PIE is honored by Vashon scholarship foundation

The award and scholarship will celebrate both Partners in Education and a community-minded island student.

By Brian Gill For The Beachcomber • April 19, 2023 1:30 am
PIE’s funding for a recent trip to France is but one example of enrichment programs and opportunities the nonprofit has made possible, over the course of the past three decades, for public school teachers and students on Vashon (Courtesy Photo).
PIE’s funding for a recent trip to France is but one example of enrichment programs and opportunities the nonprofit has made possible, over the course of the past three decades, for public school teachers and students on Vashon (Courtesy Photo).

If you’ve ever had a child step off a school bus excited about an amazing experience at a Vashon public school, chances are Partners in Education (PIE) helped make it happen.

For 36 years, PIE has granted teachers funds for innovative programs that require money beyond existing school budgets. Its mission remains steadfast: enhance Vashon public schools by placing funds in the hands of those closest to the educational process.

“We touch on every subject and grade level,” said PIE Board President Karen Boyle. “Most school field trips are funded by PIE, and our grants cover Artists in Schools, science labs, library collections, theater programs, band-instrument repair and countless special projects dreamed up by teachers. We also give money to Student Link and Family Link programs.”

In recognition of PIE’s decades of positive impact, Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation (VCSF) is honoring PIE with its 2023 “Making a Difference Now” award. This annual scholarship celebrates people and organizations that improve Vashon’s quality of life, champion humanitarian principles and show a deep faith in the human spirit.

VCSF then gives the scholarship to students who exemplify those values.

This year’s award will be one of the nearly 150 scholarships VCSF bestows on Vashon Island School District (VISD) seniors at a May 25 ceremony. VCSF encourages seniors to continue education and training after high school by matching scholarships to their interests, and every VISD graduating senior who applies receives an award.

“PIE has improved the educational lives of so many students and teachers, and we wanted to celebrate those efforts,” said longtime VCSF Board Member Shirley Ferris. “The class of 2023 senior who receives the ‘Making a Difference Now’ scholarship, in PIE’s name, will be someone who understands the importance of investing in one’s community.”

Previous “Making a Difference Now” honorees include island musician and educator Paul Colwell, Vashon High School staff members Char Phillips and Lisa Cyra, veteran math teacher Cornelius Lopez, and Journeymen program founders Nicky Wilks and Alex Craighead.

PIE and VCSF have much in common. Both organizations began in the 1980s, thanks to the efforts of Vashon community members wishing to enhance the lives of island youth. And both organizations continue to succeed thanks to the generosity of Vashon residents and businesses, as well as off-island families and friends.

In PIE’s case, grants are largely funded by community donations via a fall phone-a-thon and online contributions. For VCSF, many scholarships come from Vashon groups and residents who design their own awards, while other awards, like the “Making a Difference Now” scholarship, are collectively funded by general donations.

“These two organizations have a shared, complementary history,” said Ferris. “They both believe in young people, value their education and strive to provide enriching opportunities. Why do we do this? It’s simple. We care about Vashon’s kids, and we want them to know their community supports them from their earliest days in Vashon schools to well beyond graduation.”

Brian Gill is a parent and a member of the Vashon Community Scholarship Foundation. Learn more and make a gift to VCSF scholarships at vashonscholarshipfoundation.org.