The 40th anniversary is known as the ruby anniversary, and that gemstone symbolizes health, wisdom and a lasting bond. That fits the Park City Education Foundation, which is celebrating four decades of its mission of funding “educator-powered initiatives that inspire all Park City students to successfully reach their academic and lifelong potential.” Running with Ed is an annual relay fundraiser for the Park City Education Foundation. The foundation, a nonprofit that supports Park City School District students and educators, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Credit: Park Record file photo by Clayton Steward “We started in 1986 with one $2,000 grant and have grown to supporting almost $2 million in grants that support students and teachers in the school district,” said Ingrid Whitley, the foundation’s president and chief executive officer. “What a history.” That first grant marked the beginning of the Park City Education Foundation’s Classroom Grants, formerly known as Teacher Grants, which is the nonprofit’s longest-running program. A teacher wanted to send two students to a Stanford University Space Camp. A group of community members got together to fund the trip, which literally kicked off the foundation, Whitley said. Today the Park City Education Foundation, known as the Ed Foundation to local residents, supports four funding initiatives: Personalized Learning: Preparing each student to meet their full potential Real World Learning: Equipping students for tomorrow’s challenges Elevating Educators: Supporting educators in and out of the classroom  Closing the Opportunity Gap: Every child, every chance Ingrid Whitley is the president and chief executive officer of the Park City Education Foundation. The foundation, a nonprofit that supports Park City School District students and teachers, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Credit: Photo courtesy of Ingrid Whitley “Most of the things we’ve been doing for the last decade or so fall into those priority areas,” Whitley said. “So many people who preceded me and the team and the current board led to where we are now — the incredible work that’s going on now that we are honored to support.”  The foundation continues its work through: Classroom Grants, which support and resource educators with funding for projects and programs.  Express Classroom Grants ​that support and resource educators with funding for one-time unanticipated or immediate needs. Innovation Grants, a new one-time grant to pilot or scale bold, visionary approaches to teaching, learning and building culture In addition, the foundation, during the 2025-26 school year, provided more than $200,000 in scholarships to deserving Park City High School seniors and helped 20 other school entities such as high school clubs and activities raise nearly $100,000 during Live PC Give PC, Park City’s day of fundraising, which benefited the district’s 4,200 students. Some grants also paved the way for new initiatives, Whitley said. “We seeded the funding for the pre-school program and the expansion made possible by the school district’s investment in growing the program and also the community through a bond to build new facilities,” she said. “Over the course of last year and this year, the program offers a full-day preschool for 3 and 4 year olds at every elementary school.” The Education Foundation is able to support these initiatives with donations through three fundraisers — Live PC Give PC, Running with Ed and the Red Apple Gala, Whitley said.  “Our budget this year is $1.8 million in programmatic support,” she said. “That includes grants, but also programs we fund like Bright Futures.” Joanna Andres, a social studies teacher at Park City High School, gets a hug after winning the Park City Education Foundation’s Excellent Educator Award and the Sarah and Stephen Doilney Award in 2025. Andres, who has taught in the Park City School District since 2019, is grateful for the support of the foundation, a nonprofit that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Credit: Park Record file photo by Clayton Steward Educator Joanna Andres, Utah State Board of Education’s 2026 Teacher of the Year and Park City School District’s 2025 Educator of the Year, has seen first-hand how the foundation benefits teachers in a couple of ways. “One end of the spectrum is teacher outreach and teacher elevation,” she said. “When I won Educator of the Year, one of my missions was to elevate teachers, specifically teacher leaders in the district, so they feel recognized.” Andres, who teaches AP Concurrent Enrollment Government and criminal law, asked the Education Foundation for a way to help support her efforts in recognizing teacher leaders throughout the district. “That was a neat endeavor they funded,” she said. “I had everyone fill out a survey, and they nominated different teachers, and through a grant from the Ed Foundation, I bought gifts for them, and then we got together and read quotes other teachers said about these leaders.” The outreach also led to more students signing up for Andres’ AP classes. “Last year I taught five classes that averaged 28 to 30 students, and this year I’ll have six classes,” she said. The foundation is currently helping Andres connect with those students, by funding T-shirts that say, “Political Scientist.” That may sound silly, but those shirts make the students feel like they are part of a political science community,” she said. “So, the Ed Foundation has benefited my students on a smaller scale to benefiting my colleagues in the whole district — from seeing my students’ morale when they show up on testing day wearing that shirt en masse to seeing my colleagues cry when they are recognized by their peers.” Andres began working at the Park City School District in 2019 after moving to Utah in 2017. “I started my teaching career in public education in California and worked in big and small districts,” she said. “I also taught abroad and worked in a charter school, prior to coming to Utah, and I’ve never taught in a place that was supported by a nonprofit such as the Education Foundation.” While teaching in California, Andres would fill out grant applications for funds that were provided by the respective school districts. “I’d submit the requests if we had a special lesson plan or wanted to research something, but it was hard to get the support,” she said. “Here in Park City, I can’t think of a subject or a school that has not been touched by the Ed Foundation.” Whitley knows being an educator today is oftentimes a thankless job. “There is so much that happens outside of the school day that I don’t think people understand,” she said. “You work very long hours. You have a caseload of (hundreds) of students, and you have to read all of their essays and grade each of their exams. So, I like to think we play a small role in elevating and showcasing our educators.” Andres doesn’t think the Education Foundation’s role is “small.” “The year I won Educator of the Year, I had never felt so celebrated as a teacher, as a professional, in my entire career,” she said. “To know it was my colleagues, my students, the district and the foundation was a life-changing moment for me. Even teachers who are nominated but don’t get the award are sent an email that contains what their peers said about them. All the things the Ed Foundation does around that is uplifting in itself.” Whitley is grateful for the community’s support, especially for the Doilney and Louis families who sponsor the Educator of the Year awards. “It’s our pleasure and an honor to do this,” she said. This upcoming school year will have its own set of challenges, especially since education has seemingly been under attack by the powers that be. Not only has the current administration’s office of management and budget slowed down more than $2 billion for 28 approved education programs nationwide, it also proposed a $2.3 billion cut for programs such as professional development, English-learning services and after-school grants, according to Education Weekly. “I feel so much is thrown at educators, especially with changing legislation,” Whitley said. “The constant change can be a recipe for burnout and frustration for educators. So we want to be here to support whatever comes down the pipe that calls on teachers and the district to change practices that they’ve gotten familiar with, whether we do it through classroom grants or rolling out schoolwide programs.” Andres is comforted to know the Park City Education Foundation has her and her colleagues’ backs. “I think the Ed Foundation brings light whenever there is darkness,” she said. “If you’re at issue with legislation, a mandate or whatever frustration you are experiencing, this is an organization that listens, insulates teachers and provides a place of positivity in conjunction with the district. I have said multiple times in several speaking engagements that I know how lucky I am to work in this district and have the support of the Ed Foundation.”   For information about the Park City Education Foundation, visit pcef4kids.org. The post Park City Education Foundation celebrates its ruby anniversary appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less