The Endowment
In 2008, The Bidwell Junior High School Foundation Board established the John Schulz Memorial Endowment with a $2,000 grant from the Foundation General Fund. The long-range goal for the Endowment is to increase its value to the point where dividends and interest can be used to support Foundation work without reducing the principal amount. It will then become a permanent source of funding for the work of the BJHS Foundation.
In 2018, The Endowment name was changed to the John Schulz and Linda Wilbur Memorial Endowment upon the passing of Linda Wilbur, a long time Bidwell Staff member, Foundation Board member and Treasurer. The Endowment has grown through the years, primarily with donations from Friends of Bidwell, interest and dividends on the principal amount, and unrealized gains which have outpaced unrealized losses. The current value is over $55,000. (Photos: Linda Wilbur (left) and John Schulz.
Classroom Grants
The Foundation strives to support teachers and staff in their effort to provide the best learning experience for Bidwell students. Teachers have been challenged to provide "more" with "less" as funds available to the classroom continue to dwindle.
Our process is simple. Teachers submit a request to the BJHS Foundation for instructional materials they need. The Board meets monthly to review and evaluate these requests and, if approved, makes a cash grant. Here are just a few of the items we have been able to provide: Books, science lab equipment, calculators, computer hardware and software, physical education equipment, digital cameras for art and yearbook, headsets for virtual reality field trips, webcams for creating slow-motion videos to study cell division and basic school supplies and clothing for students in need. The Foundation has also granted funds to the BJHS Band for sheet music, instruments and instrument repair.
Friends of Bidwell (F.O.B.s)
So, you want to be an F.O.B.?
Friends of Bidwell (or F.O.B.s as we fondly call them) are essential to the success of the Foundation. Through the support and generous donations of the F.O.B.s, the Endowment continues to grow. Junior high school is the place where students begin to develop good study habits and to value education in general. This is why we strive to provide all the necessary items a teacher may need to give the students a positive and memorable learning experience. Please help us continue to support teachers by signing up to be an F.O.B. We snail mail an annual "donation request" letter. Recently in non-pandemic years we have also been partnering with local restaurants for at least two fundraiser per year.