The "Polar Bear Initiative" for 2022-2023Supporting Educational Enhancements for Northridge Students through the
Northridge Polar Bear Foundation Fund - a component fund of The Dayton Foundation |
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The Polar Bear Fund Initiative
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 eleven years with grants that provide important educational enhancements that are not covered by school budgets. The "Polar Bear Initiative” was begun in August of 2020 as a means to insure that the fund could continue to operate in future years. Generous donations in 2020, 2021, and 2022 have covered grants for the 202-2021 and 2021-2022 school years (see the list of donors below). But with the 2022-2023 school year underway support is still needed to continue with the two grant cycles, which adds up to about $4500 tot $5000 per year. So the fund raiser initiative will continue for 2022-2023 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
. 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 supported 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, a total of nearly $56,000 in grants 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. These are typical of the types of programs that are supported - things that fall outside of what is provided by the school district curriculum, but that provide great enrichment and added scope to the student experience. We hope to be able to support Northridge education with grants
for the 2022-2023 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!
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). 
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Thank You!
Thanks to the following donors to the Polar Bear Foundation Fund:
The "Polar Bear Initiative" 2020 mailings were sent out in mid-August of 2020. Donations posted for the one year period at The Dayton Foundation from August 2020 through August 2021 were for $10,325. Donations received from August 2021 through December 31, 2021 totaled $600. "The Polar Bear Initiative" continues in 2022, and donations so far this year total $4753. The donations listed on this page are dated from Aug. 2020 to Oct. 2022.
(* The asterisk with the names indicate significant donations of $1000 or more).
(* The asterisk with the names indicate significant donations of $1000 or more).
Thanks to these donors for donations made so far in 2022:
• Tod M. Perez *
• Cargill, Inc. *
• Tom Miske
• Rathweg Insurance
• Linda Shade (two donations)
• 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
• 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
• 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
