Welcome to the Amherst Education Foundation.

AEF is proud to announce our 2013 Excellence Grants, which were presented at our fantastic grants event at the Nacul Center on April 3rd. Congratulations to all the recipients for their terrific proposals! Our schools, our kids and our community will be better for your efforts!

Stars in Our Schools!
Recognize teachers, staff, and graduating seniors with a gift in their honor!
Let teachers and staff members know how much you appreciate their hard work, expertise, care and dedication this year.
Let graduating seniors know they have shined in school.
You can strengthen our schools with a tax-deductible gift to Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) in a teacher’s, staff’s or graduating senior’s name. AEF will deliver a personalized recognition card to your honoree/s.
Send your gift or make your gift online by:
June 15th for teachers/staff--to guarantee delivery to honorees at school before their last day June
3rd for graduating seniors--to guarantee delivery to honorees at graduation rehearsal
See form (PDF) at bottom of this page for mail-in gift.
Thank you!

The Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) is excited to be planning its 3rd Annual Spring Sprint, a 5K Run/Walk and a 1-mile Fun Run for kids. This year’s race is scheduled for May 18th, beginning and ending at Wildwood Elementary School. Last year the race raised nearly $5000. This year, we hope to raise $7000, and to do that, we need your help! Your entry fee will enable AEF to support excellent projects and programs in our public schools in Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury. Last year our grants provided library books, professional development in literacy, hands-on science research, and summer learning for underserved teens. In addition to our grants, AEF continues to host great community events like the Spring Sprint; fostering support for all Amherst-area Public Schools! REGISTER HERE.

NEW*: We invite teams of 4 or more to raise money for their favorite cause and collect pledges from sponsors. Teams are registered at a discount and must preregister. We encourage all Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury students to take advantage of this community service opportunity using the Spring Sprint as a venue. For more information go to: amhersteducationfoundation.org/events

AEF's Winter Newsletter is now available. Check it out for news about our funding initiatives, outreach activities and excellence in our schools.

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Past issues:
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Winter 2011
Fall 2011

AEF + Valley Gives

Valley Gives Day was a roaring success for the Pioneer Valley and for AEF. Thank you for your support! Thanks to the incredible outpouring of generosity on 12.12.12 AEF raised over $14,000 and also received $6000 in bonuses from the Valley Gives organizers for having the third highest number of unique donors among our small nonprofit peers. WOW!

These funds will contribute to our general fund and will help us to make our Excellence Grants this spring. Last year we were able to give $44,000 to support projects and programs throughout the Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury Schools.

If you haven’t given yet this fall and would like to contribute to support our schools please click here. Thanks!

2012 Trivia Bee

2012 Trivia Bee Champion
The Harp Irish Pub with team players Joe Sullivan, Molly Murrnane, Sue Overstreet, John Coelho

Watch the Trivia Bee at Amherst Media

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor:

AMHERST COLLEGE
Center for Community Engagement (CCE)

Thanks to our Audience Trivia game sponsor: Daily Hampshire Gazette

Congratulations to all 34 teams at the 18th AEF Trivia Bee

A.J. Hastings, Inc.
Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
Amherst BID
Amherst Club
Amherst College Center for Community Engagement
Amherst Dental
Amherst Office Park
Atkinson Family Practice
Bob Meyers, AAMS, Financial Advisor, Edward Jones
Citizens Bank
Daily Hampshire Gazette
DeMaio Orthodontics
ENCHARTER INSURANCE
Florence Savings Bank
Greenfield Savings Bank
Integrity Development & Construction, Inc.
Jones Group Realty
Jones Properties
Kuhn Riddle Architects
Minuteman Pest Control
Modern Myths
Northampton Cooperative Bank
Office of the Northwestern District Attorney
PeoplesBank
Peter Vickery, Attorney & Counselor at Law
Rigali and Walder Orthodontics
Robert L. Stern Financial Services
Rotary Club of Amherst
Seewald, Jankowski & Spencer, P.C.
TDS Center for Communication and Social Learning
The Harp Irish Pub
The Pub
UMass University Relations
Verite

With further support from:
Amherst Brewing Company
Big Y Foods Inc.
Fine Arts Center
Henion Bakery
Lumberyard Restaurant
UMass Athletic Department

Announcing AEF's 2013 Excellence Grants Program

October 15, 2012
We are pleased to announce the release of the Request for Proposals for AEF's 2013 Excellence Grants Program. Teams of teachers, individual schools, administrators and organizations affiliated with the Amherst Regional Public Schools are welcome to submit applications for activities which support AEF's funding criteria, and align with the District and/or School Improvement Plans. Up to 4 grants of $10,000 - $25,000 each will be awarded spring, 2013. All public schools in Amherst, Leverett, Shutesbury and Pelham are eligible to apply.

Applications are due January 15, 2013 by email to grants@amhersteducationfoundation.org

>> More information and application form.

Information sessions will be held on Wed., November 14, and Mon., December 10, 2012 (both at 3:45 PM at ARMS in the Superintendent’s Conference Room). Please RSVP to grants@amhersteducationfoundation.org.

AEF's Annual Report is now available.
The mission of the Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) is to support Amherst area public schools in providing a challenging and enriching educational experience that maximizes the learning potential of every student and prepares them to succeed in the 21st century.

Help Support the Amherst Education Foundation!

The mission of the Amherst Educational Foundation (AEF) is to support Amherst area public schools in providing a challenging and enriching educational experience that maximizes the learning potential of every student and prepares them to succeed in the 21st century.
Donate today!

Amherst Education Foundation 2012 Excellence Grants

April 2012
AEF awards $44,000 to four programs that enhance teacher practice and the learning experience for students in Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury schools. Click here to read about the grants.

Voices From Our Schools
Hey, want to know a little more about the good work that your donations do when you give to AEF? Check out this recent episode of Voices From Our Schools featuring AEF talking with Kim Stender about our Excellence Grants and community connections!
watch the video

SPRING SPRINT 2012
Wow! What a turn out! We can't thank the participants enough for showing up to the AEF 2nd annual Spring Sprint! Nearly 180 folks, and a few dogs, crossed the line. There were more than 30 families running and walking together with a stand out showing from the SHEA FAMILY taking home (2) 1st' and (1) 2nd for their divisions. Congratulations to all the Winners! See the incredible results below (and see link below for full results).

1 Mile Fun Run:
1st Place Girls: Anthea Spirko
1st Place Boys: Aidan Shea

5K Run
1st Place Youth Girls: Meghan Sharick
1st Place Youth Boys: Jonathan Hosea
1st Place Open Women: Sarah Cohen
1st Place Open Men: Mike Morris
1st Place Master's Women: Natalie Shea
1st Place Master's Men: Sergio Brena
1st Place Senior's Women: Brenda Miller
1st Place Senior's Men: John Kowaleski

5K Walk
1st Place Women: Lydia de Faveri Spiegel
1st Place Men: Asa Davis

Full results are here (PDF)