We wish you a joyous and prosperous new year. As we ring in the new year, I'd like to reflect on the accomplishments of the Ed Fund in 2012 and look forward to what we have planned for 2013.

One of our fastest-growing initiatives in 2012 was the College Access Initiative. Through this initiative, we seek to build a collaborative of private, public and nonprofit partners in order to increase the number of graduating seniors who choose to attend a post-secondary school. This collaborative is called the West County College Access Network (WCCAN). The crowning achievement of the WCCAN this past fall was the 6th Annual Getting Ready for College Conference.

On November 10th, 177 juniors and seniors, 151 parents and 70 volunteers gathered at Contra Costa College for the Conference. While the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) has been putting on this conference for years, this academic year The Ed. Fund along with WCCAN organized the event. We were pleased to partner with the school district and WCCAN members to coordinate the conference.

The conference, geared towards 11th and 12th graders, included lots of information for students and parents on the college application process. Representatives from various colleges and community based organizations spoke to parents and students about admission requirements to the University of California, Cal State Universities, Community Colleges, Historically Black Colleges, and private colleges and universities. Parent workshops discussed the college application process, paying for college and helping students understand the challenge of transitioning from high school to college.

Students received hands-on help with writing personal statements from 30 writing coaches from the Community Alliance for Learning. Students also visited the computer lab and had the opportunity to work on their college applications with the guidance of college representatives and WCCAN organizations.

Our goal for this conference was to help equip students and families with the necessary resources to ensure college access and success. We were pleased to see such a great turnout of 11th and 12th graders and their parents on a Saturday morning. This event would not have been nearly as successful or effective without the tremendous support from each of our 70 volunteers.  Thank you volunteers!

For the past 25 years, The Ed. Fund has recognized dedicated teachers in our local school district with our Teaching Excellence Awards.  In the 2012-2013 school year, The Ed. Fund has partnered with the West Contra Costa Unified School District to award the Teaching Excellence/Teacher of the Year Award.  Four winners will receive a $500 award and be recognized at The Ed. Fund's 25th Excellence in Education Luncheon on April 20, 2012.

The Ed. Fund is also soliciting nominations for our Distinguished Citizen and Distinguished Staff awards.  

The Distinguished Citizen Award recognizes one dedicated volunteer working in WCCUSD schools.

The Distinguished Staff Award recognizes a non-teaching staff member for their work to support our schools.  Eligible nominees include office administrators, after-school program coordinators, security personnel, custodians, and more!

The nomination deadline for the Teaching Excellence/Teacher of the Year Award has passed. Nominations for the Distinguished Staff and Citizen Awards is January 31, 2013.

Nomination forms can be found on our website at edfundwest.org.

We hope to see you on April 20th at our 25th Annual Excellence in Education Luncheon at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. This event recognizes the hard work of our teachers, students, school staff and volunteers. Honorees at the event will include:

- Four Teaching Excellence Award winners

- One Distinguished Citizen Award winner

- One Distinguished Staff Award winner

- The Ed Fund's Scholarship winners

Tickets will be on sale by January 31st. Thank you and see you in April!

Since 2005, the Ed Fund has awarded $736,000 in scholarships to more than 215 low-income graduates of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. We are pleased to renew our scholarship program for the 2012-2013 academic year.

Scholarships will range from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on financial need.

To qualify for our scholarship, a student must:

- Graduate from a West Contra Costa Unified School District school in spring 2013

- Have a family income of no more than $85,000

- Plan to attend college in the fall of 2013

Visit our website, www.edfundwest.org, on January 19th for the application!

For years, due to budget cuts, Washington Elementary School, like many schools in WCCUSD, lacked a music program. In the 2011-2012 school year, the Parent Teacher Association of Washington Elementary pooled together funding in order to bring back arts education.

The Ed. Fund is pleased to support Washington Elementary's efforts to bring back an arts education. In the previous school year, The Ed. Fund provided the Washington Elementary School PTA with a grant necessary to hire a music teacher. This year, The Ed. Fund has provided the PTA with a grant to purchase musical instruments and continue to pay the stipend of an after-school music teacher.

The Ed. Fund applauds the Washington Elementary PTA and their efforts to provide their students with an arts education. Their support was made possible due to The Ed. Fund's Grants Program.

If you would like to support The Ed. Fund's Grants Program to enable us to continue supporting great project's like Washington's, please make a donation here. Additionally, for every ticket sold using this order form to the Warriors game on Saturday, February 2nd, the Golden State Warriors will donate $5 to support The Ed. Fund.