $150,000 in EITC funding

Click here for a brochure about the Solanco Education Foundation.


Contact Us

Get in touch with Solanco Education Foundation (SEF) by calling 717-786-5611.

For additional information, please contact SEF Executive Director, Becky Guhl. becky_guhl@solancosd.org


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