Ron Nielson, Executive Director
200 North Main
Blanding, Utah 84511
435-678-1213
FAX 435-678-1390
San Juan School District, located in the southeastern most corner of Utah, is unique in the population it serves. Covering the Utah portions of the Navajo Indian Reservation, the majority of our students are Native American. The sheer size of our district coupled with its geographical location creates a very real isolation that places our students at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing educational and enrichment opportunities that might be considered basic by some. Unemployment rates 300% higher than the national average create issues of poverty that prevent parents from providing experiences to fill those gaps.
The San Juan Education Foundation was created to help meet these needs by providing additional educational support and assistance to the schools and students of San Juan School District. The foundation is non-profit and is governed by a ten-person volunteer board that meets quarterly. Schools, programs, teachers and students may apply for funding for projects that are focused on academic improvement or enrichment. Recent donations to the foundation have supported a variety of worthy endeavors.
We are approaching your organization and seeking your help since you have demonstrated a commitment towards public education, youth, or Native American issues. The San Juan Education Foundation hopes that you would consider making a donation. We would greatly appreciate all donations to the foundation for individual, school, program, teacher, or student projects.
San Juan School District and its patrons have seen first hand the rewards brought about in the lives of students and families as a result of this program. and are committed to continuing to provide the same caliber of after school opportunities during the 2002-2003 school year and beyond. We realize however that we cannot do this on our own.
A contribution of any size would be welcomed and wisely used.Individual projects funded by the foundation have covered a wide array of subjects and needs. During this school year a Navajo student from San Juan High School was a state level history fair winner. An award from the San Juan Education Foundation allowed her to travel to Washington D.C. to take part in the national level competition. During the 1999-2000 school year another Native American student was invited to participate in the Utah Ambassadors of Music European Exchange. He was able to attend with the financial assistance of the foundation. During the 1998-1999 school year, students at Monument Valley High School were afforded the opportunity to learn to play the guitar as a result of the gift of a classroom set of guitars from the foundation. That same year, an eighth grade student had a once in a lifetime experience at Catalina Island where he participated in a hands-on biology camp thanks in part to funding provided by the San Juan Education Foundation. Several schools have been able to create classroom libraries of leveled readers to assist with the district mission of increased literacy skills. Several others have used foundation funds to create individual classroom, or even school-wide, science labs. Your donation in any amount would allow us to continue to recognize and support these efforts.
We appreciate your taking the time to give consideration to our request for support and are available to answer any questions that you may have regarding our organization. As an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization we would be happy to provide you with any documentation you require.
Ron Nielson (rt@sanjuanschools.org)
Executive Director