Dear Friends,
I am delighted to share the news of our progress and the remarkable milestones we have accomplished over the last few months. As one of the leading organizations providing Academic and Financial Literacy Education to the children and youth of Southern Nevada, we deliver a full range of unique and innovative learning programs across the valley.
For the past few years, our fundraising efforts have been quite minimal. In many ways, we have been shy about asking others for money before proving results. But April catapulted our philanthropic quest to a whole new level as Andson joined the selected group of charities that benefit from the Annual Governor's Black-Tie Invitational. With a wonderful gift of $80K, the Southern Highlands Charitable Foundation is fueling our work to equip students with the tools they need to achieve intellectual growth and academic success.
May marked the completion of the 2012-2013 school year. Eight months in which over 2,500 students across the Las Vegas Valley received supplemental education through our Academic Assistance program and tailored Financial Literacy classes. We graduated approximately 800 students in our Homework Help & Tutoring program with notable improvements of one to two grade levels in all areas – these students enjoyed pizza parties and received certificates of achievement! Simultaneously, almost 2,000 students from kinder to high school seniors at three different public schools learned the basics of personal finance and money saving habits.
May also marked the installation of a diverse and fully functional Board of Directors. Armed with a new president, secretary and treasurer, we are prepared to embark on a strategic planning process that will allow us to grow sustainably, deepening in breadth and impact. Moving into the summer season, we all look forward to continuing our efforts in education by delivering a summer reading program and hosting Andson's Back to Class Bash on Saturday, August 3rd – sponsored by St. Rose Dominican Hospitals and the Southern Highlands Community Association.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and Staff, we would like to thank you for your friendship and hope that you will consider joining our various initiatives – together we can make a difference!
Kindest regards,[spacing amount=20]
Sonia McTaggart-Anderson Founder and CEO