Antarctica's White Water Wilderness

Travelers return home from the Foundation's Annual friend-raiser trip to the Antarctic. The group saw gleaming

ice-blue glaciers bigger than skyscrapers, a pink polar sun, orca and humpback whales, albatross, penguins, seals, dolphins, and extraordinary birds. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Antarctica is one of the last pure places on Earth.

Click the link to see a short video - "Group Returns Home"

To get earliest notification of where the Foundation will be traveling next year, email rgerber@lps.org or call

402 436-1612.

Recognizing Outstanding Principal

Dr. Joel, LPS Superintendent, Sharon Wherry, Foundation for LPS and Glenn Friendt award Lefler MiddleSchool Principal, Kelly Schrad, with the 2011 Marie Bourke Outstanding Leadership Award.

The Marie Bourke Leadership Award was established by Glenn and Janice Friendt to affirm and recognize the impact of great principals on the lives of students and teachers.  The Award will annually recognize an outstanding principal in the Lincoln Public Schools.  Principals honored by the award demonstrate outstanding levels of leadership and continuous improvement in student achievement and development.  The award is $1,000 and also includes participation in The Gallup Organization Leadership Program.

Recognizing Outstanding Teachers

Deb Keslar, Eastridge Elementary teacher, is one of ten educators awarded the State Farm Insurance Companies Outstanding Educator Award.  These teachers motivate students to reach their full potential in the classroom and beyond.  Award winners receive a $1,000 award.

Great Books for Great Kids

On Tuesday, September 21st, Runza restaurants donated 15% of sales to purchase books for school libraries, called "Great Books for Great Kids".

Runza donated $7,933.06 to be distributed to LPS school libraries.

Thanks Runza!!!

Pepsi Donates $3,800 For Books at Belmont Elementary. Thanks Pepsi!

"Belmont is a member of the Reading is Fundamental Program. This program allows us to purchase books at a lower cost. With the money donated by Pepsi, we are able to purchase more than 2,000 books at all different reading levels for our students. The confidence and pride that comes from a child learning to read is tough to measure but the rewards last a lifetime. On behalf of the 700 students at Belmont I would like to thank Pepsi and the Foundation.” Matt Oltman, Belmont Elementary

Creation of a School Endowment Thanks to Ted and Kathleen

On September 2nd Former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser and his wife Kathleen Rutledge, former Editor of the Lincoln Journal Star, made a very generous $25,000 lead gift to establish the Kooser Elementary School Endowment Fund.

Celebrating Excellence in a New Way!

The Foundation has been thrilled to recognize student achievement through the Gold Star banquet for the past 21 years. Even though student scholarships and educator awards are presented at their respective schools, the Foundation has always held this signature event to re-present these awards.
To increase opportunities for students, the Foundation needs to deepen their relationship with their donors. Instead of an annual banquet, ways of increasing donor engagement with students will be our future focus.

In 2011 we will celebrate and document student achievement through an insert in the Lincoln Journal Star but we will not hold the Gold Star banquet. Instead, we will be tailoring activities and events to build engagement so that donors can experience first-hand the tangible outcomes of their generosity.

The first of our efforts will be developing and conducting “Behind the Scenes Tours” at schools so that donors can hear from students first-hand about the impact their donations are having on achievement.

In this way, we will continue to provide wide publicity regarding student achievement made possible in part by the Foundation AND we’re able to commit additional resources to cultivating the gifts that make this performance and achievement possible.

Foundation Celebrates 21st Annual Gold Star Salute!

On May 4, 2010 the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools held its 21st annual Gold Star Salute.  Nearly 1,000 people attended the event to celebrate achievements this school year in the Lincoln Public Schools.  During the program, "Gold Stars" from each school were recognized for their contributions, 20 outstanding educators and staff members were honored and scholarships were presented to over 100 LPS seniors.

The program culminated with Kahoa Elementary receiving the 2010 Wells Fargo Bank-Lincoln Benefit Life Gold Star School Award.  

The evening was made possible by our program sponsors:  96KX, Ameritas, Clark Enersen Partners, and Control Services Inc.,

Thanks to all who contributed to make this evening a huge success! 

Foundation Names New President!

The Board of Directors of the Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools announces that Sharon Wherry has accepted the position of president. She becomes the third president in the Foundation’s 21 year history following Barbara Bartle who held the position for 18 years but left in February to become the President of the Lincoln Community Foundation.

Wherry most recently worked for Time Warner Cable and Three Eagles Communications designing and managing cable TV and radio marketing plans. Sharon is actively involved in Lincoln Rotary Club 14 and served as District Governor 2008-09 for eastern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa.

 “Sharon Wherry brings a new dimension to the Foundation. She has a dynamic personality with extensive business experience,” says Steve Navin, Chair of the Board of Directors. “She served on the board of the Foundation 1996-2002, became a Trustee in 2005 and since 2007 worked as a consultant so she is ready to hit the ground running. We are very pleased that Sharon is on board.”

We did it...Thanks to you!

The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools announced that we have reached our initial goal of $10 million for the Great Schools...Forever! campaign. Thank you for help to reach this milestone!

Long-time Foundation Director, Barbara Bartle, Says Farewell

After 18 years of leading the Foundation, Barbara Bartle is taking on a new challenge. She has accepted the position as president    of the Lincoln Community Foundation, and begins her new position in mid-February. Under her leadership the Foundation boasts assets of $6.4 million, and has granted over $22 million to Lincoln Public Schools for programs, awards, and scholarships since the Foundation's inception in 1989.

We wish her well in this great opportunity.

You will be dearly missed!