Helps to Light Educational Sky
By Alex J. Hayes
Education is a community-wide effort in Littlestown, and students are soaring to new heights, thanks to committed volunteers and donors.
The Thunderbolt Foundation was founded in 2016 to help students in ways not possible through the district’s operating budget.
“Budgets are getting tighter, and there are a lot of lost learning opportunities because funding is not available,” says Beth Becker, the foundation’s executive director. “Any way we can find ways to support the kids and take their learning to the next level enhances the entire community.”
Empowering people through education comes naturally to Becker. She retired from the district in 2020 after 34 years as an educator. She had joined the Thunderbolt Foundation board three years prior and decided to continue her commitment to the organization after her career ended.
“It was a way for me to be able to give back to the district and still be involved with the kids,” she says.
The foundation relies solely on donors who believe in the value of education. The Adams County Community Foundation manages the funds, which are distributed by the foundation’s all-volunteer board of directors.
Becker says the board works closely with the district community.
“They bring the needs to us, and we find the way to fill those needs,” she says.
Those needs can come from teachers, students, athletic teams or the community at large.
The foundation recently funded the purchase of two-person tents for Camp Thunderbolt. The camp takes fifth grade students out of the classroom for a day of outdoor learning that incorporates math, English language arts and science.
Other projects, such as the Maple Avenue Middle School Writing Center, are more long-term. Spearheaded by teacher Michelle Wittle, the foundation-funded center offers writing services to students. Some students who use the center are creating the first Maple Avenue Middle School Literary Magazine to share their talents with others.
And, because of the foundation, lettuce is growing in Littlestown alongside student relationships thanks to a grant-funded hydroponic growing system. Teachers paired Kindergarteners with fifth-grade student mentors throughout the growing process, and the students celebrated their green thumbs with a lettuce party. The grant continues to give back to the community as the students continue to use the growing system.
“The school continues to grow lettuce and other vegetable items and has donated lettuce to a local food pantry,” Becker says.
A lot of learning is occurring in Littlestown, but sometimes opportunities expand beyond southern Adams County. The foundation made a trip to Washington, D.C. possible so that students in the high school’s French IV class could be immersed in French culture and food.
For students to succeed in the classroom, their personal needs must be met. The foundation helps Littlestown students in need achieve this through the Care Closet, which provides food and hygiene products to students. This year, the Care Closet has served 140 students, Becker says, or about 8% of the student population. Clothing is provided to students through a partnership with Community Aid.
“We want to do everything we can so children can just focus on learning,” says Becker.
The foundation believes learning is a lifelong process that begins years before students strap on their first backpacks and walk through the doors of Alloway Creek Elementary School. To help the youngest Bolts get a head start, the Thunderbolt Foundation partners with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Parents can register to have district residents from birth to age 5 receive free, age-appropriate books mailed to their home each month. The foundation covers the $31 annual cost for each child to participate.
“Early childhood literacy is vital to preparing our kids to go to school,” Becker says.
When students toss their cap into the air during the annual graduation ceremony at Thunderbolt Stadium, many storm into the future with large dreams. However, post-secondary education can be expensive. The Thunderbolt Foundation helps successful students navigate challenges by following scholarship recipients through their college journey and assisting with the costs of books.
The Thunderbolt Foundation is not even a decade old, but it is making a signficant impact on the Littlestown community. Becker believes it’s a true testament of what can be accomplished if citizens unite for a common cause.
“It’s all about working together,” she says, “to make learning a priority.”
Support the Thunderbolt Foundation
Those who would like to support the foundation and its work can donate through its website or by supporting its fundraising events.
thunderbolteducationfoundation.org
On May 4, the organization will host a Cake Walk at Alloway Creek Elementary School. Professional bakers are invited to create book-themed cakes that will be judged. Amateur cake bakers, especially teachers and students, will also be encouraged to enter their creations. Becker says details are still being finalized and more information will be posted on the foundation’s website.
