West Ottawa Educational Foundation

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West Ottawa Educational Foundation

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Supporting Innovative Educators

We accomplish our mission through our grant programs, which provide teachers with the knowledge, experience, and materials they need to remain at the frontiers of educational excellence. Our grants finance educational opportunities outside the scope of the school operating budget and target areas such as innovation in curriculum and instruction, professional development, and teacher mentoring.

10/10/2026

LAST-MINUTE OPENING – TODAY!

We have a last-minute opening for WOEF Photos for Philanthropy!

Saturday, October 10
3:25–3:40 PM
Hemlock Crossing Park – West Olive

With a minimum $100 donation to WOEF, you’ll receive:
• 15-minute professional photo session
• 10–15 professionally edited digital images

100% of your donation goes directly to WOEF, which has contributed more than $500,000 to West Ottawa students and educators since 1999.

Update your family photos, senior portraits, or holiday cards! A huge thank you to West Ottawa alum Carlos Marroquin Lozada for generously donating his time and talent!

View Carlos’ work: https://lozadaimports.mypixieset.com/

Book your session: https://west-ottawa-educational-foundation.square.site/

10/08/2026

📚 Battle of the Books is coming to West Ottawa!

As part of our Spring 2026 Grant Cycle, WOEF funded Battle of the Books: Empowering Readers Through Competition and Collaboration, a new literacy initiative created by our elementary librarians!

So, what is Battle of the Books?

Students in grades 3–5 will read from a specially selected list of 10 books, form teams, and put their reading knowledge to the test in a fun, team-based trivia competition. School competitions will lead to a district-wide championship ... all while encouraging reading, teamwork, critical thinking, and a love of books.

WOEF funding is helping put sets of the selected books into all nine West Ottawa elementary libraries, giving students across the district the opportunity to participate.

A special thank you to our librarians Dr. Julia Reynolds, Liz DeBacker, and Melissa James for developing and submitting this exciting plan to bring Battle of the Books to West Ottawa!

We can't wait to watch this new tradition come to life and to see which book becomes the student favorite!

Battle of the Books begins this November!

09/29/2026

Grant Dollars in Action at Waukazoo!

Thanks to a WOEF grant, Waukazoo Upper Montessori students are getting more opportunities to strengthen their public speaking and listening skills through hands-on practice.

From speaking in front of a group to interviewing classmates, students are building confidence, communication skills, and experience using professional speaking equipment.

We love seeing WOEF-funded materials being put to use and we especially love receiving updates like this that show our donors exactly what their support makes possible for West Ottawa students!

Thank you to our WOEF donors for helping bring opportunities like this into our classrooms!

09/24/2026

Grant Dollars in Action: Mini Maestros

Music, movement, creativity, and learning are coming together at Lakewood Elementary!

Through WOEF’s Spring 2026 Grant Cycle, Young Kindergarten teacher Sara Highstreet received funding for Mini Maestros, bringing developmentally appropriate musical instruments into her classroom.

These hands-on experiences are helping students move, create, explore, and learn together while supporting phonemic awareness, math skills, classroom transitions, and, of course, the joy of making music.

This is what WOEF grants are all about: giving West Ottawa educators the resources to bring creative and innovative ideas to life for their students.

Thank you to our donors for making opportunities like Mini Maestros possible!

09/21/2026

WOEF GRANT IN ACTION | Lakewood Elementary

BIG books, visuals, and hands-on learning tools are making literacy and communication more accessible for some of West Ottawa’s youngest learners!

Thanks to a WOEF grant & Mrs. Flynn's hard work, her Early Childhood classroom at Lakewood Elementary received BIG Books, adaptable storytelling visuals, and manipulatives for her students.

These new resources are already being put to work! The BIG Books help students more easily see pictures, words, and stories while building communication, attention, early literacy, and participation.

These tools are helping students better understand what is happening, make choices, communicate, and participate more independently in classroom activities.

This is what WOEF grants are all about: giving West Ottawa educators the resources to bring creative, accessible learning opportunities directly to their students.

Thank you to our donors for helping make grants like this possible, and thank you, Mrs. Flynn, for putting these resources to work for our youngest Panthers!

09/18/2026

🚨🚨WE ADDED MORE SPOTS!! FIVE additional Sunday evening sessions have officially been added to Photos for Philanthropy schedule!

And with those new sessions, there are now only 8 APPOINTMENTS LEFT TOTAL!

SATURDAY, October 10: 3 spots remaining
SUNDAY, October 11: 5 NEW spots just added

That’s it. Once these 8 sessions are booked, Photos for Philanthropy is SOLD OUT!

With your minimum $100 donation to WOEF, you’ll receive a 15-minute professional photo session and 10–15 professionally edited digital images—with 100% of your donation supporting West Ottawa students and educators.

Family photos. Senior photos. Holiday cards. Updated portraits. Whatever you need—grab your session while you still can!

DON’T WAIT. Schedule yours before they’re GONE!
Book your session: https://west-ottawa-educational-foundation.square.site/

09/17/2026

📸 Photos for Philanthropy is back!

Support West Ottawa students and educators while updating your family photos, senior portraits, or holiday cards!

With a minimum $100 donation to WOEF, you’ll receive:
• 15-minute professional photo session
• 10–15 professionally edited digital images
• Tax receipt for your donation

100% of your donation goes directly to WOEF, which has contributed more than $500,000 to West Ottawa students and educators since 1999.

A huge thank you to West Ottawa alum Carlos Marroquin Lozada for generously donating his time and talent!

Space is limited — reserve your session today!

View Carlos’ work: https://lozadaimports.mypixieset.com/
Book your session: https://west-ottawa-educational-foundation.square.site/

09/15/2026

📸 BOOKING LINK COMING SOON! | Save the date!

Photos for Philanthropy is BACK for 2026!

Capture beautiful family photos, updated portraits, the perfect senior photo, or even that holiday-card-worthy shot all while supporting innovative education at West Ottawa!

This year, we’re incredibly grateful to West Ottawa alum and professional photographer Carlos Marroquin Lozada, who is generously donating his time and talent to support the West Ottawa Educational Foundation.

For a donation to WOEF, your session includes:
• 10-minute professional photo session
• 10–15 professionally edited digital images
• Tax receipt for your donation
• 100% of your donation goes directly to WOEF

📍 Hemlock Crossing Park | West Olive
Saturday, October 10
3:00–7:00 PM

Sunday, October 11
2:00–5:00 PM

🌧 Rain Date: October 17–18

Appointments will be limited, so keep an eye on our page!

Want a peek at Carlos’s work?
https://lozadaimports.mypixieset.com

02/20/2026

❄️ Grant Spotlight: Expanding Outdoor Physical Wellness ❄️

Thanks to a grant from the West Ottawa Education Foundation, students at Lakeshore, Waukazoo, and Sheldon Woods Elementaries are stepping into winter in a whole new way — on snowshoes!

This initiative, led by Morgan Krause, provides 59 pairs of snowshoes for approximately 750 students in grades YK–5. The goal? To expand outdoor physical wellness opportunities and help students embrace Michigan winters through movement, exploration, and hands-on learning.

Through snowshoeing, students are:
🌲 Building coordination, balance, and endurance
🤝 Developing teamwork and communication skills
🏔 Exploring winter landscapes while connecting to environmental science
💙 Gaining confidence in outdoor adventure — regardless of prior access or experience

From learning basic movement skills in K–2 to mastering balance and agility challenges in grades 3–5, this program creates an inclusive and engaging experience for every student.

Research shows that outdoor physical activity reduces stress and anxiety, improves focus, strengthens peer relationships, and builds resilience. By fully funding this grant, WOEF is helping students not only stay active — but develop a lifelong appreciation for nature and wellness.

We are grateful to Morgan Krause and the supportive leadership teams who helped bring this vision to life. And to our donors — thank you for making innovative, student-centered opportunities like this possible!

Address

PO Box 8302
Holland, MI
49422

Telephone

+16162123244

Website

http://woef.org/

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