In 2020, CEF commemorates our 30 year Anniversary.  Reaching this milestone allows us as a community to recognize and celebrate our achievements and successes. It allows us to look back and see the impact we have enabled. Through our "Looking Back while Moving Forward" series, we hope you enjoy learning about the rich history of CEF, and how our mission to help fund Chelsea's educational experiences have flourished throughout the years. 

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CEF Milestones

 

2000

• Creativity at Work:   More than 100 parents, teachers and students attended the annual Creative Writing Reading Program held at Pierce Lake Elementary School. A total of 32 fourth- and fifth-graders from Chelsea’s three elementary schools read papers they had written during the past year while taking part in the creative writing segment of the Talent Development Program. Sponsors of the Talent Development Program are the Chelsea School District and the state. 

• Animals Invade Pierce Lake Elementary: Kristen Vaillancourt, from the Survival Species Center, presented “Animals from the Rainforest” to the fourth-graders at Pierce Lake Elementary. 

 

2001 

• Grants information seminar 

• Chelsea Poetry Competition and Celebration

• "Meet the Candidate Night" for school board candidates

 

2002

• Awarded 28 grants in the amount of  $20,370

• Talent development programs coordinated by Rebecca Chamberlain.

• Chelsea Geography Week

• Special education camps

• Learn about reptiles 1st Grade Program

• 4th Grade  Underground Railroad

• Marine biology trip to Bay City

• Diversity Program at North Creek Elementary

• 50th Anniversary project of South Meadows

• Book Cooks

• Accelerated reader program

• “Kindergarten Stories" for sixth-graders and kindergartners

• 6th grade camp

• Everyone Reads at the Beach program

• Parents Reading/Students Learn

• Beach Study Club

• Artist in residence program

• Students Against Destructive Decisions

• Biographies project involving Beach Middle School pupils and residents at the Chelsea Retirement Community

• Music Beyond High School: Music students at Chelsea High School and Beach Middle School got a glimpse at a range of musical careers as part of a series that brings guest artists to the schools. Chelsea Music Boosters received a grant from the Chelsea Education Foundation to bring in musical artists to provide concerts and workshops for students. “They discussed education, business aspects of being a professional, practice time, putting a group together, making it as ‘real’ musicians, getting jobs and gigs, and balance of family and career. It was a great experience.’’ 

• Family First Sundays: Designed to provide a hands-on experience for elementary-age- children and their families, are free and were funded through a grant from the Chelsea Education Foundation.

  • ​The Chelsea Center for the Development of the Arts presented a program on stained glass. Participants learned the history and design of stained glass in recognition of Glass Month and will make an art project.

  • CHS Spanish Club celebrate Cinco de Mayo:  The June program was held on the grounds of Chelsea Community Hospital during the Chelsea Painters Art Show.

• “Chasing the Blues”: Program developed to help seniors cope with depression

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2003

• The Chelsea Education Foundation funded nearly $60,000 of activities

  • . “In terms of overall level of support to the Chelsea community, this was probably our most successful year since the foundation was established 13 years ago,” said Dave Reinhardt, outgoing president of the Chelsea Education Foundation. This year, $20,000 was granted to teachers and schools to fund activities, as well as enrichment programs, within the district. Johanna Kruse, scholarship committee chairwoman and incoming president.

•  Chelsea High School Percussion Ensemble with guest soloist Nick Petrella, whose visit has been made possible in part through a grant from the Chelsea Education Foundation. Petrella, who is on the faculty at Oakland University, and serves as percussion instructor for the University of Iowa and University of Michigan marching bands.

• Poetry Competition

• School board Candidates Night

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2004

• The Chelsea Community Foundation and the Chelsea Education Foundation hosted a workshop on the ins and outs of seeking grants for non-profit organizations and educators serving the greater Chelsea area.  The seminar covered how to seek grant support from the-two local foundations.  Anne Merkel, vice president of the Chelsea Education Foundation presented.

• Purple Rose Theatre Co. workshops

• “Stories of Our Lives” biographies

• “Everyone Reads at Beach” program

• Author and musician visits

• Students Against Destructive Decision’s Safe Drive Week

 

2005

• Biology Field Trips

• WRAP Camp:  Students from across western Washtenaw County experienced the great outdoors at the Waterloo Recreation Area Project. Launched more than a decade ago as a one-week program sponsored by the Chelsea Education Foundation, Chelsea Community Education took the program over in 1994. The late Joseph Piasecki, former superintendent of Chelsea schools, came up with the name as he helped envision a program to teach kids about ecology and the environment through hands-on learning.

• Grant to Chelsea Senior Center to help launch the senior center’s Adult Learners Institute.

 

2006

• ​Geography Night

 

2008

• Youth Dance Theater of Michigan

• Waterloo Natural History Museum

• Chelsea District Library

• Adult Learners Institute

• Preschool tuition scholarships

• 8th grade Washington D.C. Trip

• 5th grade/CRC Grandparent Connect Program

• Amplification system for South Meadows Elementary

• Toledo Museum of Art Trip

• 6th through 9th grade Science Olympiads

• Holocaust Museum field trip

• New fitness equipment for Beach Middle School

• Link Crew for new freshmen

• Anti-Bullying Program

 

2009

• The Chelsea Education Foundation is a local non-profit organization that provides over $60,000 to the community in the form of educational grants and scholarships.

• MLK Day Celebration

• Silver Maples hosted a Chelsea School District Art Show featuring artists from Pierce Lake Elementary and Beach Middle School. Funded by the Chelsea Education Foundation, the show showcases the art program, where students are encouraged to explore and master many mediums, resulting in the creation of new and exciting discoveries. Students visited with Silver Maples residents during the show, talking about their art and inspirations.

• Ghost Host: The Chelsea Education Foundation invites you to "Climb Aboard" one of three haunted trolleys where you will be entertained by a not-so-scary "Ghost Host.",

 

2013

• Authors in Chelsea: Authors in Chelsea is a day-long celebration of authors and illustrators, who are invited by the Chelsea District Library to give workshops in North Creek and South Meadows elementary schools, and Beach Middle School.

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