3 Things to Cheer About – August 2025
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Teachers Are Investing in Our Kids—How Can We Invest in Them?
According to AdoptAClassroom.org in a study that has been conducted for a decade now, last year teachers spent an average of $895 out of their own pockets to provide supplies and resources for their students. That’s nearly $1,000 per teacher, money that comes straight from their personal budgets, because they care deeply about creating [...]
Celebrating the First Adopt-A-School Award Winners
At our CU Schools Foundation Kick-Off Breakfast on August 20, 2025, we had the privilege of celebrating the very first Adopt-A-School Award recipients, community partners who have stepped forward to build lasting, meaningful relationships with our schools in this pilot program. The Adopt-A-School program was born out of a simple but powerful vision: what [...]
Celebrating Connection, Commitment, and Community at the 2025 Annual Kick-Off Breakfast
Last Wednesday morning (August 20, 2025), the CU Schools Foundation gathered with more than 170 teachers, community members, students, and local leaders for our 2025 Annual Kick-Off Breakfast. The room was filled with energy, excitement, and a shared commitment to supporting our schools and empowering the next generation of leaders. Guests began arriving at [...]
Local Alum Scott Miller Joins CU Schools Foundation Principal’s Circle
We are thrilled to announce that Scott Miller, owner and operator of SamCo Management/Jersey Mike's Subs in Champaign, has taken the next step in his commitment to local education by joining the CU Schools Foundation Principal’s Circle Community Partners for the 2025–26 school year, beginning in July 2025. As a proud Champaign–Urbana public schools [...]
2025 Kick-Off Breakfast – Join Us!
We’re kicking off the school year with new energy and a refreshed approach at this year’s CU Schools Foundation Kick-Off Breakfast — previously known as the 365 Club Breakfast. 📅Wednesday, August 20, 2025⏰ 7:30–9:30 AM (doors open at 7:30, program begins at 8:00)📍 I Hotel and Conference Center, Chancellor Ballroom (1900 S. First Street, [...]
3 Things to Cheer About – July 2025
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From After-School Helper to Rising Educator: A Journey Rooted in Passion and Purpose
Some people discover their calling early—and for one young woman working in our schools, what began as a part-time role quickly grew into a lifelong passion for education. Dreshianna Bishop first stepped into the Champaign Unit 4 school district in 2019, working in the Kids Plus After-School Program at Carrie Busey Elementary. Encouraged by her mom, who had once [...]
3 Things to Cheer About – May 2025
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Spring 2025 Recap: Adopt-A-School Pilot Program
What happens when teachers speak up—and a community listens? Something powerful begins. The Adopt-A-School program was born from the CU Schools Foundation’s 2024 Strategic Planning process, deeply shaped by the voices of Unit 4 and District 116 educators who shared their needs, hopes, and challenges through surveys and listening sessions. What we heard loud [...]