Braeside Teacher Recipient of the 2016Highland Park Golden Apple Award

Mrs. Cindy Rossman (K-1 Braeside) is this year’s final recipient of the Highland Park Community Foundation’s prestigiousHighland Park Golden Apple Award. Mrs. Rossman was surprised with a special all school assembly when she was presented with balloons, golden delicious apples, a golden apple statue, a $2000 check, and a $500 gift card to the Apple store. Children, colleagues , administrators, parents, and retired educators attended the exciting assembly.

Grants in Action – Tom Koulentes named 2015 Recipient of the Jack Blane Community Service Award

Tom Koulentes, Principal of Highland Park High School, became the second recipient of the Jack Blane Community Service Award on October 27, at the Highland Park Community Foundation (HPCF) Grants Awards Reception.

The Foundation & Family Service are proud to meet their goals

In February, the Foundation offered a proactive grant challenge to Family Service to work together and raise $27,000. These funds were to be used to increase professional staff capacity in Family Service’s Latino Youth Initiative (LYI) at Highland Park High School. The Foundation agreed to provide half the funds if Family Service was able to raised the remaining balance. Three months later, members of both organizations and contributing donors met to celebrate the successful completion of the challenge.

Bruce Goodman Becomes First Recipient of Jack Blane Community Service Award

Bruce Goodman, a lifelong resident of Highland Park, became the first recipient of the Jack Blane Community Service Award on December 6th, at the Highland Park Community Foundation’s annual Grants Awards Dinner.

Grants in Action

HPCF Awards 2014Highland Park Golden Apple The Highland Park Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2014 recipient of the Highland Park Golden Apple Award is Blake Novotny. A teacher of fine arts at Highland Park High School since 2000, Novotny is an exceptional educator who connects his teaching to current social issues. Said one supporter, “Blake is a teacher who thinks with his heart. This is evidenced by the individualized instruction and feedback he offers his students, his commitment to equity work within the student population, and the connections he builds between art and society across the entire school community.” Now in it’s fourth year, the Highland Park Community Foundation and a local family foundation initiated an annual Highland Park Golden Apple Award to recognize outstanding teachers in the Highland Park school systems.

Grants in Action

Sunday Swim Builds Community

Sally Higginson of the Highland Park News recently wrote the attached article detailing the wonderful work done through Giant Splash. Along with Family Service, the Highland Park Community Foundation is a proud supporter of this program that not only teaches children to swim, but also provides an opportunity for their families to unite, learn together and develop friendships.