Projects We Fund

We are pleased to have funded the following projects over the last decade.

Arts

Arts and Crafts for Children

Art holds a happy place in children’s lives. MEF has funded several programs for K-12 students both at school and the community centers.

Music Instrument Maintenance & Purchase

The entire community enjoys the school music programs.The cost of instrument purchase and maintenance exceeds the school budget.  MEF is happy to help cover the costs so everyone can enjoy the sound of music.

“With the addition of the new to us instruments I saw quite a bit of growth in the beginning band. Some kiddos were so excited about their improvement that they decided to continue playing their instrument next year. This means they will likely be the leaders in that section and want to inspire others to be successful as well.
Overall, this funding has helped improve the quality of McKenzie’s band program and also
helped provide opportunities for the individual success of students, thus improving McKenzie’s culture.”

Camera Purchase for Photography / Yearbook

 “I acquired a new and more modern camera, which is now designated as our main camera for event photography, including yearbook pictures and other school events. This camera will enable us to capture high-quality images and contribute to the overall visual appeal of our publications and activities.

Additionally, I purchased a telephoto lens and a video camera cage mount. These accessories will further expand our creative possibilities, allowing us to capture shots from different perspectives and enhance our videography capabilities. By diversifying our equipment, we can offer our students a more comprehensive learning experience in photography and videography”

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Math Ten Marks

In the past Ten Marks provided additional personalized online math practice and enrichment programs for K-12 Algebra/Geometry. MEF also purchased graphing calculators for student use.

SPARC!

The Stewardship Program in Aquatic Restoration and Conservation (SPARC) enables students to learn about the river nearby. MEF has supported this field-based learning program in partnership with the McKenzie Watershed Council.

“Despite the challenges of starting back up a program after inactivity due to COVID, a
McKenzie Watershed Council staff departure, and visiting places safely after the fire,
we had a highly successful year with surveyed students rating the program an 8.75/10.
Seven students received .5 credits of science for participating fully in the program.
More participated, but were unable to complete the program due to employment
conflicts.
Due to a downturn in watershed education funding over the last few years, this
program likely would not exist without the funding from MEF. It allows students –
both those interested in pursuing science professionally and those just interested in
working outside and having fun – an opportunity to meet with professionals in the
field and learn some of the techniques and philosophies behind natural resource
management and watershed issues.

Thank you to all at the MEF for supporting this wonderful project and giving me the
opportunity to broaden the science education offered at McKenzie.”

Ellie’s Log Book

McKenzie’s fifth grade class provided feedback to Judy Li’s Ellie’s Log. This book is about the local ecosystem. The original classroom set got worn out. So, MEF purchased a new classroom set for the next generation of students.

Kindergarten Chicken / Chicks Project

Donation to facilitate purchase of an incubator, eggs, and brooding equipment to facilitate the hatch of chicks in a kindergarten Place Based Learning Project.

“On behalf of the kindergarten class at Mckenzie I would like to thank you for your financial
support of our spring project this year. I am writing to let you know that our project has been a huge success! At the beginning of May we welcomed 12 chicken eggs into our classroom
incubator. We spend much of May studying their development inside of the eggs, and preparing for hatch day. On May 20-21st we welcomed 10 little chicks to our class.

As a teacher this has been an incredible experience for me as well. Getting to see the
excitement in my students’ eyes anytime they see science on the schedule has made me an
incredibly proud teacher. We have had so much fun this past month with our chicken themed activities, that I do not want this time with my students to end, and they do not either. Their love of school has grown exponentially throughout this project, and so has my love of teaching. I want to thank you for your contribution that has brought so much joy to the classroom, and will bring joy to many future classes.”

Field Trip Funding

School Needs

School Supplies

In March 2020 everyone changed their lives due to Covid-19. The school switched to at-home classes by providing students with devices that enabled them to meet with teachers and classmates online. MEF provided home learning supplies for students. As a result of the Holiday Farm Wildfire, about one-third of students were displaced. MEF helped fund school supplies for several years.

College testing fees

MEF pays college testing fees when students can’t afford them.

Community Needs

Community Internet

The September 2020 Holiday Farm Wildfire destroyed the local internet infrastructure. Quickly a non-profit group stepped in to provide creative solutions to rebuild the system which is so important to students in this rural area during these difficult times.  MEF helped fund equipment for the Elevate Oregon project. This allowed students to continue their education online as needed.

Wildfire Relief Fund

When the Holiday Farm Fire reached Blue River firefighters quickly rallied to save the McKenzie School from the flames knowing that it is the heart of the community. Fire reached the perimeter of the football field, burning the stands. But the main buildings were not significantly harmed. Tragically the fire burned a third of the homes of teachers and students. Many who lost their home found places to stay in  hotels, with friends and relatives, or elsewhere.  As school resumed, with COVID-19 still spreading, many people needed help replacing school supplies, supporting online learning, for gas money to commute to McKenzie School from Eugene, and even for a desk in the hotel room. 

The teachers also needed supplies to be able to teach under the chaotic conditions. They asked for funding to improve their ability to teach from home.  All together MEF provided over $40,000 in small grants to assist families and teachers from this relief fund.

Whether it be one dollar or more, everyone’s generosity can contribute to the projects we fund. If you are interested please Donate Via The PayPal Button Below.