2024-2025 Projects
Teacher Appreciation!
Thank you to everyone who donated to this year’s Teacher Appreciation Campaign! Because of your support, EPEF delivered appreciation certificates to several of our amazing teachers and staff members.
EPSD teachers and staff, thank you for all that you do!
Dash Robots! Elementary students bring learning to life with Dash Robots!
These innovative tools help students solve story problems, practice math on a number line, retell stories through voice recording, and even navigate a treasure hunt using cardinal directions!
EPEF is proud to support this initiative, which fosters critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration!
High School Choir - Alzheimer's Stories! What an amazing performance by the High School Choir titled "Alzheimer's Stories". EPEF was proud to sponsor this incredibly meaningful concert! 💜
Cat Chat Cart! The Superintendent's Council hosted another Cat Chat Cart! This student-led project creates a space for open discussions about school culture, building confidence, and strengthening community connections.
🐾 As part of the Positive Campus Culture initiative, their goal is to promote kindness, compassion, and collaboration.
💜 EPEF is proud to support our Positive Campus Culture projects. A huge thank you to the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado for their generous support in helping make this possible! www.nocofoundation.org
Tommy Caldwell Speech! EPEF, with support of the NOCO Foundation, is proud to have sponsored this incredible talk by climbing legend, Tommy Caldwell! This motivational speech is a part of the overall POSITIVE CAMPUS CULTURE program, hosted by Ms. Bode's Superintendent's Council, and sponsored by EPEF! www.nocofoundation.org
HOSA - Future Health Care Professionals! The Estes Park High School HOSA Chapter recently attended the State Leadership Conference. HOSA—Future Health Professionals—empowers students to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and hands-on experience. EPEF is proud to support our future healthcare leaders! A huge thank you to Premier Members Credit Union for their support in making this opportunity possible!
Senior Spirit! Bobcat Pride 🤝 Senior Pride! 🎓
Check out these senior hoodies, thanks to the Senior Spirit Squad! EPEF is proud to help support building and instilling school spirit. We love our seniors! Go Bobcats! 💜
Puppet Show! 🎶 The Elementary School welcomed Mike Horner from What If Puppets back to the stage, and what a show it was!
🐶 With his trusty puppet pup, Ringo, he took the audience on a fun-filled journey to find the greatest sing-along song. Through singing, clapping, and stomping along, students learned about collaboration, problem-solving, and resilience—one song at a time! EPEF was happy to support this sing-along adventure for the second year! 🎵
Family Math Night! The Elementary School hosted its annual Family Math Night! This event is part of the Project-Based Learning celebrations and gives students a chance to play math games that they can continue at home!
EPEF is proud to support this initiative bringing families together for our students!
P-Teach! 📚 The Pathways to Teaching program aims to promote and support future educators by offering concurrent enrollment courses through CU Denver!
🍎 EPEF is proud to have funded a recent grant to provide books for the Children's Literature course, enhancing learning for aspiring teachers at the High School. We are grateful for our current and future educators!
Middle School Drama! 🎭 Estes Park Middle Schoolers brought Shakespeare to life with their incredible production of A Midwinter Night’s Dream! Featuring special guest, Mayor Gary Hall!
👏 This adapted version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream gave students a fun opportunity to build self-confidence, communication skills, and teamwork. We're proud to have supported such a wonderful experience for our students and community!
Positive Campus Culture! Led by the Superintendent Council, this initiative aims to foster a "Positive Campus Culture" through various projects that emphasize kindness, compassion, and collaboration. As part of the Welcome Baskets project, baskets are curated for new families and contain local products, school apparel, and community information, helping new students feel integrated into the Estes Valley.
💜 Proudly supported by the Estes Park Education Foundation and the NOCO Foundation.
Elementary Art Project Based Learning! Students at the Elementary School wrapped up a recycling unit by designing 3D reusable paper bags from newspapers—combining sustainability with innovation! ♻️
💡 This hands-on project is part of Estes Park’s Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum, where students dive into engaging activities that connect classroom lessons to real-world experiences. From exploring history and community to tackling environmental challenges, PBL empowers students to build essential skills like writing, public speaking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. The Education Foundation is honored to help with these projects!
Hats for Staff! Teacher and Staff Support is a key area for the Education Foundation, so we were thrilled to help provide these cool Bobcat Beanies for all our incredible educators. Keep Warm!
High School Musical! Estes Park High School students brought Disney's Beauty and the Beast to life, and what an incredible production it was!
EPEF is proud to have helped support this performance with costumes and props! 🎭
Plant-a-Book, Grow-a-Child! With the Plant a Book, Grow a Child program, every elementary school child can receive a free book during the Scholastic Book Fair! Since 2016, this program has provided nearly 5,000 books to local students. This year alone, 430 books were gifted to 194 kids and teachers!
EPEF is proud to support the Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary and our Estes Park School District in this annual initiative, promoting literacy and a love for reading!
High School Adventure Ed! A group of high school students enjoyed an action-packed field trip to the Estes Park Mountain Shop, where they rotated between the indoor rocking climbing wall, biking outside, and picking up trash Around Lake Estes.
🧗EPEF is proud to support this adventure and our School District's commitment to real-world learning and wellness!
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Senior Spirit Squad! Honk for our 2025 Seniors! 💜🎓
Shoutout to the Senior Spirit Squad for sparking school spirit with yard signs around town, inspirational banners, and more! EPEF is honored to help fund these celebrations for our students.
2024 Pumpkins and Pilsners! Another awesome day at the 2024 Pumpkins and Pilsners family festival! Many thanks to everyone who came out to help raise funds for our incredible Estes Park public schools - we are forever grateful!
Roland Printer! Estes Park High School students are putting their new Roland Printer/Cutter to good use! 🖨️
This industry-standard equipment allows students to learn hands-on graphic design skills, creating decals, apparel, posters, and more.
We're proud to have helped fund this addition to the classroom, and can't wait to see all the great projects that come from this!
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Elementary School Garden Club! Did you know Estes Park Elementary School has a Garden Club? Thriving for 8 years, this group is dedicated to supporting local pollinators, learning how to garden at high elevations, and bringing more beauty to our district! 🌸
EPEF proudly supports the EPES Garden Club's most recent pollinator project!
Digital Stylus Pens! Check out these third graders putting their new digital stylus pens to use! These pens will help students improve their penmanship, work out equations, jot down scientific observations, and more, as they take to their iPads.The Estes Park Education Foundation is happy to support this initiative!
Freshman Climbing Day! Freshman Climbing Day was a big success! Estes Park High School freshman joined KMAC guides for a day of adventure and bonding in our own backyard. We're proud to support this event and our students' continued wellness!
Teacher & Staff Back to School Lunch! EPEF was thrilled to bring lunch for the entire team to kick off the 24-25 school year. A big shout out to @youneedpie for providing such a delicious meal!
Thank you, teachers, for all you do!
Middle School Furniture! Estes Park Middle School students are heading back to school with a common space upgrade! The Estes Park Education Foundation was proud to support this new furniture to enhance the space, creating a welcoming, device-free zone for students to collaborate and converse.
2023-2024 Projects
Bobcat Beats 2024! Check out the latest Bobcat Beats music video, featuring the incredible talents of the Bobcat Beats Percussion Ensemble and Mountain Echoes Choir, along with special guest performers!
We are so proud to sponsor this project, for the 3rd year in a row, that showcases the dedication, creativity, and hard work of 90+ amazing students from Estes Park!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNk9jDf7sN8
Digital Cameras! We're proud to support Estes Park High School's new digital cameras! These cameras will enhance our students' learning experiences, particularly in Digital Photography, Journalism, and Yearbook classes. Thank you, Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary, for your incredible contribution to this grant!
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Caught Doing Good at EPHS! EPEF was incredibly proud to support the "Caught Doing Good" campaign at the High School!
This initiative celebrates students for their acts of kindness, such as tutoring peers who missed school, supervising students at community events, and assisting with language translation to help classmates succeed.
Scholarship Management System! Congratulations to our Estes Park High School seniors who were honored at Scholarship Awards Night!
The Estes Park Education Foundation proudly sponsors the online scholarship management system. A special shoutout to the Town of Estes Park for awarding us a Community Initiative Grant, which helped us fund this system.
5th Grade Campout! A favorite activity for those leaving the Elementary School and heading to Middle School is the 5th Grade Campout at High Peaks Camp! EPEF is so pleased we were able to help make this special event a reality for these students. Memories to cherish for years to come!
Teacher Appreciation Campaign! This year's Teacher Appreciation Campaign was a wonderful success! Thanks to our generous community, we delivered 140 certificates to our amazing teachers and staff, and raised funds that will go directly back to supporting our teachers and staff!
Let's continue to uplift and appreciate the incredible educators who make a difference every day!
Elementary School Art Show! Estes Park Elementary School's Art Exhibit at the Art Center of Estes Park was a huge success!
The exhibit showcased work from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students, from weaving and watercolor to contour drawing and collage.
The Estes Park Education Foundation is proud to have helped support this exhibit with display materials.
Go Band!: We are thrilled to have supported the Estes Park High School Band trip to California! The students played at Disney's Imagination Campus twice! From playing the theme to Pirates of the Caribbean in the pounding rain to sight-reading music and exploring iconic landmarks, they had the opportunity to learn new skills and make lasting memories.
Zearned It!: These middle school students "Zearned it"! They are proudly celebrating their mastery of skills from the Zearn math curriculum. EPEF would like to thank United Way of Larimer County for the grant that helped fund this middle school tutoring program!
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Because I Said I Would: The Superintendent Council hosted a special speaker event! Five-time TEDxTalk speaker, author, and podcast host, Alex Sheen, presented to the middle and high school students about his "BECAUSE I SAID I WOULD" movement. The talk conveyed reliability, accountability, and perseverance, and provided a unique opportunity for growth and learning. We are proud to have supported this event!
Bobcats on the Run: EPEF proudly supports our Bobcats on the Run!
This program brings together 2nd-5th graders to exercise and build a community of leaders. Beyond running, they work on self-reflection, leadership skills, and positive self-image.
English Language Development and Reading Intervention: EPEF is happy to provide additional ELD and Reading Intervention materials (beyond the standard curriculum) to ensure ALL our students are reading at or above grade level!
Cirque du Wiener Dog: Thanks to the Estes Valley Library for their help in bringing this fantastic, educational show to the Estes Park Elementary School! EPEF was thrilled to have supported this event!
ROARS Rewards EPEF is proud to support the Middle School's ROARS program, where students receive raffle tickets for displaying Respect, Ownership, Attentiveness, Responsibility, and Safety behaviors. Each week, a few lucky students win Bobcat gear!
Robotics: Thanks to grants from Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary and Premier Members Credit Union, EPEF helped purchase robotics kits for the elementary and middle schools to be used in the classroom and for competitions. Inspiring the next generation of technologists!
CHICAGO: Once again, EPHS put on an amazing musical! The Education Foundation was honored to do our small part by helping to fund the amazing costumes.
OZOBOTS: EPEF was thrilled to fund the purchase of Ozobots for the elementary school. Students are coding the Ozobots to knock over pins they printed on a 3D printer. Just imagine where this next generation will take us!
Exercise Learning Center: Check out the T-Wall (Interactive Touch Wall) at the Middle School! This T-Wall is a specific type of 'exergaming' technology that combines physical activity and cognitive challenges.
This was funded by EPEF, as well as grants from the Village Thrift Shop and the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. It really does Take a Village!
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Cat Chat Cart: Funded by EPEF and implemented by Ms. Bode's "Superintendent Council", the Cat Chat Cart serves beverages to students at all 3 schools while engaging in conversations to amplify student voices and build community.
10th Annual Pumpkins and Pilsners 2023: Estes Park's favorite family festival! EPEF is so grateful to the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and community members who contributed to the best Pumpkins and Pilsners event yet! All proceeds go directly back to Estes Park Schools.
Staff Welcome Back Lunch: EPEF was honored to host a Back To School lunch for all EPSD Teachers and Staff! 2023-2024 is off to a great start.
Thanks to Poppy's restaurant for the wonderful food and generous discount!
2022-2023 Projects
Bobcat Beats 2023: For the 2nd year, EPEF is thrilled to have helped fund EPES Music Teacher, Mr. Paul Maley, and the Bobcat Beats Video! This year's video features Amelia Bryant & Minor Six High School Choir performing "Everything I Wanted".
Climbing Club: With funding from EPEF, Middle School Teacher and Climbing Club Coach, Mr. Matt Siler, took several middle school students on 3 different outdoor climbing adventures! The students were instructed by professional local climbing guides. Estes Park Mountain Shop provided the gear. CLIMB ON!
Rain Barrels: EPEF helped Ms. Erinn Wharton and her middle school students to purchase rain barrels. These rain barrels were used to collect rain water to water plants and trees planted by the students.
Classroom Planetarium: The Sky's The Limit!
EPEF is proud to have help fund the materials for a Classroom Planetarium for Ms. Jessica Scochat's High School Astronomy class!
The objective of this project is to bring the wonder of the night sky into the classroom.
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Aluminum Recycling: With the help of EPEF, Mr. Harris's High School CTE Sustainability class was able to purchase equipment (plus PPE) to learn how to recycle by implementing an aluminum sand casting station.
Teacher Appreciation Campaign 2023: May 8 - 12 was National Teacher Appreciation Week! EPEF hosted a successful campaign whereby people could donate to EPEF in a valued teacher's or staff member's name. Recognized teachers received a Certificate of Appreciation. 100% of the proceeds went to the "Teacher/Staff support" pillar of EPEF Thanks to all that participated and many thanks to our incredible teachers and staff members!
Tubano Drums: EPES Music Teacher, Mr. Paul Maley, and a few of his students celebrate a new set of Tubano Drums, provided by a grant from EPEF. We are all excited to hear the incredible music!
HOSA Future Health Professionals EPEF provided a grant to the HOSA Future Health Professionals Club to help provide HOSA uniforms and registration for the State Leadership Conference they attended in Denver on February 23, 2023. EP students had a great performance in several of the competitions! Our future health is in good hands.
Bass Trombone: EPEF would like to thank Estes Park Sunrise Rotary for their generous 2022 grant that supported the purchase of this incredible Bass Trombone for the High School Band! EPMS & EPHS Band Director, Ms. Kaylin Brennan, is excited to have this instrument as it allows both concert and jazz bands the ability to perform all parts called for in a musical piece.
Engineering Brightness: EPES Instructional Coach, Ms. Jen Maley, helped students create lanterns which will be sent to students in Liberia to help improve light poverty. Students learned technical skills such as engineering, soldering, and 3D printing as well as teamwork and empathy as they connect with students in less developed parts of the world.
Hexagon Tiles: A great Critical Thinking tool! EPEF supplied Hexagon Tiles to Ms. Marsha Weaver's AP Human Geography class to help take concrete thinking to the next level. Using these hexagon tiles is a method for considering the connections between ideas and finding the nuances in those connections.
Online Scholarship Management Program: Year 2 of the Online Scholarship Management Program launched in January 2023! Seniors at EPHS now have a one-stop shop to apply for applicable local scholarships that our generous community provides. EPEF provides the funding and EPEF board members support EPHS counselors in the system design and implementation.
Teacher and Staff Lunch: EPEF hosted a lunch at all 3 schools plus the admin building to say THANK YOU to all the EPSD teachers and staff for all they do for our students!
Pumpkins & Pilsners The 2022 Pumpkins & Pilsners event was a great success! Thank you Estes Park for your support!
SAVE THE DATE! Pumpkins and Pilsners 2023 will be held SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7th in Bond Park!
2021-2022 Projects
Bobcat Beats Video: Thanks to a partnership with Estes Park Sunrise Rotary, EPEF and Sunrise Rotary sponsored this video production of BOBCAT BEATS! Bobcat Beats is a musical group led by EPES Music Teacher, Mr. Paul Maley. Video released in May 2022.
CSU Cadaver Lab: Ms. Pam Frey's Sports Medicine class had a unique opportunity to visit the CSU Cadaver Lab in April 2022. EPEF was able to fund this incredible 'hands-on' experiential learning occasion. Several of the students are considering future studies in health care.
CTE at work: At EPEF's request and funding, the construction geometry class is designing and building a storage shed for EPEF. It will be used to store materials used for events. Thank you students and teacher, Sarah Schmidt!
Elementary School Self-Regulation Room: EPEF funded items to help create a mindful space at the Elementary School. This provides a quiet setting for students who need time and strategies to regulate their emotions so they can return to class feeling ready to learn.
HOSA Future Health Professionals EPEF provided a grant to the HOSA Future Health Professionals Club to help provide HOSA uniforms and registration for the State Leadership Conference they attended in Denver on February 22, 2022. Congratulations to all the students who placed well in the competitions. Then, with a grant from Sunrise Rotary, 2 HOSA students and their advisor were able to attend the International Conference in Tenessee.
The David Martin Fund for Classroom Innovation: In honor of former EPHS teacher, David Martin, who loved the creativity, you may contribute to a designated fund in his name by clicking below or by sending a check with 'David Martin Fund' on the memo line to EPEF at PO Box 4444, Estes Park, CO 80517.
TUXEDOS FOR CHOIR EPEF provided a grant to the EPHS choir for student attire for all to attend their performance of the national anthem at a Nuggets game in March. These tuxedos will be used for future students and concerts.