One of the major players behind our school district’s post-high school success is the Elmbrook Education Foundation (EEF). Their support behind the scenes has allowed for so many students to seamlessly transition into secondary education. Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Beth Dobrzynski, the Executive Director, and conducting an interview in which she explained the various operations of the foundation and its extraordinary impact on the surrounding community. 

EEF was launched in 1958 by a group of parents with a focus on scholarships and then transitioned in 1999 to include super grants that provided resources like smartboards to classrooms. In recent years, the foundation broadened to include teacher appreciation and recognition activities. 

The EEF will be launching a new initiative soon called Legacy Funds. Beth explained that “the legacy funds will be an integral part of our foundation as they provide the donor with an opportunity to use 5% of their investment into funding a program of their choice, which ultimately leads to a greater community impact.” These four categories of scholarships, super grants, teacher appreciation awards, and legacy funds constitute the four main pillars of the foundation on which they operate.

Now one may ask, how does the foundation fund these activities? The answer is events. EEF hosts four events each year. The first provides funds for teacher and staff appreciation activities, with two donating to the annual funding initiative and the last supporting the LAUNCH program. These fundraisers provide needed capital for the foundation to carry out all of its amazing work. 

And the impact is truly remarkable. In the last year, EEF has provided students with over $100,000 in scholarships, and over $110,000 in grants. It’s upgraded the learning experience in our district, such as the immense expansion of the robotics space at BEHS, new theater equipment (i.e. new mics), nature center funding, and LAUNCH.  And it will only continue to grow in success as more improvements will be made each coming year.

So how can the Elmbrook Education Foundation be so successful in providing support to our students? “The answer to that lies with connections,” Beth says. “A lot of our funds come from recurring donors, whom we’ve forged a strong relationship with for them to keep coming back.” Their strong ties to the community also help them a lot in organizing and carrying out events. Many of the people that serve at fundraisers are often returning volunteers, and their closely knit pool of 25 board members synergize and work together perfectly to produce such positive results. As Beth put it, “EEF’s success takes all of us.  Parents, staff, and the community working together to create stronger schools and a brighter future.” 

Additionally, they have built a strong online presence through social media, LinkedIn, district announcements, emails, and annual impact reports to help extend their reach and provide new avenues for potential connections. BC also plays an important role within the success of EEF. Particularly, the strong collaboration of the BC Key Club with many BC students volunteering at fundraisers or events. 

But the journey doesn’t stop there. EEF wishes to further grow the impact of its legacy funds and even establish a new kind of pillar: alumni associations. These associations will encompass those that have been in the district in the past and allows for a greater community unity through giving back to where you came from. 

In Beth’s eyes, leading EEF is deeply personal. “The education my children received here fuels my passion,” she shares. “If you can teach a child to read and love learning, they can achieve anything.” This dream has come to fruition through EEF. The Elmbrook Education Foundation stands as a shining example of what a united community can achieve. Through its commitment to education and innovation, EEF continues to make a profound impact on students, schools, and the community.