Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation

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Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation

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The purpose of the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation is to provide extraordinary educational opportunities and experiences for pre-school, elementary, high school and college students who reside in Spoon River Valley Dist. #4.

06/30/2025

To donate to the SRV Educational Foundation, you can contact the board treasurer, Lora Schleich at:
Ph: 309-224-2207
Email: [email protected]
Mail: 30010 N Elliott Rd, Fairview, Il 61432

05/13/2024

On Friday, members of the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation Board presented scholarships to 8 Spoon River Valley seniors during Valley's Academic Awards ceremony.

05/10/2024

On May 10, 2024, SRV Educational Foundation Directors Teresa Knott, Sally McClure, and Marjie Shelby attended Valley's awards program to present scholarships that will assist 8 students from the graduating class of 2024 in their pursuit of postsecondary educational programs. The total monetary value of scholarships awarded to graduating seniors since the Foundation's establishment in 2010 has now exceeded $160,000. Directors of the Foundation wish the best for much future success to all of the graduates.

There was also a scholarship awarded by the Foundation to one senior in memory of Faith Donsbach, who was tragically fatally injured in a vehicle accident last year but would have been a member of the 2024 graduating class.

05/15/2023

On Friday, members of the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation Board presented scholarships to 13 Spoon River Valley seniors during Valley's Academic Awards ceremony. Since it's inception, the Foundation has awarded over $140,000 in scholarships and teacher mini grants.

01/13/2023

There is now an additional method for contributing to the SRV Educational Foundation in a TAX-FREE manner. Stockholders who own stock that has appreciated in value (thus creating capital gains tax liability for the stockholder) can avoid that tax liability by gifting the stock to the Foundation. Anyone who is interested in gifting stock may contact the Foundation's Treasurer, Lora Schleich, at 309/224-2207 to get the necessary information regarding transfer of stock from your account to the Foundation's.

09/20/2022

Meet new Foundation Board Member Darrel Burnett

Darrel accepted the invitation to join the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation in 2022. Darrel grew up on a farm just a mile and a half outside Fairview and is a grateful graduate of Spoon River Valley CUSD #4 as a member of the Class of 1974, the first to graduate from the “new” Valley High School.

Following graduation from Valley, Darrel attended Spoon River College followed by the University of Illinois-Springfield where he earned his B.A. in 1978 with high honors. Truly thankful for the education he received at all levels in Valley schools, Darrel knew what he wanted to do with his life at the age of seven and was able to live his dream of becoming a sportscaster.

A 22-year television sportscasting career at the network and local levels took Darrel to Green Bay, Indianapolis and New York and included play-by-play for the Indianapolis Colts, hosting Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears shows, covering Super Bowls, World Series, NBA, and NCAA championships, and pit reporter for the Indianapolis 500. Though his career afforded him the opportunity to travel the world, he never lost his appreciation for the family farm, and the school library at Valley where he would read about the great athletes that he would one day have the good fortune to know.

A career in private business followed and now, as a long-time collector of classic cars, Darrel is living a second dream as Executive Director of The Automobile Gallery & Event Center in Green Bay, a museum dedicated to hosting and educating car enthusiasts from all over the world.

Darrel and his wife Kelly split time between their residences in Milton, Madison, and Green Bay, WI and are proud of their three sons Joel (Wife Kelsie), Jeffrey and Michael (Wife Brie) who have embraced the values their father learned growing up in Fairview all those years ago. Joel works for aircraft corporation Woodward, Inc., Jeffrey is the 6pm news producer for WTHR-TV in Indianapolis and Michael is in management with Colony Brands Corporation.

Darrel is honored to be part of the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation and for the opportunity to give back to this great community. He is especially proud to see students from SRV CUSD #4 succeed in their career with much-needed financial support from the SRV Educational Foundation.

09/19/2022

It was the largest turnout ever on 9/16/22 for the Valley all-school alumni reunion--150+ alumni plus spouses/guests brought the total to more than 200. Great choral numbers by the Spoon River Heritage Singers (Valley alumni, led by Paula Helle) plus other activities, including an auction of Valley-related memorabilia and recognition of military veterans, including memorial remembrance of the only Valley alumni to die in combat, Leonard Allen Morse (1969 in Vietnam) and Douglas J. Riney (2016 in Afghanistan). The all-school alumni reunion is always the 3rd Friday evening in September, so mark September 15, 2023 on your calendars as the date for next year's event.

08/18/2022

Meet Former SRV Educational Foundation Scholarship Recipient Carrie Baker

Howdy! My name is Carrie Baker and I graduated from Spoon River Valley Sr. High in 2015 and was a recipient of both the Viking Scholarship and the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation Scholarship. After graduation, I attended Greenville University, where I majored in Communications, with a minor in Business. During my time there, I was a writer for the school’s magazine, radio station DJ and served as an assistant junior high volleyball coach for the local district. I graduated from Greenville University in three years and went on to get my master’s degree at Texas A&M University in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, where I served as a graduate assistant and eventually would take on the role as assistant lecturer. In 2020, I accepted a position as a Communications Strategist for the university and most recently served as the Marketing Strategy Coordinator for the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This summer, I left Texas and moved to Gainesville, Florida to pursue a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education and Communications at the University of Florida. Here, I’ll be working alongside a faculty member to conduct research around community-based support and communication strategies to improve mental health outcomes for rural populations and those involved in agriculture. After I finish my degree, I hope to become a faculty member at a land-grant university and continue conducting research around rural mental health.

Without the Viking and SRV Educational Foundation scholarships and others that I received my senior year—and the academic preparation I received at SRV—the career path I’ve taken and the opportunities I’ve been blessed with, would have never been possible. I am continually grateful, not only for the financial support that I received then, but also for the continued encouragement from the teachers, staff and administration at SRV that has come my way throughout the years. There is something so uniquely special about growing up and learning in a small town, with a district that will always feel like home.

08/10/2022

Meet new Foundation Board Member Marjie Shelby

Marjorie Suydam Shelby has accepted the invitation to join the Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation in 2022. Marjie was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, raised in Fairview, graduated from Spoon River Valley in 1974, attended Spoon River College and in 1978 graduated from Hope College in Holland, Michigan, with degrees in Economics and German. In 1979 she married Gary Shelby who farmed near Little America and Fairview. She worked at MidAmerica National Bank until she had children, then she devoted her life to motherhood, being a farm wife, gardening, Maples Mill United Methodist Church, Prichard-Clark Mother’s Club, and all her sons’ school, 4-H, and sports activities. In 2001 Gary and Marjie moved back to the Fairview farm where Gary’s grandparents had lived. Marjie subbed at Valley for one year, then was a classroom and library aide for two years. She later worked at Parlin-Ingersoll Library in Canton for seventeen years, retiring in August of 2021.

Marjie and Gary have two sons, Troy and Ryan. Troy married Brandi Ford from Lewistown in 2004. They live outside Fairview where Troy farms with Shelby Farms and co-owns Western Illinois Ag with three cousins. Brandi is a free-lance graphic designer and subs at Valley. They have two sons, Blake and Logan who will be in 8th and 6th grade at Valley. Ryan and Shin MIng Yao married in 2011 and live in St. Charles, IL. Ryan owns a Pioneer seed business near Sycamore, and Ming is the Director of Professional Learning in the Geneva school system. They have twin sons, George and Henry, who will go to kindergarten this fall.

Spoon River Valley Educational Foundation offers scholarships to students heading for college or trade schools and mini-grants to teachers who want to offer extra opportunities to their students. Marjie is excited to be a part of helping students and teachers at Valley reach their educational goals. As a scholarship recipient herself, she knows how important financial and community support can be to a student.

Address

35265 N IL Highway 97
London Mills, IL
61544

Telephone

+13097782201

Website

http://www.spoon-river.k12.il.us/foundation.htm

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