The "Polar Bear Initiative" for 2023-2024

Supporting Educational Enhancements for Northridge Students through the
Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund​  - a component fund of The Dayton Foundation
The Polar Bear Fund Initiative
The last few years have been a challenge for the schools, with the tornado devastation in 2019, and the COVID-19 related setbacks and strains on the budget in 2020 and continuing throughout 2023. The Northridge Optimist Club and The Dayton Foundation are seeking donors to help sustain the kind of support that enriches the educational experience for the students. We are reaching out to friends of the Northridge Optimist Club, Northridge alumni, area businesses, and community members to help support these efforts for the coming school year, and beyond.
​See the donation information at the right.  
Why this Year is Important for the Future:
The fund has been a source of support to Northridge students for the past twelve years with grants that provide important educational enhancements that are not covered by school budgets. The "Polar Bear Initiative” campaign was begun in August of 2020 as a means to boost the chances for the fund to continue to operate in future years. Generous donations in 2020, 2021, and 2022 have covered grants for the past three school years (see the list of donors below). But for the 2023-2024 school year support is still needed to continue with the two grant cycles, which adds up to about $4000 or more per year.  So the fund raiser initiative will continue for 2023-2024 and beyond, to keep providing programs designed for enriching the educational experience for Northridge students. Your help is still needed, so the club is asking friends of the Northridge community to consider a donation. See the information on the right to donate.
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What is the Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund?
The THE NORTHRIDGE POLAR BEAR FOUNDATION FUND was started by Northridge Local Schools with an investment to create an endowment with The Dayton Foundation for funding school related programs that were not covered by school district budgets. The stipulation for the use of funds was to preclude its use for scholarships. The Northridge Optimist Club has been a major supporter of the fund with club donations to the fund totaling $22,500 over the past several years.

The disbursement of funds is handled as a grant process, with an advisory committee that evaluates applications for funds.  The Northridge Optimist Club has three members on the advisory committee, which also includes the Superintendent of Northridge Schools, and a representative from The Dayton Foundation. The application form is made available through the school. 
​Some Examples of Polar Bear Grants:
Since the fund’s first grants in 2011, over $60,000 has been awarded to supplement various educational programs. For the school years of 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 these programs include the following: 

• A "great books" program for 4th grade language arts students
• Books for a 7th grade classroom
• High school art projects
• Math study programs for grades 3 and 5
• Science projects for STEM students
• Social skills programs for K-4
• "Girls on the Run" programs for grades 3 and 5
• Books designed for special ed students
• Two Muse Machine performances at the school for grades 6-12
• Providing reading materials electronically to enhance, track, and evaluate their reading and writing skills. 
• A "Climate and Culture Team project" to enhance the social-emotional competence of K-12 students. 
• The replacement of math picture books that were lost in the Grafton Kennedy school destruction. 
     (In all three cases, funds received for the projects will provide educational benefits on an ongoing basis, beyond just this school year.)
• Student volunteer Corps for developing student leaders
• Reading, Writing & Critical Thinking Skills - reading materials (middle school)
• Junior Great Books program - building life-long learners - 2nd grade
• "What's Cooking" - 11th & 12th grade - learning economics of preparing food
• Items to aid in testing all 2nd & 3rd grade students for flexibility and dexterity
• Items for "The Green Thumb Club”, an after-school program for teaching gardening skills
• STEM project promoting knowledge of coding and programming.
• Supporting a mentoring program for improving achievement for at-risk students in grades K-5. The program includes training and certification for mentors who will support the students.
• Grant for purchasing a kit of basic tools and supplies for repair of band instruments to avoid high cost and lost time in sending instruments out for repair.
• Funds for an “Exploring Our Future Day” event which will provide workshops to spark interest by middle school students in careers, hobbies, and opportunities.
• Support a new embroidery project to the arts & craft curriculum to expand the students’ creative skills. The grant will be used to purchase embroidery looms and materials for four classes of 20 to 25 students each.
• Materials for students to build and drive robots to perform a particular task, working in small groups.
• Program to encourage at-risk Senior students to stay in school with special Friday lunches. 
• Books to be used by Jr. & Sr. English students in conjunction with a Study Sync curriculum, which did not come with books.
• Program to educated students on the negative effects of alcohol and drugs.
We hope to be able to support Northridge education with grants
​ for the 2023-2024 school year, and beyond at the same level as in the past. 
With your help the "Polar Bear Initiative" can make this possible.
Secure online credit card donations to the Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund can be made directly to The Dayton Foundation by clicking the "Donate" button which will transfer you from this website to the appropriate fund donation page on The Dayton Foundation's website.
Thank you for your desire to contribute and help make a difference. Please note the Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund #3451 is a component fund of The Dayton Foundation, and we process all gifts and donations through their website. Kindly click the ‘Donate’ button and you will be redirected to the foundation's website where you will be able to contribute to the Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund #3451.  Thank you for your support!
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​If you prefer to donate by check, you may download a printable mail-in form by clicking the button below. Checks should be made out to The Dayton Foundation, with "for the Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund #3451" filled out in the notation area.
Above: an excerpt from the Feb. 2019 issue of "Dividends", published by Northridge Schools, featuring a presentation of Polar Bear grants at a Northridge School Board meeting.
Click the photo to download the full copy (story on page 2).
Thank You!
Thanks to the following donors to the Polar Bear Foundation Fund:
The "Polar Bear Initiative" campaign began in August, 2020, and donations over the past three years have totaled $16,678. The campaign continues for the 2023-2024 school year, and donor names will be added to the "thank you" list as donations are received. 
(* The asterisk with the names indicate significant donations of $1000 or more).
Thanks to these donors for donations made in 2023:
• Tod M. Perez *
Thanks to these donors for donations made in 2022:
• Tod M. Perez *
• Cargill, Inc. *
• Tom Miske
• Rathweg Insurance
​• Linda Shade (two donations)
Thanks to these donors for donations made in 2021:
• Cargill, Diana Schaefer *
• Mr. & Mrs. J. Michael Gorman
• Mr. & Mrs. David Williamson
• TFC Technologies
• Randy Zuercher
​• (anonymous)
• Rex Banner
Thanks to these donors, from August through December, 2020:
• Cargill, Diana Schaefer *
• FC Industries, Inc., Mr. Michael Casella *
• Levin Porter and Associates, Inc.
​• Mr. and Mrs. Richard G. Snider
• Mr. & Mrs. Don Knoth
• Brookville Stor-N-Lock
• Rieck Services Group
• Schumacher Crane Rental
• Mr. & Mrs. J. Michael Gorman
• Manning & Associates CPA's
• Tod Brining
• First Financial Bank, Troy, Ohio
• Loges Sales & Service, Tom Loges
• Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Miske
• Rathweg Insurance Associates
• Chris Young
• Mr. & Mrs. Randy Zuercher