LHSEF matches record with 13 Educational Foundation grants

The Lemont High School Educational Foundation has committed to supporting 13 Educational Foundation Grants for more than $46,000. Grant proposals were submitted by Lemont High School faculty and staff, with the goal of enhancing educational opportunities for the school’s enrollment of more than 1,300 students.

The LHSEF is fully funding a record-tying 13 Educational Foundation Grants for a total of $46,497, with a stipulation that the funds provided for the projects must be used by the end of the 2025-26 school year. 

Included among the latest Educational Foundation Grants are the following proposals: 

• 21st Century Marching Band
• Baking Club Equipment and Supplies
• Breakfast Buddies
• Butterfly Effect Art Installation
• Enhancing Language Proficiency
• Golden Cheer & Dance Equipment
• Illinois Native Plants and Pollinator Gardens
• Incorporating Therapies and Incentives into ARC
• Live-Learn-Lemont
• Respect Week
• SNORKL – Dive Deeper Into Learning with AI
• UpLifting Lemont
• Yoga Props

Photo gallery of grants ceremony

Educational Foundation Grant Summaries

The LHSEF previously funded 13 grants in the 2012-13 and 2016-17 school years. The amount committed for next year’s grants is the third-most the LHSEF has granted in one year, trailing just the 2015-16 ($65,340) and 2014-15 ($56,467) school years.

A complete description of all the supported grants, with recipient information and the amount awarded, may be found below.

Since 2007, the LHSEF has supported nearly $625,000 in grants to benefit Lemont High School. In addition to funding Educational Foundation Grants, the LHSEF proudly pledged multi-year support for the transformation of the school’s Learning Resource Center into the CITGO Innovation Academy, which opened in 2018.

A primary reason the LHSEF has been able to provide such significant support to Lemont High School is the success of the “Food for Thought” series. For more than a decade, these celebrations have drawn large crowds of enthusiastic supporters. Typically, the “Taste of Lemont” draws thousands to downtown Lemont, making it one of the most anticipated community events each year.

The LHSEF already is gearing up for this fall’s “Taste of Lemont,” which will take place in downtown Lemont on September 6, 2025. Ticket information will be available this summer. The “Taste of Lemont” once again will be a family friendly event open to all ages and will feature a number of local food and drink establishments as well as live music.

The LHSEF provides revenue and support to Lemont High School in order to enhance educational opportunities and enrich the overall experience for its students. It operates independently from the school, yet fosters the district’s ongoing and systemic efforts to attain the next level of success in all areas of a comprehensive education for all students.

The LHSEF’s mission is to partner with the community to make lasting improvements to Lemont High School that will enhance the total educational experience for all of its students. Its desire is to fund and support programs and opportunities that aid students’ growth, both academically and as citizens of the Lemont community. The LHSEF is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization; all gifts are tax-deductible to the extent provided by the law.

Educational Foundation Grants

“21st Century Marching Band”
Funded at $3,030 — proposal by Dave Nommensen & Ben Clemons
The award-winning Lemont High School Marching Band is a consistent presence in state competition and has won eight state championships. In an effort to reach the next level, the band will incorporate a new marching drills app that syncs music with formations, allowing students, staff and sections to visualize where on the field they should be anytime during the show. The six iPads purchased with this grant will feature the app, and will be available for customized support during Concert Band season.

“Baking Club Equipment and Supplies”
Funded at $1,700 — proposal by Sarah Mimnaugh
After a successful pilot, the Baking Club made its debut at Lemont High School during the 2024-25 school year. Relying on resources from the Family & Consumer Sciences Department has resulted in occasional shortages and scheduling conflicts in terms of supplies and equipment. This grant will allow the club to secure the necessary equipment and supplies as its reach expands, as well as a card reader and cash box so that Baking Club items can be sold.

“Breakfast Buddies”
Funded at $2,300 — proposal by Kelsey Eisele
Since 2006, Breakfast Buddies has helped with socializing for both students with varying ability levels and students who wish to be mentors. Breakfast Buddies is held before school twice a month and attracts dozens of students. Special education students gain confidence and acceptance, while peer mentors gain expertise in working with individuals with diverse abilities. This program promotes inclusivity, acceptance, respect, and kindness for all students.

“Butterfly Effect Art Installation”
Funded at $21,112 — proposal by Megan Idell, Shannon Jeglinski & Ryan Hennebry
The Butterfly Effect Art Installation will be a school-wide collaborative project that promotes kindness, inclusion, and anti-bullying through art. Students in art classes and every Lemont Time class will create and decorate individual butterfly artworks, symbolizing how small acts of kindness can create a larger positive impact. This installation will serve as a visual representation of unity and empathy, and this grant will provide the materials needed to create, install and celebrate the completed project.

“Enhancing Language Proficiency”
Funded at $3,000 — proposal by Daniel Zmarzlinski, Christie Entler & Lara DeVries
Integrating more reading into World Languages classrooms has proven to increase students’ language acquisition, particularly with comprehension, fluency and vocabulary. This grant will purchase classroom readers for all Spanish I and French I classrooms. These shorter novels are appropriate for students beginning in the language and will be used during designated reading time in class to support natural language acquisition and spontaneous language use.

“Golden Cheer & Dance Equipment”
Funded at $2,570 — proposal by Stephanie Krolo & Meghan Wilcoxen
The Golden Cheer & Dance team, which debuted during the 2023-24 school year, is an inclusive squad whose aim is to promote leadership skills, positive school culture and impactful relationships. Golden Cheer & Dance gives an opportunity to students of all abilities to come together and showcase school pride and a fun spirit through performances and team bonding events. This grant will be used to invest in essential equipment, such as new poms and signage, that will enhance performances.

“Illinois Native Plants and Pollinator Gardens”
Funded at $600 — proposal by Karen Aleman
Students in Lemont High School’s Field Ecology and AP Environmental Science classes have researched native plants and pollinators of Illinois. With previous projects, they have worked in local forest preserves to remove invasive species and collect and plant native seeds, and installed a garden on campus. This grant will allow students to continue their environmental stewardship by planting tallgrasses and prairie plants that complement native pollinators such as the Monarch Butterfly.

“Incorporating Therapies and Incentives into ARC”
Funded at $2,500 — proposal by Krissy Bergles & Alexis Kelley
Lemont High School’s revamped ARC Program (Academics, Resilience, Character) serves as a therapeutic setting for the school’s special education students. Students receive additional services to help address internalizing behaviors (school anxiety, school refusal, depression) that impact their ability to progress in traditional classroom settings. This grant will fund monthly evidence-based art therapies, as well as a token economy system to reward positive behaviors and build self-regulation skills.

“Live-Learn-Lemont”
Funded at $2,500 — proposal by Margie Pilarski, Meredith Galos & Amy Slawson
Lemont High School’s LIFE Program is a self-contained program that focuses on Learning for Independence, Friendship, and Employment/Training. Thanks to a previous LHSEF grant, the Live-Learn-Lemont program now is embedded in the LIFE program. Live-Learn-Lemont allows students enrolled in the Life Skills class to expand their vocational and community skill options by creating and selling “Lemont swag” that is sold throughout the year. This grant will expand those opportunities.

“Respect Week”
Funded at $1,000 — proposal by Meagan Drummond
Lemont High School debuted its “Respect Week” in March 2024. This spirit week focuses on inclusion for all students, regardless of differences. The goal of the week is to promote inclusion, acceptance, tolerance, and empathy for all, while eliminating derogatory language and bullying. Various activities help students build relationships and facilitate new conversations and new friendships. This grant will be used to cover the cost of some of the “Respect Week” activities for the upcoming year.

“SNORKL – Dive Deeper Into Learning with AI”
Funded at $3,740 — proposal by Erin Hitchcock
SNORKL is an educational platform designed to enhance students’ understanding, critical thinking, and communication skills through voice recordings and visual representations. The platform offers AI-powered feedback, enabling students to refine their explanations and improve how they articulate their problem-solving processes. Teachers can track student progress and personalize instruction. This grant will fund accounts for every Lemont High School student in the upcoming school year.

“UpLifting Lemont”
Funded at $2,000 — proposal by Trisha Weber
With support from a previous LHSEF grant, the “UpLifting Lemont” program sees faculty and staff catching students doing good things. This initiative positively impacts students, improves the school’s community, culture and climate, and recognizes students for their hard work and growth. Faculty and staff identify students who deserve recognition, and honored students receive a note on why they stood out. This grant will fund Common Grounds tokens, as well as year-end raffle prizes.

“Yoga Props”
Funded at $445 — proposal by Cindy DeLude & Tracy Rainey
Lemont High School’s Physical Education Department has offered yoga classes for nearly a decade, and the course continues to grow in popularity. A previous LHSEF grant funded the purchase of studio grade yoga mats to benefit all students enrolled in the class’s many sections. This grant will build on that, funding the purchase of 35 yoga straps to enhance stretches, improve balance poses, and make poses more comfortable and accessible for students with limited flexibility.