The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Foundation raises cash to HELP young readers

By Katherine Petersen

Thanks to the Sunnyvale School District Education Foundation, more students will gain the reading skills they need to successfully continue their education.

Project High Expectations Learning Program (HELP), which was piloted in the Santa Clara Unified School District, started July 7 for at-risk students in Sunnyvale.

The program, geared toward improving literacy for first-, second- and third-graders, will run for six weeks during the summer, said foundation president Geoff Ainscow.

"The goal is to have every child a reader by the third grade," Ainscow said. "Fifty percent of California's fourth-graders fail basic skills tests."

The program also features two extended days a week during the school year, small class sizes, parental involvement and a $500 contribution from parents, although scholarships are available for those who can't afford the cost, Ainscow said.

The foundation's primary goal is to raise money to enhance the opportunities and resources of the district's students. So far, it has raised $156,000 toward its goal of $216,000 to put 108 students through Project HELP.

"We raise money around programs. It's easier that way," Ainscow said.

The foundation, established in 1989, has also raised money to fund a multimedia specialist program in Sunnyvale's elementary schools. Teachers were trained to use multimedia technology in the classrooms, Ainscow said. The foundation also provided much of the computer equipment for students to use.

"This program is still in place, and this year the foundation has taken a new direction with Project HELP," said SESD's acting superintendent Ben Picard. "This program will provide extra help for students who are struggling the most with their reading."

The foundation's 18-member board of directors, which meets monthly, includes parents, community leaders and representatives from local industries, Ainscow said.

"There's a wide variety of people, including some retirees from the community," he added.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, July 16, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.