Last week marked the conclusion of the school year for most students in the St. Louis region, which makes for an ideal time for all of us at the Special Education Foundation (SEF) to express our gratitude to everyone involved in the Special School District (SSD) community.
During the 2024-25 school year, SEF has provided over $260,000 in direct support through our programs to students, their families, and SSD educators.
We take pride in our efforts to offer a wide range of support and experiences for students, including audiology support, scholarships, and opportunities for music, theater, and dance performances in SSD schools, as well as life-changing camp experiences.
Earlier this month, we celebrated the graduation of the exceptional class of high school students from the 20th year of the Fred Saigh Leadership Academy. Additionally, we introduced a new scholarship program this year for one of our Leadership Academy students in honor of long-time SEF board member and volunteer, Jane Vickrey.
We launched a new program, the Autism Independence Project, aimed at helping middle and high school students on the autism spectrum in develop their social skills, thus better preparing them for academic and life success. We also witnessed the realization of The Mobility Project with the donation from SEF of four power wheelchairs to SSD, empowering students with complex mobility needs to experience independent movement.
We're proud of the impact our programs have on the students' lives.
None of this would be possible without the partnership with the educators and staff of the Special School District, as well as the generosity of our donors who provide the funding to fulfill our mission.
As the summer begins, SEF will be moving to a new location at Two CityPlace in Creve Coeur. We are grateful to our long-time partners at Easter Seals Midwest for providing office space for SEF for many years. We expect to complete the move by the end of June.
On behalf of all the staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers at the Special Education Foundation, we wish you a terrific summer and hope you'll stay connected with us through this weekly newsletter.
