2017 - DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
Message from our Chair
Richard Cohn
Dear Families and Friends of the William S. Hart School District,

This 2017/2018 school year is in full swing and fall is most certainly upon us…the days of 90’s and 100’s are behind us and the sweatshirts are out! It’s a fantastic time of year in the SCV…another year of opportunity, learning and adventure…and challenges!

For those that have been able to support WiSH financially, thank you. Through your generosity and support, critically needed money goes directly to students in our District…money for programs, equipment, instruments & calculators just to name some recent initiatives. For those that haven’t had an opportunity or think that your small contribution wouldn’t make a difference, I ask you to think again. If every family in the district gave just $5, we’d have $115,000…this just also happens to be our goal for our Library funding program for this school year and help towards our STEAM funding focus!

We’ve been extremely fortunate to be the beneficiary of recent local partnerships…AutoNation Vehicle Giveaway, David Fernandez Singer Songwriter Salute Series Tribute Concert, Friday night Jazz @ The Hyatt, The Signal HOOPS Tournament, and district activities like The Burrito Bowl & upcoming SCV Chili Cookoff, not to mention our fantastic sponsors of all of our events! We’ve also raised much needed funds through our amazing annual Cocktails on the Roof event and we have more great things in store for the remainder of the school year.

We’re extremely fortunate to have such an amazing public school system. But we need your help…we need your $5 (or $20 or $100), not to mention family, business and corporate memberships and ongoing pledges. I recognize that there are competing interests for your dollars and that sometimes it’s hard to give. We are YOUR foundation, our/your $ stays in Santa Clarita to support activities, materials and supplies that school budgets don’t fund. We’re not funded by any agencies and rely on contributions, grants and sponsorships to fund much needed activities in our students' classrooms.

This is a partnership…between families, the community and the schools. Though I’m certainly not the first to say it, it does ‘take a village.’ I want to take this opportunity to also thank our amazing group of volunteers who are there to help whenever needed, as well as my fantastic Board for their support, commitment and efforts towards supporting our local schools. Please consider your gift this season at www.WiSHscv.org.

From my family to yours, wishing you all the season’s best for health, family and new memories.


Richard Cohn
Chair, WiSH Education Foundation 

Focus on WiSH
Vice Chair, Lynne Secrest
Did you know that our district school libraries have not received a penny of funding since 2008?

Our libraries are safe and welcoming places for students to come to work, read and relax with books and technology that might not always be available at home. In these libraries, they have guidance, supervision and encouragement.

We believe that providing a modern, "literacy rich environment" in our libraries is critical to launching our students toward a successful future. However, keeping our libraries stocked with the most up-to-date and engaging reading materials is a challenging proposition in our ever changing world. Therefore, WiSH is reaching out to the community to support our efforts to enhance and update reading and technology options in our public school libraries.

Whether or not you currently have a student in the Hart district, we hope you will partner with us in our effort to encourage learning through new print media and new technology for the library.

Our goal is to raise $100,000 towards this effort.

Jersey Mike's is supporting the library fund - bring your Hart District ID - student, teacher or administrator - to the new Target Center Jersey Mike's store opening December 13-15 and get a free regular sub with a minimum $2 donation to WiSH. One per person per day.

Please consider giving to this most important program. Go to www.WiSHscv.org and click on the Library Fund slider on the main page. Thank you so very much for your continued support of our local public schools and the important role they play in our greater community.

Before I leave you, let me please take the time to congratulate two our our board members who received accolades at the Signal TOP51 event - Richard Cohn and Cherise Moore. This is a prestigious award in our valley and we are very proud of how they give back, not just through WiSH but in our valley at large.

Thank you,
 
Lynne Secrest, Board of Directors Vice Chair
Proud Board Member of WiSH Education Foundation
Please make a difference in local education by clicking below
Event Updates
 Cocktails on the Roof a GREAT SUCCESS!

COTR17 was again a sold out event as patrons celebrated atop the transformed Westfield Valencia Town Center parking garage in August. With forty tents serving signature cocktails and amazing food, inventive lounges and lighting, our fabulous DJ and dancing, and incredible silent auction offering at-home socials and dinners from our participant restaurants, it was a party not to be missed. Thanks to you, WiSH raised over $45,000 during the evening!
A great time was had by all at the annual, sold out Cocktails on the Roof in August.

WiSH was proud to be the new sponsor of the SCV Burrito Bowl, a fun event held at Westfield Valencia Town Center that pits five linemen from each of the six football teams as they race to eat a four foot burrito! Sales from raffle tickets go to each of the six teams as well as dance teams and cheer squads. This year, Saugus High School was the winner!

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BURRITO BOWL - AUGUST 28TH!

Upcoming Events
Jersey Mike’s
Newest Opening
to Raise Funds for Libraries
As you learned from our Chair, Richard Cohn, above, our libraries are in dire need of assistance.  Jersey Mike’s is generously stepping up to help as they offer THREE DAYS of specials when the newest Jersey Mike’s opens this fall, December 13, 14 and 15.

These first three days of the storefront opening in the Target Shopping Center in Valencia will offer anyone with a Hart District ID (student or staff) a FREE REGULAR SUB with a minimum $2 donation to WiSH!! Please be generous and help our libraries – whether you have kids about to come into the 7-12th grades or students who have already graduated out, we all know the importance of books, technology and a safe place in a child’s life. We need the community’s help with this, so let’s join Jersey Mike’s and make a difference!
Whiskey Trifecta: Tasting, Pairing & Cocktails

Salt Creek Grill Patio

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8th 6:30pm
Join us on the cozy patio at Salt Creek Grille for what is the hottest drink of the moment - Whiskey! Our brand rep will educate you on the finer points of Whiskey and allow you to taste a variety of whiskeys as you partake in a very special buffet meal courtesy of Salt Creek. In addition, your ticket will also allow you to enjoy three whiskey cocktails.

All this for only $110 per person. Event begins at 6:30pm. Tickets are limited so get yours now!

More information and TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW at www.WiSHscv.org

WiSH is proud to be beneficiary of this year's 5th SCV Annual Charity Chili Cookoff, one of our Valley's most popular events! Help us raise funds for our public schools!

Join us at Wolf Creek Brewery on Tuesday, March 20th at 5:30 pm. Have a ball, dance along to the GRIZWALDS, eat some amazing Chili (for those of you that love the event but don't have a chili tummy, Jersey Mike's will be there, too) and vote for your favorite!!

Check out the website here and learn more on the FB event page here.

Check www.WiSHscv.org for updates, information and tickets.
Last year's winner, Amy Juico, walked away with a brand new vehicle for her family. This year is your chance! With a $25 donation to WiSH, you earn the opportunity to win a brand new vehicle, courtesy of AutoNation! Donation tickets will go on sale in February and there is no limit to the number you can purchase. Stay posted!
Saturday, March 24th
(date subject to change, please check www.wishscv.org)

Come on out once again to see all of our senior boys and girls compete with and against each other in games and competitions! Raffle prizes and fun for the entire family and all proceeds benefit special education programs!
Early May!
(check for updated info on www.WiSHscv.org
You asked and we answered! Welcome to Wine Under the Stars, which will be held in early May atop the new Laemmle Theater now under construction at the corner of Lyons Avenue and Main Street in downtown Newhall. The city has guaranteed that we will be the first group to host an event in what will be a popular space. Because the space is still under construction , we anticipate a May Thursday evening (as estimated by the city). We will of course let you know as soon as we know!!

With beautiful lighting, a live band, dancing between courses, photo opps and more, we will welcome our guests to a remarkable, one of a kind special evening that our guests will not soon forget.

Eve has secured Steve Lemley as our co-host for this unique, never-before-seen event. Lemley is a well-respected SCV winemaker that co-owns the SCV Custom Crush Services . Lemley will curate our wines from his local facility that houses over twenty different wineries – most, if not all, will be making their debut that evening - and we will have a winemaker at each table to allow for interesting and knowledgeable discourse.  


Check www.WiSHscv.org for updates, information and tickets.
SAVE THE DATE! SEPTEMBER 7, 2018

Hosted by Eve Bushman of Eve’s Wine 101, Marlee Lauffer, President of Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Foundation, and Executive Director Amy Daniels, Cocktails on the Roof will be back to the top of Macy’s parking garage at Westfield Town Center and better than ever!

Keep up with all #COTR18 news and teasers on our FB pages and brand new dedicated website, www.cocktailsontheroofscv.org
Continued donations through the
AMY DANIELS’ CLIMB FOR EDUCATION
Executive Director Amy Daniels climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa in September to raise funds for Public Education! Donations continue to come in and everything is appreciated as she plans for three more trips in 2018 and is headed to Kathmandu, Nepal in March 2019 to climb high mountain passes and Nepal's "other Everest," Gokyo Ri.

Please give your 100% tax deductible donation and follow the training and climb at  www.amydanielsclimbs.comHenry Mayo Fitness & Health has been a wonderful partner in this endeavor – you can see what they do by checking out the youtube channel amydanielsclimbs.
Giving
We've had a great start to this academic year! We began the year with a donation of solar glasses for our district students to view the solar eclipse safely. Using a grant from Boston Scientific, WiSH was able to donate graphing caculators used by all math students at all of our comprehensive high schools in the district! Following that, we gave needed items to our Special Education department. While we can and do fund any program within our purview, our funding focus for the year is STEAM, with an emphasis on the Arts. With that in mind, WiSH donated musical instruments to the Canyon High School orchestra program and Sierra Vista Junior High's guitar program. WiSH continues to give to the Golden Oak Adult School scholarship program and our district wide athletic trainer program.

Most recently, it was our honor to be involved with scholarships in partner with the Sheriff's Department to student standouts in the career pathway within the Hart District. Four $500 scholarships were given away.

It is our pleasure to make a difference for the 23,000 students of the Hart District – won’t you please join us by making a donation HERE. Even $5 will add up to big impact. Thank you.
Grants
WiSH is thrilled to bring our grant writers back - it's imperative that every foundation bring in about 15-20% of their budget in grants and without this program, we are unable to do as much for our local students. Since beginning the new academic year (July 1, 2017), WiSH is thrilled and very appreciative to have received the following grants:

  • Walmart - graphing calculators
  • American Institute for Research - Underserved students' college fair
  • Union Bank - Digital Arts and Design Program
  • Edison - English and Math Intervention Software
  • So Cal Gas - STEAM
  • HONU Coffee - General Fund
Thank you to the wonderful funders who have found our work to be valuable!
Sponsors
WiSH just turned SIX YEARS OLD! Though new nonprofits face an uphill battle to raise funds and continue to make a lasting impact, we’ve come a long way since our start in 2012. We have multiple events throughout the year that are well received and we’ve made a significant impact for programming in our district schools in that time! We want you to know that we are YOUR COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. WiSH is here for our collective good – investing in our young people is an investment in our community, and many of our local businesses have generously partnered with WiSH to raise badly needed funding for a variety of programs. Every business that sponsors an event allows us to fund programs that otherwise would not be possible. WiSH appreciates every partner and welcomes new involvement. Every event sponsorship comes with exposure and we would love to partner with your company, too! Contact us for more information at WiSH@hartdistrict.org.
While we are incredibly grateful to every event sponsor we have (we could not do it without you!), there are some local partners that, in addition to sponsoring individual events and programs, go the extra mile to provide us with additional services throughout the year. It all starts with California Credit Union, who donates our office space! Without their sustained support of our programs throughout the year, we would not be able to continue our good work. We thank CCU – and the other, incredible partners we have that provide us with their services all year long. We encourage you to visit them yourselves to reward them with your patronage:
With much appreciation to our greater community,
Amy Daniels
Executive Director
Wm. S. Hart Education Foundation
Contact Us
24343 Magic Mountain Parkway
Valencia, CA 91355
661.799.WiSH (9474)
Amy Daniels