The Pando Initiative

10/14/2026

🛒 **THE GROCERY GAMES ARE ON!** 🏆🔥

Our Chefs are shopping for ingredients, perfecting their recipes, and getting ready to bring their best dishes to Cooking for a Cause! But the competition for TOP CHEF has already begun, and YOU can help shake up the leaderboard! 👨‍🍳

💚 Every tip supports Pando students AND helps your favorite Chef climb the rankings!

**So, who's YOUR Chef?** 👀 Give them a shoutout in the comments, then show them some love with a tip! 👇

🏆 Tip your Chef using the link in the comments!

10/13/2026

💚 Big congratulations to Pando’s own Katie Kelly on being recognized as an outstanding Young Professional by Wichita Business Journal!

At Truesdell Middle School, Wichita Public Schools, Katie helps build the strong, supportive connections students need to succeed. As a Team Lead, she extends that impact by supporting fellow Student Support Advocates across Pando schools.

We’re proud to see Katie recognized for the difference she’s making in the lives of students every day! 👏

10/10/2026

🔥 Fire Prevention Week at Beech Elementary - USD 259 was full of hands-on learning, important lessons, and a little fun! 🚒

All week long, students at Beech Elementary explored what it means to be fire safe! From creating fire escape plans with their families to practicing stop, drop, and roll, crawling under smoke, spotting fire hazards, and learning how to call 911, students gained skills that could make a real difference in an emergency.

Students also created thank-you cards for their local firefighters, recognizing the heroes who help keep our community safe. ❤️

Our PandoKids got an extra special experience with a visit from the fire department! They had the opportunity to ask questions, explore a fire truck up close, and each took home a fire blanket to help keep their families prepared.

A big thank-you to Camille, our Student Support Advocate at Beech Elementary and the local firefighters for helping make fire safety education engaging, memorable, and meaningful!

Learning beyond the classroom and building stronger, safer communities. That’s Pando! 💚

10/05/2026

At Franklin Elementary, Janessa is someone students and families can count on. 💚
As Pando’s SSA Team Lead at Franklin, she has spent years building relationships, connecting families to support and advocating for the students she serves.
That commitment to students also shows up in the way she continues to grow as a leader.
We’re proud of the sense of community and leadership Janessa brings to Franklin, and of the way all of our Pando staff work every day to build strong relationships, lead well and show up for students.

10/03/2026

09/29/2026

Pando students have a 95% graduation rate. But success doesn’t stop there.
Explore the new Student Resources hub at www.thepandoinitiative.org.
Designed to continue supporting students and families throughout their education and beyond high school, it's one of our new website innovations.
From scholarships and college planning to basic needs, financial resources, workforce opportunities, and next steps after graduation, the hub connects students with practical tools and trusted information for whatever comes next.
Because helping students succeed means more than getting them to graduation. It means helping them stay connected, supported, and prepared for life beyond it.

09/25/2026

Everyone already knows Mr. Mark at Lawrence Elementary. But you may not know all the ways he helps students succeed. 💚

Thanks to a generous $400 donation in guest cards from Chick-fil-A Maple & Ridge, West Wichita, Mr. Mark will be able to recognize students and families making progress with attendance during parent-teacher conferences.

It’s a simple way to celebrate progress and remind students that showing up matters.

Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for supporting Lawrence Elementary students and families!

09/24/2026

NEW on the Pando website: Find Your School. 🎓

See where Pando is serving students today and explore the school paths that can help support continue through their education.
Go check it out!

09/18/2026

Last night, we were proud to attend United Way of the Plains’ Impact on the Plains and cheer on four incredible organizations competing for funding.

After taking the stage last year and earning second place and the People’s Choice Award, it was great to return as guests and celebrate this year’s participants and winners.

Congratulations to Masters Mentors, LegacyWorks, Breakthrough/Episcopal Social Services, and Wichita Public Library Foundation, and to United Way of the Plains for another great event centered on community impact and collaboration. 💚

09/12/2026

It’s here. 💚 The new Pando website is LIVE.

A fresh look. Easier ways to connect. New tools, new resources and new ways to support student success.

And this is just the beginning.

Over the next week, we’ll be highlighting some of the new innovations, tools and sections across our new websites, all designed to make it easier to connect with Pando and the work happening for students.

Start exploring today at www.thepandoinitiative.org