Helena Education Foundation

Trading Places 2009

After spending the morning at Kessler Elementary, the school's principal, Karen Stout-Suenram, worked at the post office with Turner for the afternoon. The pair IR Photo by Chad Trettin went to a meeting at the Myrna Loy Center of Performing Arts in the hopes of scheduling events around a stamp coming out in September commemorating the actor Gary Cooper, who was born in Helena.

The principal-postal worker team was one of a dozen pairs of school administrators and local business folks that participated in the Helena Education Foundation's annual Trading Places event.

Cordingley said educators often spend their entire work days inside their schools, and Trading Places gives them time to get to know the businesses and workers in other parts of the community.

"Administrators' jobs aren't always readily perceived by the community as complex and as important as they are," she said. "They don't always know how critical the role of administrators is to keep education operation at a high level of function. For business leaders to get into the school and gain a better understanding of how critical the role of administrators is helps us get the word out to the public."

Helena Science Forum Inspires Students, Adults Alike

Helena High School junior Hunter Feiss is interested in science. He ponders water and electricity and enjoys topics that are specific to what is affecting the earth.

Feiss was one of 70 students, teachers and community members also interested in science who attended the Helena Education Foundation's annual Hot Topics in Science event on Wednesday.

The theme this year was "Staying in the Game: Resilience in the Face of Climate Change." The forum looked at Helena as an organism undergoing natural cycles.

HEF Executive Director Lisa Cordingley said resilience in this case is an organism's ability to maintain function during a disturbance.

2010 Harrison Award Winners Announced

Creative Writing:

Liz Hartley (Helena High) -- A collection of poems
Elena Hodges (Helena High) – A collection of poems

Expository Writing:

Kristen Ingman (Helena High) -- Love Poem with Toast
Nicole Lorass (Helena High) – How Much is a Text Message Really Worth?

Helena Chamber After Hours

The Helena Education Foundation is proud to co-sponsor a Helena Chamber Business After Hours event at Helena High School on Thursday, September 2. Join us to enjoy refreshments, win door prizes, and learn more about your local school district.

Donations for the Angel Fund "Stuff the Bus" campaign are encouraged.

For more information, please see our mailer.

Fabulous Firsts: Schoolkids unwrap new books, thanks to HEF

Even with a Band-Aid over the boo-boo on his finger, Mitchel Bloomquist had no trouble ripping the wrapping off his new book Wednesday afternoon.

Bloomquist, a first-grader in Allison Judge’s class at Warren Elementary, was one of more than 560 students from Helena public schools to receive a new hardcover picture book through Helena Education Foundation’s Fabulous Firsts program.

Even with a Band-Aid over the boo-boo on his finger, Mitchel Bloomquist had no trouble ripping the wrapping off his IR Photo new book Wednesday afternoon.

Warren Principal Tim McMahon said Fabulous Firsts day is a special one for the school.

“Students love it and it’s a big deal for them,” he said. “For us, it does two things — it puts a book in their hands and connects them to the school.

Read the whole story in the Independent Record.