 AMY KREUTZ NAMED GEFFE’S 2009
SHINING STAR
Upper Elementary counselor Amy
Kreutz was named the 2009 Shining Star at the annual Grove Education Foundation
for Excellence (GEFFE) Gala Saturday night at the Royal Bay Yacht Club. Kreutz
won the award for her grant “Peer Puppetry.”
As the Shining Star winner, Kreutz
received a $300 cash gift and a beautiful crystal trophy designed by former
Grove High School graduate David Moritz of Society Awards. Kreutz thanked GEFFE
and the community for their support of the Grove school system. Kreutz’s grant
was selected as the best out of 30 grants GEFFE funded in 2008.
“Amy’s grant sought funding for a
truly unique idea,” Wallace stated. “With the grant, fifth-grade students will
write and direct puppet shows for students in the Early Childhood Center. These
shows will focus on the character traits of respect, responsibility, caring,
fairness, trustworthiness and citizenship.”
GEFFE Board President Kristi
Wallace announced Kreutz’s named after introducing the other two nominees for
the award, Kindergarten teacher Kathy Daigle and Middle School Science teacher
Donna Deason.
Wallace announced to the over 300 people attending this year’s Gala that GEFFE
was able to award over $77,000 in grant funding last year.
“Thanks to the wonderful generosity
of our businesses and supporters, GEFFE has been able to award over $486,000 to
our school district,” Wallace stated.
Also honored at this year’s
fundraiser were the 20 Top Scholars from Grove High School. These students have
maintained a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 or greater for the past
seven semesters.
“We are so proud of these
students,” Wallace told the audience, “because these young people exemplify our
GEFFE’s mission statement: ‘to promote and encourage academic excellence in
Grove Public Schools.’”
Attendees at the event were greeted
once again with a performance by the award-winning Grove High School Jazz band.
Before dinner was served, guests had the opportunity to view and bid on nearly
100 silent auction items which had been donated by businesses throughout the
community.
Throughout the evening,
participants had the opportunity to purchase for $25 Madri Gras beads and
tickets for a special “Big Easy” drawing. Purchasers of the beads were given the
opportunity to place the tickets in special collection centers for one of five
prices. The prizes, which were sponsored by Grand Savings Bank, included an
I-Phone, a laptop computer, a designer purse, a garden bench and the “Grand
SurPRIZE.” Once all the tickets were sold, Lendall Bass, of Grand Savings Bank,
drew the winning tickets for each prize. Drenda Cox was the winner of the
SurPRIZE gift, which was a flat-screen TV.
After hearing the principals from
each of the school sights tell how GEFFE had impacted their schools, guests were
able to participate in the live auction. Over 25 items were auctioned off
during the evening including a “Rajun Cajun” package of 75 pounds of shrimp or
crawfish, five live trees, a sport clay shoot and bar-b-que for ten, monthly
floral arrangements for a year, and a day of beauty. Over $54,000 was raised
during the live auction event.
“We want to thank everyone who
attended the event and all of our generous donors,” stated GEFFE President
Kristi Wallace. “GEFFE is able to donate so much money to the schools only
because of the wonderful support of our community.”
Wallace acknowledge that it was not
too late to support GEFFE. Donations are still being accepted. Persons
interested in making a cash donation to GEFFE can do so by going to
www.GEFFE.org or contacting Kristi Wallace at 787-3855. Persons wishing to
sponsor a book for $20 and leave a lasting legacy in Grove Public Schools should
contact Becky Rutter at (918)520-7694.
The GEFFE board’s next action will
to be award the 2009 spring grants later this month.
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