The Supporting Bright Futures Scholarship Program
Where Bold Ideas Come to Life
The Classroom Innovation Grant
Stronger Schools Start With Stronger Families
The Family Engagement Grant
Dear Friends & Supporters,
Not in a vague, abstract way, but here, in Millard, in the lives of real students who wake up every morning with a little more hope because of what you do.
As I reflect on this past year at the Millard Public Schools Foundation, I am moved by what becomes possible when people like you choose to show up and make a difference in Millard
This year, we awarded nearly $162,000 in scholarship funding to 90 deserving Millard seniors — investing directly in futures that will shape our community for generations to come. Each scholarship carries a message that goes beyond financial support: your community sees you, believes in you, and is betting on your success. Scholarships like the Nancy Anderson Memorial Scholarship continue to honor profound legacies while opening new doors. This is a full-circle reminder of why this work matters so deeply. You made every one of those moments possible.
Our signature events brought people together in powerful ways. Jingle, our annual event, drew record attendance, raising critical funds while celebrating the educators and volunteers who give so much of themselves each day. The Women’s Giving Circle expanded its reach, funding new resources for schools across the district. And our golf tournament (always a highlight) brought our business community together around the mission that connects us all. In every room, at every table, you were the reason it worked.
The Spark program continued to transform out-of-school hours into opportunities for growth, discovery, and belonging. Through Spark Up, incoming 5th and 6th graders had an epic summer jam packed with adventures, age-appropriate games and ice cream! Spark Adventure Camps gave kids the chance to explore, take risks, and build confidence. These are not just programs; they are places where children learn that they are capable, that they are valued, and that their community is behind them every step of the way.
This year also brought a milestone we have been working toward since the very beginning of the program. For the first time since launching our Wish List initiative, we granted all 36 items on the list. Every single one. That kind of complete, collective generosity doesn’t happen by accident — it happens because donors like you choose to say yes, again and again, to the needs of students and schools that others might overlook.
Our Caring Closet remains one of our most quietly vital programs, fulfilling urgent requests for essential personal items and responding within 24 hours. We meet students where they are, with dignity and compassion.
You make a difference when you donate, when you volunteer, when you show up and say, “This community matters. These children matter.” Because of you, Millard students thrive, dream, and achieve.
The road ahead is full of opportunity. We are expanding programs, deepening partnerships, and finding new ways to close the gaps that stand between students and their full potential. We cannot do any of it without you. And we don’t want to.
With your continued partnership, we will keep making a difference in Millard — not by chance, but because of you
With deepest gratitude,
Carlos Castillo Chief Executive Officer Millard Public Schools Foundation
Great schools are built inside classrooms, but they are strengthened by what happens around them. The relationships between families, schools, and communities create the foundation that allows students to feel connected, supported, and ready to learn.
This fall, the Millard Public Schools Foundation launched a new initiative designed to invest in exactly that — the Family Engagement Grant
Eight parent groups from across the district answered the call by submitting thoughtful and creative ideas for events and activities that bring families closer to their schools and to one another. The response was a genuine reflection of two things: how much Millard families care and how much energy exists in this community when people are given the opportunity to lead.
After careful review, five projects were selected to receive funding, with a total of $6,000 awarded to support family-led experiences across the district.
Holling Heights Elementary — The Holling CARES Event
Neihardt Elementary — Multicultural Family Engagement Night
Rockwell Elementary — Community Carnival Night
Norris Elementary PTO — Math & Literacy Night
Montclair Team Wildcats PTO — Holidays Around the World
Each of these projects reflects something different — a celebration of culture, a focus on learning, a night of community fun — but all five share the same goal: creating welcoming spaces where families feel at home in their schools.
This is what stronger schools look like. And it starts with you.
“Thanks to this generous grant, every student at our school had the opportunity to attend the annual school carnival, regardless of financial circumstances. Out of our 310 students, 253 attended, making the evening a tremendous success.
Seeing so many Rockwell families together that night was truly heartwarming. The laughter, excitement, and joy shared by our students created memories that will last far beyond the event itself. For many of our students it was more than just a carnival — it was a chance to feel included, make special memories with friends and family, and experience the magic of being part of our school community.”
Ashley Scarpa - PTO President
At Horizon High School, something meaningful happens when the coffee cart rolls through the door.
It starts simply enough. Young Adult Program (YAP, a transition program for young adults ages 18-21 who qualify for special education) students arrive with a cart, warm drinks, and handmade items to share. But what unfolds is something far richer than a coffee stop. It is a genuine, professional interaction between two groups of students who don’t always have the opportunity to learn alongside one another. Horizon students engage with their peers from the Millard YAP in a real retail exchange, practicing communication, building confidence, and experiencing what it looks like when a community makes space for everyone to contribute.
For students on both sides of the cart, it is the kind of learning that a traditional classroom simply cannot replicate.
“The coffee cart allows our students to interact with their peers in the Young Adult Program in a professional manner. This supports both the growth of the YAP students and our students at Horizon — having individuals from these diverse populations work together for a real-world retail interaction.”
Emily Brosnan, Principal, Horizon High School
None of this exists without you.
The Coffee Cart Program is funded entirely through donor generosity — and what that generosity has created at Horizon is something no one fully anticipated when the idea was first floated. What began as a simple gesture of teacher appreciation became a platform for student connection across two programs that are stronger together than they ever could be apart.
Because of you, two groups of students who might have stayed in separate corners of the district are building something together: respect, understanding, and a shared sense of what this community stands for.
That is what your generosity does. Not just in the moments you can see, but in the ones that stay with a student long after the cart has gone.
Thank you for making this possible.
E
very great classroom experience starts with a teacher who sees what’s possible. A teacher who looks at a group of students and thinks, “What if we didn’t just read about this? What if we actually did it? What if we built it, grew it, flew it, or designed it ourselves?”
That instinct — to turn curiosity into experience — is exactly what the Millard Public Schools Foundation’s Classroom Innovation Grant is designed to support. Each year, MPS teachers are invited to submit their boldest ideas for hands-on, in-classroom projects that go beyond what a standard budget can provide. Awards of up to $5,000 help turn those ideas into real experiences for students.
Because of donors like you, this year two extraordinary projects received funding.
1
Courtney Manzitto — Principal, Upchurch Elementary School
At Upchurch Elementary, Courtney Manzitto built something from the ground up: a fully equipped STEM Lab designed to transform the way science is taught and experienced. Where lessons once lived on worksheets and textbooks, students now have a dedicated space to investigate, experiment, and discover — hands-on, every time.
2
Sara Loberg — 7th Grade Science Teacher, Central Middle School
Sara Loberg’s vision for Central Middle School was simple but powerful: give every student access to STEM tools, not just those in the right class at the right time. Her rotating Makerspace puts that idea into practice. Teachers across 6th, 7th, and 8th grade can check out bins stocked with drones, coding tools, engineering materials, and building supplies — each one designed to enrich and extend whatever students are already learning.
This flexibility gives students exposure to STEM challenges that align with their learning goals, encouraging them to explore new skills and problem-solve in a creative, collaborative way.“
Sara Loberg, Central Middle School
What these three projects share is something that goes beyond their subject matter. They create classroom moments that students remember long after the school year ends, shaping how they think about learning, problem-solving, and what they are capable of.
That is what donor generosity makes possible — not just supplies and equipment, but the spark that happens when a teacher’s best idea receives additional resources to bring it to life.
✦ Teachers are empowered to bring hands-on, innovative learning to their classrooms
✦ Students access experiences that go far beyond a standard curriculum
✦ Schools develop a culture of creativity, curiosity, and experimentation
✦ Children have access to bold learning opportunities
To every donor who makes this grant possible: a teacher had an idea, and because of you, a classroom full of students got to live it.
That is what making a difference looks like.
Five years ago, a group of women came together around a shared belief that when people pool their generosity and their voices, the impact is greater than any one gift alone. That belief became the Women’s Giving Circle and five years later it has grown into one of the most meaningful expressions of collective giving in the Millard community.
Each year, schools from across the district submit proposals for projects that would make a real difference for their students but might not otherwise find funding. Circle members gather, listen, ask questions, and together make a decision that puts resources exactly where they are needed most. It is donor-driven, community-centered, and entirely focused on impact.
The projects funded over five years tell the story of a community paying attention to what students need:
2022 Millard North Middle School: Unified Sports Program Materials, bringing inclusive athletic opportunities to students of all abilities.
2023 Disney Elementary: School-Wide Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources and Curriculum, investing in the social and emotional foundation students need to learn and thrive.
2024 Youth Adult Program (YAP, a transition program for young adults ages 18-21 who qualify for special education): A simulated apartment, giving students real-world life skills training in a handson learning environment.
2025 Central Middle School: Poster printer, which gives the school the ability to make posters in the top seven languages, increasing family involvement and building a true school community for all.
“Receiving the Women’s Giving Circle grant will have a tremendous impact on our English learners at Millard South. The funds received will be used for the P.A.L.S. Program. These supports will help both the students who are learning and the teachers who are providing the content. Students will have a much easier way to grasp the material and teachers will have another tool to use to provide better communication with our EL student population. We are very excited to be granted the opportunity to assist more of our English learners in the years to come. Thank you Women’s Giving Circle!” Paul Grant, EL Department
2026 Millard South High School: Patriots Accessing Language Supports (P.A.L.S.), providing technology to help English learners (EL) better understand classroom content, communicate with teachers, and succeed academically.
To every school that submitted a proposal this year: thank you. The dedication and creativity behind each idea reflects how deeply Millard educators care about their students, and every proposal made the decision harder in the best possible way.
To the Women’s Giving Circle members: what you have built over five years is extraordinary. Project by project, year by year, you have put resources into classrooms, programs, and students who needed a champion — and you showed up as exactly that.
This is the power of collective giving. And it only grows from here.
Three years ago, the School Wish List campaign started with a simple idea: give Millard schools a way to share what they need, and give donors a direct, tangible way to meet those needs.
What has happened since then is something worth stopping to appreciate.
In its first year, 16 wish lists were funded. The following year, that number grew to 34. And this year — for the first time in the history of the program — all 36 Millard Public Schools had their wish lists fully funded.
That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because donors, sponsors, and community advocates chose to show up again and again for schools and students they believe in. It happens because people saw a need, found a way to meet it, and didn’t stop until the job was done.
This year’s wish lists reflected two kinds of impact that matter deeply to the Foundation: what happens inside the classroom, and the educators who make those classrooms come alive every day.
Classroom wish list items put resources directly into the hands of students — materials, tools, and experiences that open up learning in ways that budgets alone cannot always provide. When a teacher brings a lesson to life, students feel the difference.
Teacher appreciation items recognize something that is easy to overlook but impossible to overstate: educators give an enormous amount of themselves every single day. Being seen, valued, and celebrated by their community matters. And this year, because of your generosity, schools had the opportunity to do exactly that.
three years of generosity made possible:
✦ 2023–2024: 16 wish lists funded
✦ 2024–2025: 34 wish lists funded
✦ 2025–2026: All 36 wish lists full funded
This is what momentum looks like. This is what happens when a community decides to make a difference.
To every donor, sponsor, and advocate who made this possible: thank you.
You didn’t just fund a wish list. You helped build something historic.
Some evenings do more than raise funds. They remind a community what it is capable of when neighbors comes together with a shared purpose. Jingle, the Millard Public Schools Foundation’s premier annual fundraiser, is one of those evenings.
This year, more than 400 guests gathered to kick off the holiday season in a night filled with festive experiences, cocktails, delicious food, and the warmth that comes from being surrounded by people who care deeply about Millard students and staff. The energy in the room was a reflection of something bigger, a community that consistently chooses to show up.
At the heart of the evening was a beloved tradition: a silent auction featuring 36 unique wreaths, each one decorated by a Millard school. Every wreath tells its own story with a little creativity, a lot of school spirit, and the collective effort of students, staff, and families who wanted to be part of something meaningful. Guests also had the opportunity to fund school wish list items, participate in raffles, and make direct contributions to the programs that support students and staff across the district.
This year, funds raised were directed toward Greatest Need a fund that ensures the Foundation is ready to respond the moment the district calls with a need. No waiting. No gaps. Just the ability to say yes when students, teachers, and schools need support most. It is one of the most important things donor generosity makes possible, even when the impact isn’t always immediately visible.
One of the most meaningful moments of the evening had nothing to do with bidding or auction totals.
As part of a longstanding partnership with Project Wee Care several Millard schools voluntarily donated their decorated wreaths to families in need. At the annual Project Wee Care Holiday Hope event, guests were invited to participate in an auction for one of the festive wreaths. What followed was something that doesn’t show up in a fundraising recap but stays with everyone who witnessed it: children’s faces lit up at the sight of the bells, the decorations, and the sparkle. The simple magic of the season was delivered with dignity and joy to families who deserved exactly that moment.
Every family’s needs look different, but the delight of a child holding a holiday wreath is universal. This year, donors, schools, and community partners made it possible for more families to experience it.
We are grateful to Project Wee Care, its volunteers, sponsors, and partners for the meaningful work they do year-round, and we are proud to stand alongside them each holiday season.
✦ The Foundation remains ready to respond immediately to district needs through Greatest Need funding
✦ Schools are celebrated and connected to the broader community that supports them
✦ Donors experience the direct impact of their generosity in real time
✦ Families in the community experience moments of kindness, connection, and holiday cheer
Jingle is more than a fundraiser. It is an evening that captures exactly why this community does what it does. It serves as a reminder that when people come together with generosity and intention, the impact reaches far beyond the room.
Thank you to every guest, sponsor, volunteer, and partner who made this year’s Jingle a night to remember.
“Sitting on the Jingle committee is my way of giving back to a district that does so much for our community. I’m constantly inspired by how our sponsors and donors rally together to support the diverse requirements of our various schools.
The event is so much more than a social gathering; it’s an interactive experience where the impact is seen the moment a donor fulfills a specific school wish list item. It’s a direct, personal link between a community member’s heart and a student’s desk. That direct connection is the true legacy of the night.”
Bryn Knobbe, Jingle Event Chair
2025
For a Millard senior, the moment a college acceptance letter arrives is one of the best of their lives. But for many students, that excitement quickly gives way to a harder question: How will I pay for it?
The Supporting Bright Futures scholarship program exists to help answer that question and to make sure finances alone never determine how far a Millard student can go.
Each year, the Millard Public Schools Foundation connects graduating seniors with scholarship opportunities made possible entirely through donor generosity. Beyond financial support, these awards send a powerful message — your community believes in your future.
This year, 90 Millard seniors were awarded a combined $162,000 in scholarships.
Lucas was one of them. Heading to Stanford University as a Human Biology major with medical school in his sights, he received both the Black Elk PTT Scholarship and the Millard West Athletic Booster Club / Jim Johnston Memorial Scholarship
“These scholarships were a lifeline for me. I can worry less about tuition and dedicate all of my mental effort to schoolwork and academics. I’ll be forever grateful for any dent I can make in student loan debt before I head off to medical school.”
For some students, a scholarship does more than ease a financial burden — it reminds them they are not alone. Cristely Monrreal-Morales, a Millard West graduate now finishing her degree at the University of Nebraska Omaha, balances full-time studies with work at a daycare while preparing for a career in education. She has received the Dr. Bob and Lynn Williams Scholarship for several years.
“College can get very expensive — everything adds up: living expenses, food, transportation, and tuition. This scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my academics and worry less about how I’m going to pay for school. There are times where it feels like I’m not making enough or not working enough, so having this support has reminded me that I’m not alone — not just through my family, but through Lynn’s generosity as well.”
What makes Cristely’s story especially meaningful is what happens beyond the scholarship itself. Each summer, she connects with Lynn, the donor behind the award, to share how her year has gone and talk about her upcoming plans. It is a small moment that carries a lot of weight.
“Being able to meet the person who is supporting me makes the experience feel much more personal,” she shared. “There is something really meaningful about that.”
That connection — between donor and student, between community and future — is exactly what Supporting Bright Futures is designed to build.
✦ Students arrive at college focused on learning, not debt
✦ Families experience less financial stress during a major life transition
✦ Students are affirmed by their community at exactly the right moment
✦ Donors and recipients develop impactful relationships that last beyond the scholarship
That is what making a difference looks like.
Not every barrier to learning is visible. For some students, the challenge isn’t the academics; it’s access to basic necessities.
When families are going through financial hardship, everyday essentials like hygiene products or cleaning supplies can become difficult to afford. These challenges can impact confidence, attendance, and a student’s ability to fully engage in school.
The Caring Closet exists to remove those barriers quietly, respectfully, and with dignity.
Because of donor support through social workers and counselors, students have consistent access to essential items in a way that protects their privacy. There is no stigma, no attention drawn — just reliable support when it’s needed most.
✦ Students are able to come to school feeling prepared and confident
✦ Attendance improves when basic needs are met
✦ Students can focus on learning
✦ School staff can respond immediately to student needs
This support reaches students facing a wide range of circumstances, including those navigating financial instability, those taking on adult responsibilities at a young age, and those working hard to stay on track despite limited support at home.
For some students, this quiet support makes a critical difference. It helps them show up, stay engaged, and continue moving forward even when their circumstances are challenging.
This is what making a difference looks like — support that is not always visible but deeply felt.
“Families in need have so many things they are worried about and basic needs shouldn’t have to be on that list. I appreciate that The Caring Closet provides immediate access to basic need items, making a family’s list of worries a little bit shorter.”
Community support looks different for every family, and one of the most meaningful ways we build that connection is by creating opportunities for families to simply come together.
Each year, the Millard Public Schools Foundation hosts two free community events: Bingo for Books and the Night Hike. While each event is different, both are designed with the same goal in mind: creating welcoming, accessible experiences where families can connect, explore, and learn more about the programs and people supporting students across Millard.
These events are free because we believe community connection should be accessible to everyone.
Last September, Night Hike welcomed 342 attendees for an evening focused on outdoor exploration, hands-on learning, and family connection.
Each year, the event continues to grow through new partnerships, new activities, and the support of volunteers who help bring the experience to life. Through a partnership with Schramm Education Center and community partners, this year’s event introduced new interactive activities — including fishing stations that quickly became one of the evening’s most popular experiences.
For some children, it was their very first time fishing.
Families also explored the park using interactive “passports,” encouraging children to visit stations, learn about nature, and experience the environment in a hands-on way. What may seem like a simple activity creates something much bigger: curiosity, confidence, outdoor exploration, and meaningful family experiences shared together.
Families consistently described the Night Hike as welcoming, engaging, and memorable for children of all ages. Many shared that their children continued talking about the experience long after the event ended.
“My kids had such a great time and are still talking about it.”
“The variety of activities, food, and volunteers were all so great. It was a success in our book!”
“We loved it and were so happy to be introduced to a state park we had not yet been to.”
“Everyone was kind and friendly.”
“We look forward to this each year. Huge thanks to everyone who made this event possible again.”
The Night Hike has become a meaningful tradition centered around connection, exploration, and community.
This year’s Bingo for Books welcomed approximately 240 guests from 62 families, continuing to expand its reach beyond existing Foundation and Spark families. In fact, for many attendees, this was their first introduction to the Foundation and its programs.
Families gathered to play bingo, win books, and spend time together in a welcoming environment designed to make literacy fun and accessible. Children received book vouchers with each BINGO, helping books go home with families throughout the evening.
Families gave positive feedback about the atmosphere, organization, and opportunities for children to participate and leave with books of their own.
“This was our second year attending, and it was even better this year.”
“My family had a wonderful time. It was well organized, and my kids were so excited to walk away with books and prizes.”
“It was a great event for all ages.”
With attendance growing each year, Bingo for Books is becoming a community tradition that brings families together while helping children build excitement around reading.
Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, volunteers, and community partners, these events continue to evolve. Beyond attendance numbers and activities, these events represent something even more important — a community that continues to show up for students and families.
This is what making a difference together looks like.
