Welcome to FWCS Foundation (Donate to FWCS)

The Fort Wayne Community Schools Foundation generates and distributes financial resources to support FWCS in achieving its mission to educate all students to high standards enabling them to become productive, responsible citizens. It is legally separate from FWCS and it recognized by the IRS as exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Financial support through the FWCS Foundation is important because of continued funding challenges. FWCS is making great progress in improving academic achievement, and the Foundation Board wants to ensure it is adequately funded going forward to continue its success. Funds raised will be used to invest in innovative programs that will further increase academic results. The Foundation Board currently is focused on raising funds for the "b Instrumental" program, which will provide musical instruments to students in 7^th grade to use through 12^th grade. The Foundation Board currently is focused on raising funds for the “b Instrumental” program, which provides musical instruments to students in 7^th grade to use through 12^th grade. It also provides small group instruction and summer music camps for students.

Members of the FWCS Foundation Board are:

Tom Borne, President
Cheri Becker, Secretary
Steve Piekarski, Treasurer
Derek Devine
Mark GiaQuinta
Christopher Guerin
Iric Headley
Michelle Kearns
Dr. Pamela Kelly
Pete Mallers
Dan Ross
Paul Spoelhof
Tom Trent

Executive Director: Melanie Hall

b Instrumental Program Manager: Bruce Schneider

It’s an ensemble effort.

The Board members of the Fort Wayne Community Schools Foundation and Fort Wayne Community Schools are investing in the b Instrumental program because it enriches the whole child. Now we need for the rest of the community to join the ensemble so we can grow the program.

To be successful, we must raise $2.5 million. This will cover the purchase of 50 musical instruments for each of Fort Wayne Community Schools’ 11 middle schools - and provide instruction - annually for twelve years. It also will provide support to ensure the instruments are refurbished for the next 7th grader who will use the instrument through 12th grade. Fort Wayne Community Schools is providing support of $1.5 million to complete the funding for the program.

Support the FWCS Foundation Musical Instrument CAMPAIGN.

FWCS Foundation, Inc

c/o Stefan Pittenger

1200 S. Clinton Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46802

260-467-2109

Donate

We can’t do it without you.

The music will be richer. The kids will be inspired. And the community will grow in ways never imagined. But just as every great symphony, concerto or opera begins with a single note, this program begins with a single contribution.

With your generous support - and the support of the entire community - we will harness the power of music to make a difference in the lives of thousands of Fort Wayne students.

Donate to the FWCS Foundation Here

Ensure music rings out in our schools.

Let’s let the music - and the student success - sing out in our community. Join us in supporting the FWCS Foundation Musical Instrument Campaign.

Ensure the success of our students. Our community.

But, that’s not all. The program we’ve envisioned would also make advanced technology more readily available to our music educators. Provide music educators with advanced professional development. Provide students with small group/individual instruction. Send students to summer camps.

Unfortunately, today we’re not close to maximizing the potential of the students in our community. That’s because our music programs don’t currently provide every student with an opportunity to participate. The FWCS Foundation’s Musical Instrument Enhancement Program would end our community’s shortfall of available instruments. And, we believe, the results would be immediate and significant.

Improve student retention
Increase student graduation rates
Foster better interpersonal relationships among students
Enhance student-teacher relationships
Strengthen the students’ connection to community
Expand student scholarship opportunities

Help provide the brass. The woodwinds. And the strings.

Today our schools face a serious problem. There’s a shortfall of instruments available to our students. The reasons are many. An ongoing lack of funding to musical instrument programs has caused our schools to be severely under-supplied. And many parents in our district are simply not able to afford instruments. This leaves many potentially talented musicians, whose academic careers would be enhanced, sitting silent.

The FWCS Foundation believes we can solve this problem. And we have a plan. It starts with getting instruments into the hands of our students. The clarinets and flutes. The alto saxes, trumpets and trombones. Even the strings. With the proper level of funding we would:

Provide instruments to individual students in 7th Grade

Allow students to "borrow" that
instrument until 12th Grade

Refurbish and reissue
instruments to future students

Support the FWCS Foundation Musical Instrument Campaign.

The simple act of picking up an instrument and learning to play can have a lifelong impact on a student. And not just from a musical perspective. Today, more than ever, interaction with the arts can be a critical aspect of a child’s education. In fact, it’s well documented that learning to play an instrument in school can significantly elevate a student’s academic achievement.

A U.S. Department of Education study of 25,000 students found that those involved with music in middle and high school were more proficient in math by grade 12.Ed King, the Fort Wayne Community Schools 2012 Teacher of the Year, has studied the impact of music on students.

"I believe that instrumental music is not only important to student development," King says, "but it is the most important subject a student can study."

King went on to explain that human beings learn through their senses. And reading and performing music utilizes more of those senses than math. More than language. More, in fact, than any of the core school subjects. It’s time to give students access to all the tools they need to succeed in school.