HEF Hosts Drive for Education

The Harrison Educational Foundation (HEF) held its annual “Drive For Education” fall fundraiser on Oct. 1 at Westchester Country Club.

This year the Foundation was pleased to recognize long-time Harrison parents and community members Coco and Bruce Lefkowitz. In addition to supporting the learning and school activities of their 11th grade quadruplets and 8th grade twins, the couple has coached more than 40 Harrison recreation teams in soccer and basketball, participated in numerous PTA functions at the elementary school level, chaired father/son olympics and mother/
daughter banquets at LMK, lent their support for the Harrison High School Band Parent Association,
helped raised money for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation and have been long time supporters of HEF.

Established in 1994 and operating independently from the Harrison Board of Education, HEF raises private funds for curricular enrichment programs and special projects that are outside the scope of the district’s budget. The foundation has been at the cutting edge of implementing modest and large scale creative teaching opportunities and learning experiences through its grant committee.

For instance, HEF was instrumental in implementing SmartBoard technology almost a decade ago. Today, every classroom in the district is equipped with this cutting edge technology. Other examples include bookbags filled with books, math games and puzzles to promote an early love of learning for all incoming kindergarteners, upgraded Smart technologies in math, school level ecological and cultural arts programs.

On a larger scale, HEF has partnered with the district for large scale renovations of key learning facilities. In 2008, HEF contributed to the overhaul of the High School auditorium, creating what is now know as the HPAC, a performance and meeting space managed by students but used by students, faculty and community members year round. In 2010, HEF worked with the District to renovate the under-utilized Planetarium at Harrison High School.

After careful planning, the space was revitalized as the Sirius Black Box Theater, used nine periods a day for classroom instruction, small performance theater productions and Planetarium exhibitions.

This year HEF has once again collaborated with the District on an ambitious project to transform the multipurpose room/cafeteria at Harrison High School into a 21st century student learning center.

The goal of the WiFi- wired space, after its two year renovation, is to provide a resource center where students can work together on projects, study and/or grab a snack in between practice and extracurricular events, and become a fully air-conditioned room for critical testing periods at the end of the year. This student union/learning center will also be another venue that will be run entirely through student organizations, providing students with valuable work and business experience.

Donations for HEF are accepted year round. For more information on grants given or donation possibilities, please visit www.harrisoned.org.