Reflecting on the 2024–2025 school year, I feel a profound sense of gratitude for your extraordinary generosity and engagement. Last year, you gave nearly $900,000 in philanthropic support to our school, an incredible testament to your belief in our mission and the transformative power of a Cascades Academy education.
Just as important as the dollars raised is the spirit in which they were given. Families, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends came together in record numbers, not only to give, but to volunteer, connect, and invest their time and talent in meaningful ways. From classroom helpers and traveling school chaperones to event organizers, hot lunch servers, and behind-the-scenes champions, your involvement brought life and joy to our campus.
Your generosity directly supported dynamic student programs, innovative teaching practices, and professional development for our educators. It ensured that rigorous learning, off-campus adventures, and creative exploration continued to thrive in every division of our PK–12 school. Most importantly, your support inspired a sense of belonging and partnership that strengthens our entire community.
Thank you for showing up. Thank you for believing in the vision of Cascades Academy. And thank you for helping us grow in numbers as well as in connection, commitment, and heart.
With gratitude,
Julie Amberg Head of School
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Cultivating Connection through the Family Association
Cascades Academy’s mission is not only to inspire a love of learning but to build a strong, connected community where every family feels like they belong. Nowhere is that spirit more visible than in the work of the Family Association, which continues to be a vital force in shaping the inclusive, joyful, and supportive culture of our school.
In 2024–2025, Family Association Chair, Melissa Griffiths, and Vice Chair, Mandy Peoples, led this dynamic parent volunteer group with intention, warmth, and vision, fostering meaningful connections among families and bringing the school’s values to life.
“I joined the Family Association initially because I wanted to meet more people,” Melissa shared. “As I got more involved, I began to see how essential it is to building community and upholding the values of Cascades Academy. The FA helps ensure that families feel supported and included. It’s part of what makes our school feel so welcoming.”
Mandy echoed that sentiment: “I wanted to learn more about how the school functioned and thought it would be a good way to get to know parents and families. I was right!”
Together with a team of 25 dedicated volunteer representatives, the Family Association organized a rich variety of events and initiatives throughout the year.
“When I think about what I’m most proud of this year, it’s the moments where we showed our gratitude for teachers who are doing the incredible, hands-on work of experiential learning every day,” said Mandy. “And I’m also proud of all the social events we pulled off. Those gatherings really matter.”
Parent involvement is essential to the culture at Cascades Academy. “Community is such an important part of why students thrive here,” Mandy added. “When parents are involved and when everyone knows each other, it creates an environment where kids are supported and honored for who they are.”
Whether planning an event, helping in the classroom, or facilitating an interest group like the Book Club, Family Association volunteers have helped make this past year vibrant, inclusive, and fun. Their presence reminds us that showing up — offering our time, our energy, and our care — is one of the most powerful gifts we can give.
To Melissa, Mandy, and every Family Association representative and volunteer: thank you for building the kind of community where students and families flourish.
CHARTING NEW COURSES
How a special gift is helping students embrace the power of the outdoors
Terry Causey knows firsthand what it means to face challenges and come out stronger on the other side. A childhood marked by polio, pneumonia, and hospital stays didn’t stop him from sailing the world, forging a career, and teaching young people about stewardship and compassion.
“Outdoor experiences helped me develop resilience,” Terry says. “They can be joyful, enriching, and even transcendental. You learn that fear and discomfort are often in your head. As long as you keep moving forward with a little humor, you’ll succeed.”
The great-uncle of two Cascades Academy students, Terry’s generosity has shaped experiential learning at the school for years. He’s been a longtime supporter as well as sponsor of the 8thgrade traveling school’s annual sailing expedition aboard the Matthew Turner, a tall ship in the San Francisco Bay Area operated by the nonprofit Call of the Sea, where Terry serves as a board member. Through this experience, dozens of students now know the ocean can be a powerful teacher. “Sailing teaches stewardship of the ocean, and instills mindfulness of your environment and compassion for each other,” he says.
Last year, Terry deepened his impact with a gift to expand the school’s outdoor leadership programs.
His support launched an Upper School avalanche safety elective, advanced backcountry skills expedition, and four-day hut trip in Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains. It outfitted the Middle School with snowshoes and provided Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder certifications for faculty. Perhaps most notably, it funded the hiring of a part-time outdoor leadership specialist to pilot the Summer Outdoor Leadership Adventures program for middle and high school students. Year one was an incredible success with nearly 40 participants from Cascades Academy and beyond.
For Terry, supporting these types of experiences is deeply personal. “When I was younger, my fearless older sister dragged me out of my shell,” he recalls. “Outdoor programs can be like that, like a big sister saying, ‘Come on, there’s nothing to be afraid of.’”
He remembers a college hike up the 11,000-foot Telescope Peak in Death Valley, where he nearly gave up. “My friends told me, ‘You’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t finish.’ I was on all fours, but I made it. It felt impossible, until it didn’t.” Terry embraced the power of possibility by doing that same hike five more times on his own.
Thanks to Terry, more students are stepping into discomfort and discovering their inner strength, whether they’re summiting peaks or sailing into the horizon.
DONORS OPEN DOORS TO PURPOSE & POSSIBILITY
Design for Good: Impact Scholars
In fall 2024, thanks to generous anonymous donors, Cascades Academy launched Design for Good: Impact Scholars, a first-ever cohort of rising ninth-graders selected for their passion, leadership, and curiosity. Each scholar received a $12,000 scholarship, $3,000 per year, alongside a unique curriculum built around purpose-design, community partnership, and real-world impact.
From day one, these young changemakers dove into the Wayfinder curriculum, exploring questions of purpose and civic responsibility. Most importantly, they applied their learning by teaming with Envision Bend and Visit Bend to tackle youth tourism, designing a youth-centered guidebook and media content aimed at fostering inclusive and respectful visits in our community.
Through these partnerships, the scholars gained insider insights and saw how their ideas could influence real-world tourism strategies and website content.
In February, the group traveled to Stanford’s renowned d.school, immersing themselves in innovation and design thinking. Inspired by Stanford students and faculty, they returned invigorated and eager to apply fresh perspectives to their Bend-based project.
The Impact Scholars didn’t just learn — they led. They co-wrote guidebook drafts and copresented their work to local leaders. In doing so, they’re gaining advanced academic credit toward their Mastery Transcript and bolstering their college-ready credentials, in addition to building lifelong leadership and teamwork habits.
Beyond producing tangible community resources, the program fosters deep bonds of peer support and mentorship, a hallmark of Cascades Academy’s experiential, relationship-rich approach.
Design for Good: Impact Scholars demonstrates the power of donor investment, and we look forward to welcoming our second cohort of scholars this fall.
“The Impact Scholars program began as a vision to enhance student leadership, and it could only have happened if a donor said yes to funding it. I’m grateful for the generous grandparents who believe in our students’ potential.” - Kelly Fast, Impact Scholars Faculty
YEAR ONE SNAPSHOT
• Five scholars engaged in a year-long interdisciplinary project
• Community collaboration with Envision Bend, Visit Bend, and Stanford d.school
• Advanced academic acknowledgment via Mastery Transcript credentials
• Concrete deliverables: youth tourism guidebook and presentations to community leaders
DONOR RECOGNITION July 1, 2024 - June
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