In 2004, 60 community members, identified for their loyalty, passion, and support of the school district community, met to discuss the need for the Foundation. Volunteers from the community were appointed to a board of directors. The Foundation is a non-profit organization completely separate from School District 16. We work with the district as a supportive partner. With the combined commitments of the School District, the Panther Foundation and the members of the community, we can ensure our students receive the best educational opportunities. Our goal is to fund educational innovations that students need to be successful - the pieces that can mean the difference between an average education and an outstanding one! Our main sources of funding are from annual membership dues, the fall Family Carnival & 5K, February's Gala, and a summer Golf Fundraiser. In the first four years alone, over 100 grants were presented on behalf of student and $30,000 was raised and used for "Fund-a-Dream" projects in the district. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $815,000 to Spring Lake Park Schools to fund more than 200 projects and initiatives. School District 16 does a great job of providing the educational basics for students. Panther Foundation members think our students deserve even more. We think it's worth an investment to maintain high quality school experiences for the benefit of our children, parents and taxpayers.
