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The Fleetwood Area School District’s Nature Center Restoration project is not just focused on creating a beautiful outdoor space on school grounds. This student-led restoration of an outdoor learning environment will provide access to environmental education opportunities, connecting students to nature and their surrounding community.   

The outdoor learning environment will serve as a classroom complete with picnic style tables, providing students with hands-on experiences to spark a lifelong interest in environmental stewardship. The project leaders plan to create signage to identify key educational aspects of the Nature Center including tree and animal species identification and watershed information. They aim to help native plants and birds reclaim portions of their habitat by building floating island structures and birdhouses.  

During a recent visit, we were fortunate enough to witness not only a baby blue heron basking in the sun, but also the pride and excitement from the students who have worked so hard to get things started at the Nature Center. After extensively researching native plants, students selected species such as spatterdock, duck potato, and swamp milkweed to add to the land and water. It was truly inspiring to see the students channel their creativity and innovation into a project that will have such a positive impact on the community.  

The goal of the project is to help students gain skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, problem solving, and project management. What makes this project particularly special is its student-led approach. The Fleetwood Area School District is committed to empowering these students in grades 5-12 by allowing them to lead the efforts.   

“Whether it is a fifth-grade teacher demonstrating the water cycle for his/her class, or the AP Biology students visiting the pond to assess habitat health by chemically testing the quality of the pond water, it will be an outdoor classroom that will be used in a wide variety of ways,” Dr. Natalie Lytle, Director of Curriculum and Assessment at Fleetwood Area School District said about the impact the classroom will have.  

This hands-on experience will also instill a sense of responsibility and ownership among students. They will witness firsthand the impact of their efforts, making the lessons learned in the classroom come alive in a real-world context.  

Funding for this project came from the Teacher Mini-Grant Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, which provides grants up to $500 for Berks County K-12 school employees to support innovative classroom projects. Applications are now being accepted until December 1 for the 2024-2025 school year. For more information about the fund, please click here.   

The board room at Sinking Spring Public Library (SSPL) was recently transformed into an all-day workshop for anyone interested in learning the traditional Scottish craft of spinning yarn. SSPL Director Wenonah Riegel organized and instructed this unique class that featured a traditional Scottish spindle called a Dealgan.

Riegel enjoys spinning, knitting, and crocheting, and has been honing her craft for 34 years. She started spinning when she worked at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, where she was responsible for costume interpretation in one of the tenant houses. She has also demonstrated various traditional crafts including spinning and natural dyeing at Daniel Boone Homestead, Warwick Park, Hay Creek Festival, the Mouns Jones House, and the Birdsboro Community Center.

The recent workshop at SSPL began with a demonstration of how to properly wash wool from two different Scottish breeds of sheep. Each participant was encouraged to get their hands dirty for an authentic experience as they were reminded to stay mindful of water temperature to prevent felting of the wool. Participants then learned how to brush the clean wool to prepare it for the spinning wheel before actually attaching it. Then everyone had the chance to use a spinning wheel equipped with a Dealgan. During the workshop, participants also learned about historic Scottish sheep breeds and the efforts to conserve them.

This program was funded by the Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. The Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 2010 by The Murray Clan Society of North America to support the education, promotion, and preservation of the history, heritage, and traditions of Scotland. Learn more about The Juniper Fund by clicking here.

Program attendees had access to spinning wheels, a spinning book for beginners, and fiber they could take home with them. The hope is that the class will inspire participants to keep this traditional craft alive. SSPL encourages crafters to stick with their projects by hosting craft nights every Wednesday from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm.  During these programs, attendees can ask follow-up questions, connect with one another, and continue working on their projects. Additionally, two spinning wheels are available to check out from SSPL’s “Library of Things” for individuals to try their hand at spinning from the comfort of their own home.

Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, find a creative outlet, or simply connect with others, spinning offers a wonderful opportunity to weave new stories into the fabric of your life. For more information about programming at SSPL, please click here.

The “Attend, Achieve, and Be a Champ” program, funded by the Berks Initiative for School Attendance (BISA) Improvement Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, is focusing on student tardiness and attendance at Northeast Middle School. 

Launched in early 2024, this program helps students who may have issues with punctuality. Natalie Smith, the program coordinator, states, “Students were chosen for the Attend, Achieve, and Be a Champ program based on their overall tardy rates. They were invited to the program when they were tardy at least twice per week and prioritized by their arrival time.” 

On Wednesdays, students gather to learn about attendance laws, school policies, and practical tips for arriving on time. The program’s approach is multifaceted, focusing on education, personalized planning, and incentives. A key component of the program is the Attendance Improvement Plan. Natalie notes that this plan allowed each student to consider their own barriers to getting to school on time and improve their attendance. The students were expected to share the plan with their parents/guardians and return the plan to the school social workers. 

The results have been encouraging. Natalie explains, “A total of seventy-seven students were invited to the program. Fifty-eight of those students invited attended the program, with an attendance rate of 75%. With the fifty-eight students attending the Tardy Program, there was a 31% improvement rate.” 

Incentives played a crucial role in motivating students. The BISA Improvement Fund allowed the school to purchase various rewards, including bracelet-making kits, door basketball hoops, gift cards, and fidget toys. They even addressed specific barriers, stating, “We also purchased alarm clocks to be given to students who specifically stated that not having an alarm was a barrier to getting to school in time.” 

The program didn’t stop at student engagement. Parents and guardians were brought into the loop, often learning about their child’s tardiness for the first time. As Natalie mentions, “Prior to each weekly program, we would contact the parents/guardians to gain their approval for students to participate in the program. This was also our opportunity to engage each family to inform them of the number of days students were tardy and any barriers that need to be addressed.” 

The “Attend, Achieve, and Be a Champ” program is possible thanks to the BISA Attendance Improvement Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. This fund is dedicated to supporting initiatives at Berks County’s public schools that improve attendance. 

Looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, the team at Northeast Middle School is eager to build on their success. They plan to identify at-risk students earlier and provide more intensive support where needed. Natalie states, “Our goal for the school year will be to identify students with consistent tardies in the first thirty to sixty days (about two months) of school. We will enroll them in the afternoon program, and if attendance is not improved within ten school days, we will engage the students through case management, provided by the school social workers, and offer incentives.” 

By tackling tardiness head-on, Northeast Middle School is setting its students up for success. If you have a program that can set up students for success, please apply for the BISA Attendance Improvement Fund. Click here to learn more about the fund and how you can apply.

Providing opportunities for nonprofit organizations to thrive is a big part of what we do at Berks County Community Foundation. One great example is the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program that the Foundation hosts in partnership with The Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University. This fall, join the Community Foundation and instructors from The Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University for a ten-month professional development opportunity designed exclusively for Berks County’s nonprofit executive directors and high-potential staff members who are serving in full-time, paid positions. 

The program includes: 

This will be the third cohort of nonprofit executives to experience this program, which runs every other year. 

Molly McCullough Robbins, Berks County Community Foundation’s Vice President for Philanthropic Services, was a member of the 2020 cohort while serving as Executive Director of Wyomissing Area Education Foundation. “Participating in this cohort was incredibly beneficial for me as a nonprofit leader. Not only did I learn valuable skills and best practices for the field, but I made connections with other nonprofit professionals in our community that I value to this day,” Molly said.   

Applicants must be employed by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The cohort is limited to 20 participants.  

To receive the certificate at the end of the program, attendance of all nine classes is required.  

Applications are open now, and the deadline to apply is July 22, 2024. Decisions will be made by August 9, 2024. The cost of the program is $500; scholarships or grants toward the cost are not available. Payments are due by August 30, 2024. Please click here for the full schedule. 

*Note that Berks County Community Foundation is not an accredited educational institution, but rather a nonprofit that seeks to bring professional development opportunities to the community for local leaders. 

Here is a summary of the curriculum for this professional development opportunity: Unless otherwise noted, these sessions will be in-person and 6 hours in length (9am-4pm). 

Building the Board Your Organization Needs (bring a board member session) 

If a board can make or break a nonprofit, what makes or breaks a nonprofit board? There are countless tales of triumph and terror on the topic of nonprofit boards and board members. With surprisingly few legal guidelines to follow, boards can look, feel, and function very differently from one another, even when they have the same assumed purpose. This class aims to explore what your nonprofit board’s role must be, what your board’s goals could be, and what it means for board members to be effective, both collectively and individually. Whether you are a long serving, aspiring, new, or simply curious board member, this course will give you a contextual view of nonprofit boards, governance, and a fresh look through an equity lens at the balance of power between boards, executive leadership, and the people and communities they impact. 

Communication to Build Relationships, Engagement & Understanding 

Communication is one of the most essential skills for individuals at every level of an  

organization, from entry-level through senior management. As we learn to communicate more effectively, we create and maintain a more open and productive work environment. Effective communication can help enhance engagement, foster understanding, and build constructive relationships with co-workers, donors, volunteers, board members, and  

supervisors/supervisees. This class will expand your understanding of communication and teach you how to put this knowledge into practice. You’ll learn about different communication styles and how you can communicate and work more effectively with others, including those who have different approaches to communication, are from a different generation, or are resistant to change/new ideas. We’ll also provide a framework for how to engage in difficult conversations to address challenges and pursue opportunities to improve your outcomes. 

Effective Strategic Planning for Today’s Nonprofits (bring a board member session) 

How does a nonprofit plan effectively during changing and uncertain times? In this class, you will learn modern approaches to strategic planning that will strengthen your nonprofit’s ability to pursue its mission in rapidly changing conditions. We’ll explore techniques for assessing your environment, gaining clarity on changing community needs, and developing strategies that can be adapted to meet new opportunities or challenges over time. This class will show you how to build a plan that will drive strategic thinking across your organization, helping your plan to stand up to unexpected changes both inside and outside your organization. 

Fundamentals of Human Resources 

Too few nonprofits have a dedicated human resource professional on staff. Yet, the minute you have a staff member, or are even thinking of hiring your first staff member, it is imperative that someone in the organization understands the essential human resource responsibilities, regulations, and laws. Because workplace laws guide and control much of what we must do with employees, this class covers the major workplace laws and the legal principles that govern the employment relationship. It will explore the importance of good policies and procedures in creating an effective working environment and introduce some of the most common and challenging HR responsibilities: the performance management cycle; development and management of compensation strategies; and effective guidelines for hiring the right people. 

Understanding and Growing Leadership Capacity (online session, 9am-3pm) 

Effective leadership doesn’t happen by chance or accident; it comes from thoughtfulness, intention, effort, and more. It is a journey, not a destination. Nor is it manifested in one form or in one personal style – it’s present in many. Leadership starts with the personal. Everyone loves to talk about their own or someone else’s “leadership style,” but the reality is if you have just one way to demonstrate leadership you will never be an effective leader. Effective leaders have a toolbox filled with styles and strategies for success. This class will take you through a series of reflective exercises to help you understand what leadership is—and what it is not—and where you see yourself as a leader—or not. Leadership is also a culture, and an abundant resource! This class will provide a tour of different approaches to leadership to help you identify the tools your organization needs to empower  

leadership, at every level. 

Basic Budgeting and Beyond (session is 3 hours, 9am-12pm) 

Do you struggle to prepare your annual budget, lack 100% confidence in it when submitting it to the board, consistently approve it after the fiscal year begins and regularly have actual-to-budget results that you didn’t anticipate? Then this class is for you and your team. Budgeting is a complex, dynamic process that takes a team to effectively prepare, present and perform to. In this class you will learn the seven things you should do to create an annual budget and how to successfully fulfill its promise. From planning a process to presenting your budget, you’ll have it covered after attending Basic Budgeting and Beyond. 

Financial Forecasting: Informed By the Past; Built for the Future (session is 3 hours, 1pm-4pm) 

A strong financial management process is essential to a nonprofit’s well-being. In times of  

concern and uncertainty about the economy and the prospects for funding, the ability to perform accurate and timely financial forecasting becomes indispensable. Day to day challenges, such as gift restrictions, adherence to mission, fixed and variable expenses, call for the skill to accurately forecast cash flow, while being adaptable to changing conditions. The result is a stronger and more resilient organization. This class will explore the basic inputs required to develop and evaluate financial projections for your organization. Understanding how and when resources are available to your organization will not only enable you to guide policy and programmatic decisions but also assist you in strategically planning your organization’s growth and sustainability. 

For more information, please contact Kim Sheffer, Lifelong Learning Program Officer: kims@bccf.org.

On May 21st, 2024, Berks County Community Foundation welcomed students and their families, donors and scholarship fund representatives, and community leaders to our annual Scholarship Luncheon. Excitement filled the ballroom as we prepared to recognize the remarkable achievements of local students and the generosity of donors who enable higher education dreams.

This year, the Community Foundation will award nearly $737,000, bringing the total amount disbursed since its inception in 1994 to an outstanding $13,691,935. Thousands of recipients have benefitted from these scholarships over the years as they continue to pursue higher education.

Among the recipients recognized was Vanesa Aguay, who received both the Berks’ Best Taylor Seitzinger Award for Community Service & Leadership and the Berks’ Best Computer Science Award. Her parents were the first in their family to graduate high school and college after immigrating from Ecuador. They instilled in Vanesa a strong work ethic and a desire to give back. Vanesa shared, “I wouldn’t be where I am now without my parents.” She continued, “These scholarships have propelled me to pursue my dream of becoming an engineer.” Vanesa aims to develop technology that will help address disparities in health care.

The annual Scholarship Luncheon showcases the power of community support in shaping the futures of lifelong learners.  Each scholarship awarded provides resources and motivation for students to carve out their paths, creating an impact in Berks County and beyond.

Another recipient, Tanesha Purohit, received a scholarship from the Wilson Scholarship Fund. This scholarship, created to support graduating students from Wilson High School in any form of post-secondary education, prioritizes well-rounded individuals who excel in academics, extracurricular activities, and community service. Gary Coller, representing the fund, stated, “It’s important to provide financial help to students as they start their educational journeys and give them access to the necessary experiences.”

Looking to make a difference in the lives of local students through educational support? Give to one of our many scholarship funds today!

A program initially started in upstate New York has made its way to Berks County. At the Sinking Spring Public Library, the First Lego League Robotics Club came to life thanks to Randi Zaborowski, the library’s Youth Services Coordinator, and Heather Delity, a STEM teacher at Southwest Middle School in the Reading School District. Coach Delity led many teams prior to facilitating this program at the Sinking Spring Public Library. The program teaches students science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) basics, as well as teamwork. Participants will apply what they learn during regional robot competitions and ultimately strive to earn an invitation to the Lego World Championship.   

First Lego League is designed to inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided, global robotics program.   

At Sinking Spring Public Library, students in fourth through eighth grade met three Saturdays per month to build robotics designed to overcome a specific set of obstacles and challenges in competition. Students learned how to code their programs, build robots, and work together to present their creations.   

“The Sinking Spring Public Library (SSPL) is proud to offer the first program of its kind in Berks, welcoming students from across the county, not just SSPL patrons,” said Randi Zaborowski, Youth Services Coordinator. “This innovative initiative opens new doors for learning and community engagement, setting a precedent for inclusive educational opportunities.” 

All the robotics come in a bag in tiny pieces. It’s up to the students, with the supervision and encouragement of a coach, to build each model from scratch. Students also write the coding on a computer and save it to an external “brain” attached to the robots to feed them directions and commands. The robots are programmed to complete a series of challenges. The team earns points for successfully completing these challenges. The highest score a team can achieve is 500, but the focus isn’t just on the competition score.  


In the photo, from left to right: Phoebe Z., Zoe Z., Kavini A., Alice Z., Ethan B., not pictured Jeffrey N. Coach Heather Delity (left) and Randi Zaborowski

Emphasis is placed on real-time problem solving, working together to find solutions, making unplanned adjustments, sharing ideas, and celebrating students’ hard work. And yet, sometimes, there is failure in the hard work.   

Throughout the different rounds of the competition, students reflected on the importance of failing instead of becoming upset. “It’s important to fail because it gives you a chance to fix your mistake. It’s okay to make mistakes,” student participant Ethan B. from Wilson School District said.   

Learning to work together in those failures really gave the students the opportunity to make decisions and pivot their original plan. Sometimes, there could be disagreements on which decision to make to get the most points for their presentation, but one thing they all agreed on was they needed a T-shirt design for their new club.   

The team named themselves “Robo-Pants,” so the logical final design decision was a robot wearing funky pants. The decision for this robot to have a mullet was also unanimous. Student participant from Wilson School District, Alice Z. explained, “The hardest part of deciding on a final design was trying to get everyone to agree on all the cool ideas.”   

The First Lego League Robotics Club is hopeful to continue into fall 2024 and eventually be part of the world championship.  The club is funded through Friends of the Berks County Public Libraries Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. This fund was created to award grants to Berks County libraries for emergency needs and special projects. For more information on the fund, please click here. 

The generosity of our donors allowed us to award $610,000 in scholarships in 2023. Each scholarship has specific eligibility criteria based on the donor’s intention when the scholarship was created. Our scholarship application opens on January 1 each year. The deadline to submit all applications is 11:59 P.M. on March 1. Applications cannot be edited or submitted after the March 1 deadline. To maintain a fair process, we cannot make exceptions.

All of the scholarship opportunities currently offered by the Community Foundation are available to students with no need for any documentation from FAFSA for this year only.

How do I apply? Create an account in our online portal using a personal email address. Do not use your school address. Once you create an account, this account will serve as a hub for your universal application. Ensure you have ample time to complete the application, as it may require up to an hour.

What’s a universal application? It’s a single form that matches your answers to the scholarship(s) for which you may qualify.

How do I know if I am eligible for a scholarship? After submitting your application, check your dashboard for additional questions or requests that need to be considered for the matched scholarship.

Where is my dashboard and how do I access it? Click here to watch a video guide on accessing your dashboard.

Should you have questions during the application process, our FAQ section provides helpful information. We wish you the best of luck. If you have questions, you can email scholarships@bccf.org or call us at 610.685.2223 and ask for Kim Sheffer, Lifelong Learning Program Officer.

Innovative classroom projects can serve as a catalyst for strong academic performance. Librarians at Brecknock Elementary School wanted to enhance the conventional reading curriculum by introducing a project that would excite children about reading and promote collaboration and creative thinking.  

To ensure students would enjoy the project and meet their required goals, the library staff tapped into a pre-existing student interest in trading cards. The project allowed students to learn about different book genres while collecting unique trading cards they helped to design.  

The students worked with the library staff to brainstorm book categories and genres. These categories later corresponded to characters on the trading cards. Within each category, graphic design students at Governor Mifflin Senior High School designed fantasy characters that were then printed on the cards. Students could collect different sets of character cards by reading books in a variety of genres. 

Both the elementary students and high school students imagined the specific details of the land the characters lived in, making for a much more collaborative and personalized project. They printed the cards in-house at the Governor Mifflin Print Shop.  

“The cards motivated third and fourth grade library users to thoughtfully explore new books that represent diverse characters, topics, and genres, and promote a sense of belonging and connection,” said Rachel Sebastian, Learner-Centered K-4 Teacher Librarian. 

The cards often encouraged children to pick books outside of their comfort zones. Teachers sometimes find it challenging to get children to develop an interest in nonfiction work, specifically nonfiction that is not about animals. This trading card project tackled this challenge by rewarding students for reading books outside of their comfort zone, as children collected different cards by checking out books of various genres from the library. 

In May, the library held a trading card convention, where students set up booths to share their favorite cards. 

The Literacy Trading Card program at Brecknock Elementary School breathed new life into the world of reading. By mixing the joys of reading and collecting, the initiative has succeeded in creating excited readers who view books as more than just words on paper. This innovative project shows students the magic that lies within every page and the endless possibilities that words can unlock. 

Funding for this project came from the Teacher Mini-Grants program of Berks County Community Foundation. To apply for a teacher mini-grant, please click here.

This article is part of our 2023 Annual Report. To read the entire report, download it here.

The Community Foundation manages several charitable funds that benefit cultural groups and organizations. In early 2023, the Kutztown Pipe Band, which is made up of students, faculty, and staff from Kutztown University, local students, and community members, requested a grant from the Juniper Fund to buy materials for its Learn About Bagpipes program. The band created this program to promote excitement and enthusiasm for Scottish music and culture.  

The band first introduced the program at both Conrad Weiser East Elementary and Conrad Weiser West Elementary. Band members gave demonstrations during assemblies in which students heard songs played on various forms of bagpipes. Laura Sherrod, pipe major of the Kutztown Pipe Band, and Diana Cook, member of the Kutztown Pipe Band and an elementary music teacher, gave these demonstrations. If students had questions, they could get answers from the pipers directly during a special panel called “Ask the Piper.”  

Kutztown Pipe Band hopes to expand its educational opportunities to include more adult programming. The first adult event took place at the Kutztown Public Library. Libraries pay a discounted fee to host the Kutztown Pipe Band for educational sessions, while demonstrations are free to schools thanks to the grant funding and the generosity of the members of the Kutztown Pipe Band who volunteer their time to educate students on Scottish history. 

The Kutztown Pipe Band began with five piping students in 2017 and now has more than two dozen members.  

In 2022, the band started the Learn About Bagpipes program to educate audiences about the instrument and to instill in them a deeper appreciation of Scottish Heritage. The musicians tailor each demonstration to the audience, and describe the history and functionality of the instruments, and play different tunes on different bagpipes.  

The Juniper Fund of Berks County Community Foundation was established in 2010 by The Murray Clan Society of North America to support the education, promotion and preservation of the history, heritage and traditions of Scotland. 

The fund provides financial support for the following purposes but is not limited to: 

The $300 grant from the Juniper Fund to the Kutztown Pipe Band supported the cost of these educational programs, which allowed, and will continue to allow, the Kutztown Pipe Band to offer programs free for schools. 

 The presence of the Kutztown Pipe Band at local schools and community events carries a transformative power. It sparks curiosity, ignites passion, and inspires young minds to explore the world of music and culture. By funding the band, the Juniper Fund is growing young talent, and offering musicians a chance to engage with a unique form of art. 

Teachers across Berks County are finding new ways to keep children engaged in learning by innovating the pre-existing curriculum. Teachers at Mifflin Park Elementary School wanted to help their students who struggle with reading, which may or may not be the result of the student learning English as a second language. By modifying the curriculum with their Stories and Steps Program, teachers were able to make literature more accessible and fun for students who needed extra help.

The Stories and Steps program was created in 2021 to help students get more comfortable with reading and understanding the English language. Students participating in the program were primarily struggling readers, and or in the process of learning the English language. The program had 101 students participate in total. These children walked together while listening to audiobooks of children’s literature.

According to Corinne Brumbach, librarian at Mifflin Park Elementary, and Diane Richards, chief financial officer, students were incredibly responsive to the program. It was reported that 100 percent of the participants wanted to take part in another audiobook club. When asked about the program’s impact on the students, Brumbach and Richards shared quotes from the students.

Has the audiobook helped you? How?

“Yes, I learned new things and I can hear it just like the author wanted it to be heard.”

Do you enjoy listening to audiobooks?

“Yes, I could hear how to say words.”

Because of the program, students developed deeper engagement with the reading material and a stronger interest in reading. In the future, Mifflin Park Elementary hopes to offer the program for the entire school year instead of a portion of the school year.

This project was funded by a mini-grant from the Berks County Association of School Retirees Scholarship and Grant Fund. This fund was created to provide a scholarship to a Berks County senior and mini-grants for classroom projects. To learn more about this fund, visit https://bccf.org/funds/berks-county-association-of-school-retirees-scholarship-and-mini-grant-fund/