Our Mission
The Visalia Education Foundation is a non-profit public benefit corporation whose purpose is exclusively educational and charitable to secure and distribute contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations for the benefit of students of the Visalia Unified School District. About Us
The Visalia Education Foundation is a not-for-profit founded in 1983
that has as its mission "to identify and secure resources to promote
educational excellence for the students of the Visalia Unified School
District." The Foundation carries out its mission through community
fundraising to make available:
- student scholarships for graduating seniors
- teacher mini-grants for innovative classroom projects
- increased student access to classroom technology
- other educational enhancements outside the school district budget
Visalia Education Foundation
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The Visalia Education Foundation is pleased to announce scholarship applications for 2015 graduating Visalia Unified School District seniors are now available. All forms can be downloaded from the "Student Scholarships" section of this website or obtained at any Visalia Unified High School counseling office.
Completed Applications are due by 5 PM on Thursday, March 19.
2015 Major Grants
Visalia Education Foundation announced the recipients of major grants to two Visalia Unified School District programs totaling $6,075.
The VEF major grant program is available to Visalia Unified teachers and staff for creative and innovative projects related to music, the arts and science or that support the standards-based curriculum. The foundation has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years to VUSD programs.
The amount of money disbursed each year varies, depending on the number and quality of grant requests and availability of funding.
The grants are available to all teachers, staff, department heads and administrators to fund programs that benefit students if funding is not available through regular school sources,
Recipients of the 2015 grants are:
● Mt. Whitney High School, teacher Jordan Ray. Jordan is the director of the Mt. Whitney Band and he submitted and received $2300 to purchase two Macbook Pro computers to run audio software for the marching band, winter percussion and jazz band. The grant will enable the school to update their current technology in completing music performance in the electronic medium, including electronic instruments, sound board equipment, and digital effects. The grant was accepted by Principal Jeff Hohne.
● Oak Grove K-8 School and teacher Phil Villalobos received a grant of $3775.76 to purchase a tuba for the music department. With the addition of grades 7-8 at Oak Grove, the band program now includes an advanced band and the needs additional instruments to provide advancing repertoire, improve balance and intonation, and enhance the overall sound of the ensemble. The grant was accepted for Band Director Villalobos by Principal John Davis.
(L-R) Visalia Ed Board Member Laura Pace, Jeff Hohne, John Davis, VUSD Superintendent Dr. Craig Wheaton
Libby Romani, Coordinator of Music Programs for Visalia Unified and an Education Foundation Board member, introduced Mr. Lange as having an interesting hobby - giving kids and schools instruments. She shared “If we are short an instrument we can always call him and he will start scrounging.”
Marilyn Gong, vice chairperson of the Visalia Education Foundation, in presenting the award noted that the award she helped present was “long overdue”. Mrs. Gong went on to state that “Ken’s love for music and his goal to help kids play musical instruments is like nobody else. He has been so generous over the years in donating instruments to any area schools that have the need. He does this straight from the heart with no benefits to himself.”
Visalia Unified School Superintendent Dr. Craig Wheaton presented a plaque and certificate of appreciation by the school district and the Board of Education. Dr. Wheaton stated that it was “a tremendous opportunity” to present the award “for all of your contributions to the students of the Visalia Unified School District.” Dr. Wheaton also acknowledged the members of the Education Foundation and thanked the organization for their partnership in supporting the students of Visalia Unified.
Mr. Lange first moved with his family to Tulare in the 1930’s. The family started a very successful business now called Lange Plumbing Supply. In 2007, their company was named the Tulare Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.
Mr. Lange’s generosity has been felt not just in Visalia and Tulare, but all over Tulare County. A recent news article recognized Ken for donating over 50 instruments to Traver School. Ken and other members of the Lange family have a long history of giving to others. Ken is also active in community musical groups, as well as the free concerts that are held every Wednesday night during the summer at Zumwalt Park in Tulare.
Warren Miller's Ticket To Ride a Big Success!
The Sequoia Ski Club and the Visalia Education Foundation joined together to present Warren Miller's Ticket to Ride, the 64th installment of Miller's acclaimed series featuring worldwide skiing adventures. The film was screened on November 7, 2013, at the El Diamante High School Theater Visalia to over a hundred viewers. The proceeds of a little over $1000 from the event were generously shared by the Ski Club with our Visalia Education Foundation.
This feature-length film took filmgoers on an exciting voyage to the top of the steepest peaks and to the depths of the freshest powder of Iceland's Troll Peninsula, Greenland, the Alaskan Tordirillos, Montana's Big Sky country and more.
Ticket To Ride explores the close relationship between humans and our vast natural environment, as the sport's best skiers and snowboarders take an action-packed journey across the globe to shed light on the significance of being aware of your surroundings.
The film's exhilarating scenes surely got skiers and snowboarders excited about the coming season. To watch a short trailer of Ticket to Ride CLICK HERE.
This screening was exclusive to the area through the sponsorship of the Sequoia Ski Club. We wish to express our appreciation to the club for their generosity.
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