The Falls Church Education Foundation (FCEF), a non-profit organization dedicated to raising supplemental funds for Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS), brought in a record-breaking $80,000 in net revenue at its 9th Annual Gala, held on May 17 at the Washington Golf & Country Club. The newly formatted event also resulted in a record number of ticket sales, donations and sponsorships, helping mark this year’s Gala as one of the Foundation’s most successful.

Lead sponsor Alarm.com was joined by major sponsors Acacia Federal Savings Bank, Orange Twist and Vet Advisor.

The money—raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, donations, and live and silent auctions— will help fund a variety of school programs as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum from the elementary level through high school.

During the 2012/2013 academic year, for example, FCEF:

• Sponsored anti-bullying programs at George Mason HS (GMHS) and Mary Ellen Henderson MS (MEHMS);
• Provided mentoring and tutoring program for at-risk youth;
• Provided backpacks of food and books for at-risk families;
• Sponsored teacher training and travel;
• Awarded more than $42,000 in college scholarships;
• Donated $3,000 to the PTAs for teacher grants;
• Awarded $4,000 to MEHMS for a hands-on personal finance day at "Finance Park";
• Funded new interactive display slates for GMHS math teachers;
• Secured grant funding for teacher induction training; and
• Funded scholarships to current GMHS students to further Spanish language learning.

Similar events are planned for the 2013-2014 academic year.

“As anyone who watches budget cycles knows, finding adequate funding for schools nationwide has become an increasingly difficult challenge,” said Dr. Toni Jones, Superintendent of FCCPS. “This Foundation serves an invaluable role by helping narrow the gap between the FCCPS School Board’s actual budget and the very real, otherwise unmet needs of our growing population of students. This year’s Gala went a long way toward ensuring the success of next year’s programming and enhancing our STEM curriculum.

Founded in 2003, the Falls Church Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises, manages and distributes supplemental funds to enhance and enrich the education of students in Falls Church City Public Schools. Its mission is to ensure that our students are prepared to effectively meet the challenges of the 21st century.  For more information, or to find out how to support the Foundation's mission, please visit www.fcedf.org.