Over the past couple of years, we've learned a great deal about the challenges that financially-fragile families in our community face. While the Foundation has been providing meals and resources to students for decades, we now know that providing their families with access to daily essentials is a key element in a student's ability to succeed at Stevenson and beyond.

We are therefore thrilled to share that Kids in Need (KIN) and Stevenson One Family have been combined into a single, more comprehensive program: One Family.

With your generous partnership, the new One Family program will continue to provide students with traditional 'KIN supports' like daily breakfasts, toiletries, winter outerwear, and co-curricular expenses. In addition, the program will continue to help families with essentials like groceries and household necessities. We firmly believe that this whole-family approach is the best way to empower students to reach their brightest futures. To learn more about the new One Family program, please click here.

As the Assistant Director of Student Services, Sarah LaFrancis works closely with Stevenson students and families for a myriad of reasons. We recently caught up with Sarah to get her thoughts about the role KIN and One Family play in her work, and how the programs continue to evolve to meet the changing needs of students and our SHS community.

Q: How long have you been at Stevenson and in what roles?

A: This is my eighth year here at SHS. For the first six years I was a Social Worker and then for the last year and a half I have been the Assistant Director of Student Services.

Q: At what point in your career journey did you first hear about the KIN and/or One Family programs?

A: When I first started at SHS, my social work colleagues immediately shared information with me regarding KIN as one of our long-standing supports for students. Having come from other schools that did not have such an incredible, in-house resource, I remember being amazed by the opportunity for our students and families. I feel like KIN embodies the true Stevenson model and mindset of Success for Every Student. The program allows staff to tap into crucial resources and supports for students to ensure their various needs are met in order to help them succeed, both academically and personally.

At the beginning of the pandemic when Stevenson: One Family was created, I experienced those feelings of awe and pride in our school community yet again. Our community came together as "one family" to support one another during a very challenging time, and it made such a difference in the lives of so many.

Q: In your experience, why are these programs important here at SHS?

A: Being involved with these programs as both a social worker and as the Assistant Director of Student Services, I have seen first-hand the positive impact that KIN and One Family have on our student's and family's daily lives. These vital programs help a number of our students obtain such academically crucial things as class supplies, academic fee waivers, and graduation cap and gown, while also supporting personal needs, such as winter clothing, groceries, or even helping to pay for fees for students' extracurricular activities.

At the end of the day, both of these programs are so incredible and special in my heart because they embody the idea that we can all work together to make anything possible for our students. We are one community and we are here for one another, especially in times of need.

Q: How have the programs changed or evolved over the past 18 months?

A: The addition of One Family in the spring of 2020 helped meet the increased needs of our community, given the pandemic. One Family has allowed us to take a "beyond the classroom" approach to the help we provide families. We’re now able to support "outside of school" components, like groceries and household necessities, that ultimately do impact our students’ day-to-day school experience as well.

Q: In your experience, how do students and/or families respond to the support that the KIN and One Family programs provide?

A: Students and families are beyond grateful for the support of the KIN and One Family programs. It is such a wonderful, unique support system that we are able to provide for our community, that many schools are not able to offer. When SHS families find out that these resources are available to them, they are both surprised and appreciative. They really feel that their specific needs are being seen and supported in a way that allows them to know that they matter, their experiences matter.

Dear Foundation supporters and friends,

Like many of us, I headed to the pantry this morning to grab breakfast and then to the refrigerator to pack my lunch. I know that isn't the case for many families in our community. Their pantry is close to empty and so is the refrigerator. Tough decisions are made to pay a utility bill or purchase groceries. Prescriptions sit at the pharmacy until payday, leaving less money that week to cover the necessities. Filling the gas tank puts needed eyeglasses on hold. Across our community households have gone from two incomes to one and in some cases one income to none. In many of our student's homes, difficult decisions are made every day in order to make ends meet.

Your gracious financial support of Stevenson Foundation programs like Kids in Need (KIN) and Stevenson: One Family brings hope, and more importantly it says, "in this community, we support each other". I have been blessed to work with families and students in need, and you should know that your donations bring not only sighs of relief but also tears of joy.

So many times, we are asked who can I say thank you to? It is with sincere gratitude that I can be the voice that shares thanks from our program recipients. We truly are One Family because of the generosity of so many.

- KIN Committee & Foundation Board Member

Co-curricular activities are an integral part of nearly all students’ experience here at Stevenson. We sat down with Student Activities Director Ted Goergen to learn more about the evolution of the co-curricular program during his 16 years at SHS, and the Kids in Need (KIN) program’s role in supporting student success and growth.

Q: How long have you been at SHS? In what roles?

A: This is my 16th year at Stevenson and I've been fortunate to have served in a variety of roles during that time. I was first hired as a science teacher and taught Natural Science and Biology. I knew that by being involved in other capacities, I would gain valuable tools to support my practice in the classroom. I started by helping out with our Intramural Program, which provides opportunities for students to engage in a healthy competitive athletic environment without committing to the demands of our athletic program. I also served as one of the Student Council advisors, coordinating events to help unify the student body. While working with Student Council, I became the Community Service Coordinator in the Student Activities Division. I have been the Director of Student Activities since the 2008-09 school year.

Q: How has the co-curricular program changed over the years?

A: The co-curricular program at SHS is in a state of constant evolution as our understanding grows and student needs change. Our goals have always included high levels of student engagement, community service, and student leadership. How we work towards each goal has changed significantly throughout my 11 years. During the first several years of my career, we focused on increasing the number of clubs and service opportunities for students. Concurrently, we were beginning to recognize students for their commitment to service and celebrate student accomplishments through events like the Prominent Patriot, 300 Club, and State Champion Recognition ceremonies. If we look at where we are now, we are focused on passion, purpose, and authenticity. Our goal is to encourage students to pursue interests they are passionate about so when they leave Stevenson they can share how they were affected by the experience and how they affected others.

Q: Why is co-curricular involvement so important for high school students?

A: The use of the word co-curricular is an indication of the importance of the programs we offer students at Stevenson. Many people still use the work extra-curricular, which would suggest the activities are something extra, tacked on to time outside of the school day. Co-curricular involvement is a comprehensive term encompassing campus-wide activities, including athletics, student organizations, fine arts, and other school-organized programs. The programs we are discussing are part of the overall high school experience for all students. These activities take place outside the formal educational setting and provide a unique opportunity for students to engage in learning beyond typical classroom instruction. Co-curricular activities foster the ability for students to explore and experiment with learning outside of the classroom. The research is pretty clear that involvement has a positive impact across a variety of student success indicators. We believe activities play an essential role in the physical, psychological, social, and moral development of high school students.

Q: How and why does the KIN program support students' co-curricular involvement?

A: In a school where nearly 90% of our students are engaged in a co-curricular program, KIN allows students facing financial hardship to have the same high school experience as their peers. Dozens of students receive co-curricular support from KIN each year, without which they would not be able to fully access all of the opportunities available to them here on campus. When we look at a comprehensive high school experience it includes things like the ability to attend field trips or competitions, compete on an athletic team with the required equipment, and attend events like dances and pep rallies. KIN supports Stevenson’s mission of Success for Every Student by allowing students to explore and experience their own version of success.

We recently caught up with former SHS business teacher Dave Hanson who shared why he and his wife Jane Anne continue to support students facing financial hardship through the Kids in Need (KIN) program.

Q: What subjects did you teach at SHS? During what years?

A: I came with the bricks as one of the original 31 teachers & administrators. Although I taught every business subject from September of 1965 until January of 1992, my specialties were Economics and Business Law. Over the years I also taught Typing, Shorthand, Office Practice, Accounting, Marketing, and Introduction to Business.

Q: As you think about the many ways KIN supports Stevenson students facing financial hardship, e.g. breakfast program, supply pantries, etc., which are most important to you and your wife Jane Anne?

A: All KIN supports and assistance are important, however, helping students who are pursuing vocational studies is of prime importance to Jane Anne and I. So much is said about the 95% of SHS students who attend college, but those who choose technical jobs are just as important. Society needs carpenters, plumbers, dental assistants, and mechanics as much as doctors, accountants, and lawyers.

Q: As a former educator, how do you feel KIN impacts students' learning and success?

A: I was on the committee that wrote the first goal statement for the school (now called a mission statement) and we were unanimous in our concern for the non-college-bound student, as well as those who are headed to college. It’s important to maintain that concern.

And, of course, it is easier to learn, regardless of what you’re studying, if you have a full stomach and warm body.

Q: What compels you and Jane Anne to continue to support KIN today?

A: Our continued concern for Stevenson students with financial problems and interest in learning marketable skills that can only be pursued by attending tech-campus, which requires students to purchase additional equipment and supplies. We appreciate those who make our lives easier as skilled tradesmen/women and technicians.

If you have questions about KIN and the difference the program makes in the lives of Stevenson students, please contact Linda Knapp, Director of Philanthropy, at 847-415-4147 or LKnapp@D125.org.

BY ERIC SCOTT

U.S. News & World Report has again ranked Stevenson as one of the top open-enrollment high school’s in the country. The education and opportunities that are available to Stevenson students are inarguably world-class. But for all the academic accolades our hard-working students and dedicated teachers so deservedly receive, there are still Stevenson kids operating at a disadvantage because they lack basic necessities to simply get through the day. That’s where the Kids in Need (KIN) program steps in to help.

Although it may seem hard to believe, hundreds of Stevenson students are facing financial hardship. Statistically, there’s a student in every classroom who may not have enough to eat, own a warm winter coat, or even live with a stable roof over his or her head. Often a student with limited resources believes that he or she is the only one who doesn’t have everything they need to fully participate in the school day.

KIN helps ensure that all students are prepared to learn and able to access every opportunity SHS has to offer, regardless of obstacles they may face. Thanks to generous Foundation donors, KIN is able to support student success in multiple ways, including providing students with things like

• Daily breakfast for qualifying students (More than 3,300 served last year)

• Winter outerwear (Coats, boots, gloves, hats)

• Basic necessities (Toiletries, healthy snacks)

• Supplies & tools (Backpacks, school supplies, iPad repair)

• Tech Campus expenses for vocational studies (Tools, class materials)

KIN also helps ensure that students are able to pursue their passions: The program provides equipment or gear for Patriots participating in athletics and contributes to expenses for students representing Stevenson at leadership events or co-curricular competitions. KIN even goes the extra mile to make sure that students have Stevenson spirit wear so that everyone can feel like a vital part of the school community.

Perhaps most importantly, the program respects a student’s anonymity so that the family’s dignity remains intact. By working directly with Stevenson Student Services Team members, students can make specific, school-related requests and/or access the important items they need from one of two KIN supply pantries, without ever being singled out or identified as needing assistance.

Foundation volunteers and supporters play a critical role in making sure every Stevenson student has what they need and is prepared to fully engage each day. Every contribution makes a difference for a teen trying to overcome financial barriers and succeed alongside their peers.

If you have questions about KIN and the difference the program makes in the lives of Stevenson students, please contact Linda Knapp, Director of Philanthropy, at 847-415-4147 or LKnapp@D125.org

We sat down with the Foundation's first President and KIN champion Peg Cucci to talk about the program’s impact for Stevenson students.

How did you first get involved with the Foundation?

"I have been affiliated with Stevenson for 32 years, since we moved here in 1986 from Anderson, Indiana. Our oldest daughter was a freshman that year. We are the parents of 1990, 1995, 1999, and 2003 Stevenson graduates. I started working at Stevenson as a school nurse in 2000.

When we lived in Indiana, I was a founding member of their Community School Foundation and brought the idea with me. There were four of us who signed the original paperwork – Rick DuFour, Lydia Jesse, Pat Wilder and me."

How did the Kids in Need (KIN) program get started? How long have you been involved?

"What many people don’t realize is that Stevenson has several hundred kids whose families struggle financially. A compromised financial situation is likely to be known to trusted adults in the building – counselors, social workers, psychologists, teachers, nurses, deans.

I developed a proposal for our Foundation board that was modeled after a non-profit in Lake Forest called Mothers Trust Foundation. Our board was receptive, enthusiastic and gracious about helping kids in need and so the KIN program was born.

The Foundation believed that we could enhance our community spirit by helping: kids who have a need for basic supplies at home that the family cannot afford; kids who need a coat or hat or gloves; kids who need breakfast because they come to school hungry every day; kids who have earned the opportunity to compete in some contest but cannot afford the additional costs; kids who have earned a place on a team but cannot afford the gear; kids who want to learn a trade at CLC but cannot afford the supplies or equipment; kids who have an urgent health need that is uninsured; kids who have a demonstrated need, in a myriad of ways, that stands in the way of their full participation as a student at Stevenson High School."

How has the program changed or evolved over the years?

"As the program grew, we added two pantries, one in each nurse office, for basic supplies like shampoo, soap, mittens, oatmeal, school supplies, among other things. We have a self-selected group of "angels" who supply these pantries."

In your experience, how has the KIN program impacted the school and how do students respond to the support KIN provides?

"Everyone involved professionally with our kids is grateful for KIN because it provides them with real help for their students. We are a caring, capable and conscientious community, made stronger and better by the work of the Foundation and its KIN program.

As you can imagine, the recipients of the Foundation's generosity are more than grateful. Foundation members and donors are heartened by the opportunity to help kids in need. It is a win/win/win. I want every community-minded resident of D125 who loves to help others in meaningful ways to know that, in real ways, we are all KIN."

If you have questions about KIN and the difference the program makes in the lives of Stevenson students, please contact Linda Knapp, Director of Philanthropy, at 847-415-4147 or LKnapp@d125.org

Kids in Need (KIN) ensures that Stevenson students whose families are struggling financially have access to the most important meal of the day. Over the past 12 years, the KIN program has served breakfast to almost 500 students thanks to more than a quarter of a million dollars in support from members of the District 125 community.

Families facing financial hardship are grateful that their high schoolers have the energy they need to successfully navigate the school day. A Stevenson parent of two, whose financial situation had taken a turn, had little left after paying rent, insurance, and monthly bills. She recently shared what the breakfast program means to her family:

I felt like a huge weight was just lifted knowing my kids were not only going to eat a good lunch but will be able to eat a good breakfast too. … No more worrying if they had enough to eat, how they would pay for their next meal to get them through until dinner, or if they would pass out at their practice or meet from not eating enough, or have enough energy to make it through the entire day on only one meal.

Thanks to generous donor support, serving breakfast to students is only one of the ways that KIN provides crucial assistance for students in need, helping them to learn and flourish. Qualified students also have access to

• Summer school tuition (if the course is needed to graduate)

• Tech campus expenses for vocational and career-bound students

• Emergency fund and winter clothes

• Personal care essentials

If you have questions about KIN and the difference the program makes in the lives of Stevenson students, please contact Linda Knapp, Director of Philanthropy, at 847-415-4147 or LKnapp@d125.org.