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 [...]
Celebrating Excellence in Education: Emily Walsh Named 2025 Mann-Hankel Award Recipient
Each year, the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation (CUSF), honors a remarkable educator who exemplifies the very best of what it means to teach, lead, and serve. This year, that honor goes to Emily Walsh, Mathematics Instructional Coach at Champaign Central High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Mann-Hankel Teaching Excellence Award. The Mann-Hankel [...]
Meet Our 2025 Promising Educator Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to the 2025 Promising Educators Scholarship Recipients! from Champaign Unit 4 Schools and Urbana School District #116 We are proud to recognize three outstanding students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to pursuing a career in education. Each has shown the passion, leadership, and heart it takes to inspire the next generation. [...]
GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Breaking Language Barriers at Barkstall Elementary
Imagine being eight years old, walking into a classroom where you don’t understand the words on the board, the instructions from your teacher, or the jokes your classmates are sharing. You want to learn, to belong, to connect—but everything feels unfamiliar and overwhelming. Now imagine someone handing you a small device that suddenly makes [...]
3 Things to Cheer About – April 2025
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Spring Fling 2025: A Celebration of Our Local Educators
Spring Fling 2025: A Celebration of Our Local Educators (picture gallery below) On Tuesday, April 30, the CU Schools Foundation hosted its 5th annual annual Spring Fling— celebrating the incredible teachers of Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana District 116. Held at Riggs Beer Company on High Cross Road in Urbana, this Teacher Appreciation event [...]
Super Star 2025 Recipients
CUSF announces its 2025 Super Star Award for Unit 4 and District 116 support staff and paraprofessionals. Our schools would simply not run as effectively or efficiently without the many supporting talents and expertise of these essential staff members. From multilingual teaching aides, student support advocates, office managers, food service assistants, hall monitors, [...]