Holland Educational Foundation Celebrates 40 Years of Serving HPS Students

The Holland Educational Foundation (HEF) is launching into their 40th year of serving the students and teachers of Holland Public Schools by setting new goals for the future. The organization will focus on increasing student engagement, ensuring equitable funding for experiential learning, attracting and retaining teachers to the district, and building for the future through the funding of the HEF Endowment.

HEF Fundraising Goals for 2024-2025 include:

• $100,000 for teacher grants
• $60,000 for experiential learning opportunities
• $30,000 for staff wellness
• $50,000 for Teachers Live Here & Power H Impact Awards
• $1,000,000 for the HEF Endowment

“To support HEF’s expanded goals, we realized we needed to have someone fully focused on the vision of the foundation. Today we have two such people. Kate Bolt and Wendy Schregardus have been volunteering and serving Holland Public Schools long before joining HEF. The board fully believes their dedication and passion will drive the Foundation to even greater impact.” John Johnston - HEF President

Kate Bolt will serve HEF as Executive Director. Kate is eager for the chance to lead the Foundation to a strong future in order to serve more students and educators in Holland Public Schools. Kate will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Foundation, including fundraising, program development, and community engagement.

Wendy Schregardus will continue her work with the Foundation in the role of Director of Operations. She will support fundraising and donor management as well as the granting process, board communication, and general financial management and other administration.

The HEF is a 501(c)(3) established in 1984 to provide community and business support for the students of Holland Public Schools. The Holland Educational Foundation serves as a vehicle for channeling private dollars into programs and projects that provide extra learning opportunities for HPS students.

The Holland Educational Foundation exists to improve educational opportunities for all students of Holland Public Schools. Through the disbursement of twice-yearly classroom grants, HEF supports creative and innovative teaching that assists and motivates students to think critically and creatively and enriches the students’ educational journey.

In the fall of 2024, HEF will host a 40th Anniversary Gala at Holland High School.  Watch the HEF and HPS websites for more details as the date approaches.