The Judson Education Foundation (JEF) is an independent nonprofit formed in 1999 and is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the organization. According to The Judson Education Foundation, JEF was built to “support the mission, vision, and values of the Judson Independent School District.” Not only that, but JEF is also, “a tremendous tool that helps raise money for student scholarships”.This matters because Per Higher Ed Dive, about 75% of students want to attend college.
Despite this, according to a survey done by Junior Achievement and Citizens, 54 percent of teens, “feel unprepared to finance their futures”. Nearly 70% of the teens also said that the rising higher education costs have affected their post-graduation plan. Due to rising tuition costs, one of the main concerns for teens is getting a college scholarship. However, the Judson Education Foundation (JEF) was formed to help students with this problem.
Both, students and teachers benefit from this program with things like, helping pay for student’s college scholarships by the foundation hosting fundraisers and community events.
Per The Judson Education Foundation, “Each year the Judson Education Foundation awards tens of thousands of dollars to students and teachers to support them in their education and their work in the classroom.” They have done multiple fundraisers each school year for over 24 years, and that tradition will continue this year. This school year in particular will have six events spanning from August through June.
These fundraisers include the E-Give Campaign, which ended Sept. 30.. In the E-Give Campaign, you had the option to donate monthly for three, five, or seven dollars per month and the prizes you would receive would depend on how much you donate.
For donating three dollars a month, you would receive a Foundation t-shirt. For donating five dollars a month, you would receive the t-shirt and a sticker. Lastly, for donating seven dollars a month, you would receive the t-shirt, sticker, and an opportunity for a gift basket.
The Wobble N’ Gobble event is another event JEF holds annually. The 5k run starts at 9 a.m., with a free feast from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at Wagner High School.
The last event of the year will be a Golf Tournament at Historic Brackenridge Park Golf Course, on June 2, 2025 with a 7 a.m. registration with breakfast, and an 8:30 a.m. shot gun start. Other events include an annual JEF Gala on Feb. 9, 2025 and a membership mixer. The location for both events has not yet been determined..
The Judson Education Foundation has many members and is a collaborative project to help students get their college education. To learn more about what they do for the community, and how you can join them in becoming a member, you can email executive director, Lexie Greathouse, at [email protected].