NEWARK — Worcester County Education Foundation (WCEF), a local non-profit supporting Worcester County Public School students, has completed a major rebranding.
Founded in 2013, WCEF is a motivated group of community members committed to preparing students for success, whose primary focus was equal access to technology. After reaching the million-dollar mark and with all WCPS students having their own Apple devices, the time has come to rebrand and expand the focus of the foundation.
When the foundation was formed, it was clear that the future was digital, so the emphasis was on preparing Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) students to succeed in a digital world.
“Now, the possibilities are limitless, and we understand the value of ensuring that all students have equitable access to and benefit from high-quality education,” says Olivia Momme, Manager of Operations & Community Relations. “We believe that the Worcester County Education Foundation is well positioned to utilize innovation, partnerships, and resources to bring programs to WCPS that build the necessary skills to produce self-sustaining graduates who are committed to both life-long learning and our community.”
WCEF put a significant amount of time and research into this process. It developed a strategic plan with direct involvement from stakeholders, including parents, WCPS employees, donors, educators, community members, and the Board of Directors. Through this process the foundation has updated their branding, mission, focus, and values.
The new logo showcases the growth that comes from education and creativity, while reflecting the colors of the WCPS branding. While the logo is the most eye-catching update, the expansion of the focus area to include science, engineering, art, and mathematics to the existing technology focus will be the most impactful.
“The foundation has so much to celebrate by surpassing our first million dollars raised. We want to keep the excitement going while best supporting our students,” says Momme. “The impact to-date is impressive, but the new changes will certainly help to nurture future growth.”
To date, WCEF has given over $210,000 to WCPS to support needs within the school system. These requests included computer cases, carts of Chromebooks, iPads, mobile hotspots with service, and a robot for home/hospital distance learning. Through the WCEF Teacher Grant program, over $22,000 has been awarded to teachers to bring innovative new programs to WCPS classrooms. This has directly impacted over 7,600 students. Additionally, over $500,000 has been placed in an endowment to help fund future endeavors and continue the foundation’s work towards their vision while maintaining sustainability.
WCEF is committed to supporting WCPS students. While Worcester County Public Schools has over 46% of students coming from homes of poverty, with an additional 30% on the verge, according to the 2020 ALICE Report, WCPS receives the second lowest funding per student from the state. WCEF strives to enhance achievement, both inside and outside of the classroom, and prepare each Worcester County Public School student, for current and future success through the effective utilization of innovation, relationships, and resources.