With summer now upon us, our work at the Special Education Foundation is focused on planning for the upcoming school year and securing the necessary funding to fulfill our mission of supporting students who receive services from the Special School District of St. Louis County.
For over 41 years, SEF has been supported by a compassionate community of individuals, businesses, and foundations that share our values and align with our mission.
Several of our programs have local funders who have generously provided major grants to fund those individual programs.
For over a decade, The Tilles Foundation has provided financial support to SEF and our Adaptive Equipment program. With this funding, SEF can purchase specialized equipment for students aged 21 years or younger who are completing their final year of education with the Special School District and are transitioning out of school.
This is critical for students as they transition out of SSD services, because the devices or equipment they use remain with SSD when the District no longer serves them due to graduation or aging out.
Many students entering the world of work are faced with the purchase of expensive equipment to continue communicating and managing their lives. Our Adaptive Equipment program provides financial assistance for the students’ needed equipment, such as augmentative communication devices, adaptive equipment, and adaptive computer equipment.
SEF is grateful to The Tilles Foundation for providing vital support to help these students at a crucial moment in their lives.
Scholarships for students have been a part of the Special Education Foundation for decades, and we are proud to have awarded $32,500 in support this year to help students continue their education after high school. All of our scholarships are funded with generous grants.
The John Cary Scholarship, presented by Emerson, was established in 2016 in honor of John Cary, the late superintendent of the Special School District of St. Louis County, for his commitment to excellence and his tireless support of students with disabilities. Each year, SEF awards five $5,000 scholarships to students who are part of the SSD community.
The Christopher Davis Scholarship, generously provided by the Ronald Davis family, awards $2,500 to a deserving student from the Ritenour School District. Established in 2005 and in memory of Christopher Davis, who tragically lost his life in a car accident in 1993, this scholarship honors his legacy by supporting students in their educational pursuits. Davis, a proud Ritenour alumnus, has dedicated several years to funding this scholarship, ensuring that students in his former district have opportunities to achieve their academic goals.
This year, SEF established in new scholarship, in beautiful remembrance of Jane Vickrey, who had a strong belief in giving back to the community. On retiring, Jane served as secretary on the Board of Directors of the Special Education Foundation. She served as the Board liaison to the Board's Fred Saigh Leadership Program, which entailed her monthly participation in all leadership activities. The $5,000 Jane Vickrey Leadership Scholarship is awarded to a selected student who has completed the Fred Saigh Leadership Academy.
Since its inception in 2004, the Fred Saigh Leadership Academy has been funded with a generous grant from The Saigh Foundation.
Established in 2000 and created as the legacy of Fred Saigh, a St. Louis lawyer, businessman, real estate investor and owner of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, The Saigh Foundation works to enhance the quality of life for children and youth in the St. Louis metropolitan area by supporting educational and health-related charitable institutions and organizations.
Hundreds of high school students have participated in the SEF’s Fred Saigh Leadership Academy over the past twenty years, broadening their horizons through unique, community-related opportunities that extend far beyond the traditional classroom environment. Throughout the year-long program, students are encouraged to think critically about their roles within their schools and the broader community. They are given the tools and confidence to campaign for school offices, manage significant school projects, and assume leadership positions that they may have previously viewed as beyond their reach.
Finally, we’re excited to announce that the Dana Brown Charitable Trust has just awarded SEF a major grant to fund the second year of our Autism Independence Project. This new program provides higher functioning middle and high school students on the Autism spectrum the opportunity to build and develop their social skills, gaining the confidence, communication, and life skills they need to thrive.
The program is a partnership with iSocial, a virtual, group-based telehealth therapy program developed by Dr. Janine Stichter and colleagues at the Thompson Center for Autism at the University of Missouri. Its mission is simple: empower people with autism to lead independent lives filled with meaningful friendships and opportunities.
SEF is now launching new cohorts for the summer for the Autism Independence Project, and interested participants can complete the application by using this link.
These funders are just a few of the generous friends who allow SEF to assist thousands of students each year. If you are interested in joining them, please get in touch with Tim Eby, SEF’s Executive Director, at tim@sef-stl.org.
