The Renton business and school community got a peek at what the Renton School District has been up to with its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs Monday during the sixth annual Friends of Renton Schools Fundraising Breakfast.
About 200 people attended the event, with 133 donors raising nearly $20,000 for the nonprofit that supports Renton schools. Pre-breakfast donations amounted to $144,450 and early estimates raised the total from the event to more than $165,000, as of April 28.
Many community and business leaders, principals and teachers attended the breakfast, including Sally Boni, a MicroSociety coordinator at Talbot Hill Elementary.
“I think it’s important because it gets the community all together,” she said, adding that it allows the school to be seen as part of the larger community.
Renton resident and local TV personality Meeghan Black emceed the breakfast and former sports director for King 5 and Kiro 7, Tony Ventrella, was the keynote speaker. Ventrella is currently the Digital Media Host of Seahawks.com and was accompanied by team mascot Blitz.
“The effect of a good teacher on the world could produce a ripple effect,” Ventrella said, sharing stories about his favorite three teachers growing up.
The audience got some insight on what students in the district have been learning with a snapshot of some of the gains the district has made in reading, math and STEM related programs. Last year, Friends of Renton Schools switched their focus to raise funds to support STEM programs in the district because of the growing need for workers with those expertise.
From elementary students learning STEM concepts with LEGOs® and worms to high schoolers winning robotics competitions, the district reported gains in these areas thanks in part to the added support of Friends of Renton Schools.
“Without your generosity we couldn’t go that extra mile,” said Superintendent Merri Rieger.
The growth in reading at the elementary level has more than doubled the state rate, she said, and there has been significant growth in science at the elementary and middle school levels. For example, fifth graders in the district went from 29 percent meeting the standard in 2010 to 66 percent meeting the standard in 2014.
There has been significant growth in math and all elementary grades now exceed the state in the Measurements of Student Progress or MSP tests, Rieger said.
With another grant of $20,000 from First Financial Northwest Foundation and Friends of Renton Schools, all district elementary schools will have a robotics programs this spring and summer.
In Renton high schools, Rieger reported that there has been significant growth in math, biology and writing. For example, the percentage of students meeting the standard in 10th grade algebra has jumped from 55 percent in 2011 to 83 percent in 2014. Also according to the superintendent, the district now exceeds the state in students meeting the standard in biology.
Last year, Friends of Renton Schools was able to give the district $190,000 for after school STEM programs and summer science camps. The organization is a special fund under the Renton Community Foundation.
