PBL Education Foundation

06/03/2026

PBL Education Foundation Awards Grant

PBL Clara Peterson and Junior High STEM teacher, Hillary Sawyer, received a grant at the beginning of the school year for $1,000 to purchase art supplies for her second through eighth grade gifted and talented students, thanks to the PBL Education Foundation and its generous donors.

The art supplies played a critical role throughout the year to enrich STEM learning within the enrichment program. Through the integration of materials such as paint, oil pastels, colored pencils, and mixed media, students were able to visualize complex ideas, prototype solutions, and engage in creative problem-solving that deepened their understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Reflecting on the year, teacher Hillary Sawyer noted, “Having these mediums has helped students gain a new perspective, allowing their unique ideas to take form, and they have learned how creating art affects the brain. This foundational experience has changed the way they think about the design process and is fostering a lifelong love of learning!”

The PBL Education Foundation thanks its generous donors for making these types of grants possible. Without the donors’ contributions, these kinds of opportunities, which make a lasting impact on student’s education, typically fall outside of district and school budgets.

Online donations can be securely made directly through the foundation’s website at www.pblfoundation.org via the Donate tab, on Venmo , or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 192, Paxton, IL 60957. Alumni and community members are also encouraged to connect with the Foundation on Facebook at PBL Education Foundation.

06/01/2026

PBL Education Foundation Awards Grant

At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, the PBL Education Foundation awarded a grant up to $4,500 to the PBL Junior High English Language Arts teachers. The grant money was awarded for a program which encourages students to try new genres of books, foster a love of reading, and to encourage independent reading.

The program was designed to challenge students to independently read a new genre of book every month and then complete a one-page book report. The students who completed the challenge each month received a prize. Students could read as many books a month as they wanted. Forty students completed all the monthly challenges from January to May and were treated to a morning at Hudz Family Fun Zone on May 18th. On May 19th, at the end-of-the-year celebration, the five students that completed all ten reading challenges received gift cards from Barnes and Noble, and the five students who read the most pages were presented with a Kindle Fire and Kindle gift card for books.

ELA teacher Casey Knoll, who spearheaded the program, said, “The kids were so excited about the prizes each month and read their hearts out this year!”

The PBL Education Foundation thanks its generous donors for making these types of grants possible. Without the donors’ contributions, these kinds of opportunities, which make a lasting impact on student’s education, typically fall outside of district and school budgets.

Online donations can be securely made directly through the foundation’s website at www.pblfoundation.org via the Donate tab, on Venmo , or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 192, Paxton, IL 60957. Alumni and community members are also encouraged to connect with the Foundation on Facebook at PBL Education Foundation.

05/26/2026

05/19/2026

Today PBL Junior High School students who completed all reading challenges from January - May went to Hudz Family Fun Zone to celebrate! The students had a blast playing games and celebrating their accomplishments. A huge THANK YOU to the PBL Education Foundation for sponsoring the Reading Challenge and this event. Check out the photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dUCEVnZjSLZX19Um6

05/15/2026

PBL Education Foundation Awards Grant

The PBL Jr High 8th grade teachers recently received a grant for over $1,500 for two science-related field trips, thanks to the PBL Education Foundation and its generous donors. Eighth grade students visited the Staerkel Planetarium last November, and Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area last month.

The eighth grade students have been studying earth science throughout the year, specifically, developing and using a model of the earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the sun and moon, and the seasons. The planetarium provided several opportunities to see these concepts on a large scale in a fun, memorable, and accessible manner.

At Middlefork, the day featured various outdoor activities designed to bring earth science concepts to life. Students utilized real pollution testing materials to collect water quality data, directly applying scientific principles to monitor and minimize human impact on the environment. The 8th graders spent time exploring the various trails and hiking throughout the scenic prairie, along with the favorite activity of the day, fishing.

The PBL Education Foundation thanks its generous donors for making these types of grants possible. Without the donors’ contributions, these kind of opportunities which make a lasting impact on student’s education, typically fall outside of district and school budgets.

Online donations can be securely made directly through the foundation’s website at www.pblfoundation.org via the Donate tab, on Venmo , or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 192, Paxton, IL 60957. Alumni and community members are also encouraged to connect with the Foundation on Facebook at PBL Education Foundation.