Laps for Literature Benefits Palos 118 Schools

The Palos 118 Educational Foundation’s Laps for Literature event on September 11, 2012 raised over $6 thousand for the media centers at Palos East, West, and South Schools. 

At the Board of Education meeting October 20, Foundation Chairperson Susan Manglano presented each school principal with a check with proceeds from Laps for Literature.  “Foundation directors have a tremendous fondness for District 118 schools because their dedicated staff and strong curricula have benefited our children so much,” said Manglano.

Like every school district, Palos 118 relies on federal, state, and local funding to pay for its programs. Throughout Illinois, income from federal and state governments has dwindled, so reliance on monetary support from the Foundation has become more important.

The Foundation’s sole purpose is raising funds for the exclusive and explicit benefit of the students in Palos East, Palos West, and Palos South Schools. With the help of the school district, the Foundation selects unfunded school projects and works to finance them through fundraisers, corporate and private contributions, and state and local government support. 

“We are grateful for the support and efforts of the Palos 118 Educational Foundation,” said Superintendent Joseph Dubec. “The students in our school district benefit from their efforts in many ways.”

Established in 1998 with their vision dedicated to funding unfunded needs (FUN), past projects have included renovating the Palos South Media Center, and creating new playgrounds at Palos East and West Schools.  Most recently, the Applied Technology Lab at Palos South Middle School was paid off this past May as a result of the Foundation’s successful fundraising efforts.

The annual walk-a-thon style event, Laps for Literature, remains a major fundraiser and generates continuous funding for the media centers at each of the three schools.  Throughout the Foundation’s history, there have been numerous fundraisers held to raise monies for the school district including: Phantom Ball, Rosemarie’s Attic Resale, Spring Plant Sale, Scholars for Science Vertical Party, and a cookbook sale.

“Even though most of our kids have moved on to secondary and post-secondary education, we continue to serve our elementary schools because they are such valuable assets to the community in which we live,” said Manglano.