Plugging a leak
There's an old American fable about a little Dutch boy who saved his country by sticking his finger into the hole of a leaking dike.
He remained there all night until adults in the village found him and made necessary repairs to the hole in the dam.
That mythical story isn't unlike the help being offered by education foundations, a fairly recent innovation.
Education foundations seem to have sprouted in recent years to help plug a major leak in school funding.
The leak may have begun with, or at least was exacerbated by, major cuts to the state's education budget under former Gov. Tom Corbett, plus the never-ending strain of state employees' retirement pension funding.
By slashing education allotments, the administration pushed many school districts into fiscal difficulty, especially poorer districts in rural areas.
Recent statistics show that other states contribute about 48 percent of all education costs.
In Pennsylvania, that figure is only about 36 percent, according to a recent study.
The ongoing financial crunch threatens school programs.
Recently, for example, the Tamaqua Area School District had to count on financial support from parents and booster clubs to preserve the golf team and cheerleading squad.
Fortunately, education foundations have been springing up in Pennsylvania, generating new, free-standing revenue streams.
The Tamaqua Blue Raider Foundation is a prime example.
Begun in 2010, it's an entity separate from the school district.
Basically, it's an independent initiative to generate and distribute financial support with the goal of enriching and expanding the educational experience of students.
The foundation doesn't use taxpayer dollars.
The volunteers have been successful in raising more than $100,000 over the past five years.
Last week, the foundation awarded additional grants at an event held at Vonz Restaurant, sponsored by Mauch Chunk Trust Company.
Those awards will augment and enrich the educational and cultural experience of local students.
New opportunities will include a garden project at West Penn Elementary. Elsewhere, an aerialist will promote the high-flying example of a healthy mind and body, and a steel drum ensemble will introduce inquiring minds to manifestations of a far-away culture.
These opportunities wouldn't be available without the Tamaqua Blue Raider Foundation.
The much-needed group not only helped to plug a leak in the dike, but reinforced the educational experience from the ground up.
By DONALD R. SERFASS
dserfass@tnonline.com
