The Mission of the

Osborn Educational Foundation

is to enrich the educational and

life experiences of students of the

Osborn School District

Nutrition & Exercise Training Pilot

Made possible by a grant from Catholic Healthcare West/ St Joseph's Hospital, the Nutrition & Exercise Training (NET) pilot project will focus on providing fun and informative nutritional instruction targeted to students who come from disadvantaged living situations encountered within the Osborn School District. The nutrition classes will be piloted in conjunction with the ballet classes for the 3rd-6th grade male and female children who study ballet. Each Nutrition class will consist of a nutritious snack, a lesson from a curriculum designed to develop healthy eating habits and address childhood obesity, and a fun follow-up activity. 

This nutrition instruction coupled with the rigorous ballet dance program will make a positive impact on the health of our students, and give them the skills to make improved nutritional choices for their health. The purpose of the pilot is to develop materials to expand to the greater student population in the Osborn School District. 

Thank you St Joseph's Hospital & Catholic Healthcare West!

Please email for more information.

Ballet Program

3rd Year Ballet Students, Clarendon School 2006

A new program for the foundation generously supported by a private donation of $20,500 received in October 2005. A volunteer instructor, Camden Lloyd, who has demonstrated great commitment to offer Ballet free of charge to inner-city minority students, has run the Ballet program for the last three years. The donation will cover the costs for 27% of the study hall instruction, 92% of the costs for new shoes, practice and performance clothing, as well as 100% of the costs of field trips and visiting artists.

1st Year Ballet Students, Encanto School / 2nd Year Ballet Students Clarendon School 2006

Thank you Ms. Lloyd, Mr. & Mrs. Rust!

Please email for more information.

After School Sports Program

Baseball, Osborn School District, 2006

Supported generously by Price Kong & Co, the Osborn School District After School Sports Program has expanded to include five sports for the students: Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, Track and Baseball. Click here to see sports calendar. This year Price Kong & Co  had their Annual Golf Tournament at Stone Creek Country Club on November 4th, 2005.  This event brought in $10,201 to be used for Osborn's After School Sports Program. 

Thank You Price Kong & Co! 

Please email for more information.

SCOPES Preschool Program

"Dinosaur School"

Recently funded by JP Morgan Chase to provide a positive, science-based and child friendly program that supports literacy and successful school behaviors to at-risk children at their earliest point of entry to the educational system. The Dinosaur School Classroom based program is designed to be delivered two times each week with corresponding activities to reinforce each concept.  The program uses vignettes of other children encountering problems and applying the skills of the program.  The hallmark of the program are the life-sized (3 foot) puppets that assist in delivering the program by engaging the children in role plays and discussions of feelings, problem identification and practice of various solutions and rehearsal of self-soothing and emotion regulation skills. These puppets incorporate the play therapy concept of entering the child’s world to facilitate learning and the children become more willing to practice literacy and problem solving as they engage with these amiable puppets.

Thank you JP Morgan Chase!  

Please email for more information.

Kid's Read

3rd Grade Students, Montecito School 2005-06

Kid's Read has been a wonderful success!  Kid's Read is a program for 3rd graders which features guest readers, provides inspiration for parents to read with their children and gives them books to read at home. We have 9 Kid's Read events throughout the year. Our events are held once a month at 7:30 am at our primary schools. The children who attend with their parent receive a free paperback book of their choice. At two of the events (Christmas and Dr. Seuss' Birthday) all 3rd grade students in the Osborn School District are given a hardback book. 

We have had many noteworthy community readers in the past, including Mayor Phil Gordon, past Mayor Skip Rimza, The Phoenix West Rotary Club, Alice Cooper and our own Eileen Bailey to name a few. Email us here to find out how you can participate as a guest reader.

Thank you Eileen Bailey!

Please email for more information.

Volunteers in Our Schools

Our next OASIS Volunteer meeting will be held on August 18, 2006. Our new tutor training will be held September 13-15. Call the district (602) 707-2032 or Judy Stahl at OASIS at (480) 994-1528 for more information or to volunteer. OASISFlier

Welcome Sindi Westberg

The Osborn School District has recently hired Sindi Westberg as the Resource Developer for the District. She will write grants and coordinate volunteers, as well as update our website, do some marketing and develop business partnerships to better our schools and our community.

Sindi is a parent in the district and has a background in education and grassroots fundraising. She received her masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also has two undergraduate degrees, one in fine arts photography from the Art Institute of Boston the other is from Hampshire College where she majored in Social Sciences. At the Art Institute, she co-founded the DuPont Visiting Artist Fellowship to support minority artist workshops for the students and public lectures. At Hampshire College, she did field research in her third language, Spanish, for her thesis on the National Literacy Crusade in Nicaragua.

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Teacher Mini-Grants

Last fall the foundation supported 10 innovative projects proposed by Osborn School teachers. Many of these projects are collaborative efforts benefiting several classrooms. These projects will benefit 1657 Osborn District students. The total cost is  $3734.87, or $2.25 per student.

A Kindergarten Puppet Theater Experience

Ms. Lively, Solano Kindergarten, project to benefit 120 students. Students went to a single performance of classic children's literature by the Greater AZ Puppet Theater used for the development of language skills for English and Non-English speaking kindergarteners. Prior to performance, children were introduced to several versions of the story and have many classroom activities related to story, including acting it out in class.

Arizona Museum for Youth

Ms. Marquard & all Kindergarten teachers, Solano School, project to benefit 100 students. Students went on a trip to the museum to study Inuit art & artifact.

Health & Life Skills Video

Mr. Johnston & Ms. Jacob, Osborn Middle School, 7th and 8th grades, project benefited 120 students. Funding was used to update Health, nutrition and Life Skills videos/DVDs- aligned to standards. They purchased 31 films.

Learning Through Business

Ms. Simcox, Encanto Special Education Teacher, project benefited 7 students. Funding was used to purchase shredder for autistic/ special ed classroom business shredding paper, recycling it to pet stores and making their own paper crafts to sell. Hands on enterprise.

Let's Read in Literature Circles

Ms. Cashdollar, Osborn Middle School 8th grade teacher, project benefited 80 students. Funding was used for the purchase of 12 copies of 5 books. Students were engaged in literature studies in small groups of 2-4 students each to discuss the books.

Presidential Fitness Challenge

Ms. Johnson, Clarendon Physical Education teacher, project benefited 475 students. Funding was used for award patches, slide chart, wall charts and DVD. Used Presidential Council on Physical Fitness & Sports program to increase physical activity of students.

Project Build-up

Ms. O'Neil, Osborn Middle School, 7th & 8th grades, project benefited 400 students. Funding was used for the purchase of books to be made easily accessible for students in classrooms. Scholastic books were ordered as sets, free books were given to classrooms.

Switch on the Night

Ms. Hamill/ Ms. Horlings, Encanto third grade teachers, project benefited 50 students. This was an overnight camping experience for two Encanto third grade classrooms studying the physics of light. Funding was used for food, educational supplies, and security.

The Reading Connection

Ms. Doherty, Encanto 1^st grade teacher, project benefited 164 students. Funding used to purchase take-home book bags, 4 sets of books to be shared between 7 classrooms.

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Susan Morley Merit Scholarship

This year’s Susan Morley Merit Scholarship was awarded to an outstanding student from Osborn Middle School: Miss Patel. Next year Miss Patel plans to attend the North High International Baccalaureate Program. We wish her the best in high school!  

Last year's recipients were Mr. Alvarado and Miss Rodriguez. Miss Rodriguez attends Metro Tech High School; Mr. Alvarado attends the North High IB Program.

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Washington, D.C. Program

Brian Holman is doubling the size of his Washington, D.C. Program this year to encompass 20% of the eighth grade students. This year 60 students have worked hard to earn a place to visit our country's capital.

Our Washington, D.C., Program was designed to provide students with the civic knowledge of how our great country operates, along with the motivation and inspiration to get involved.  Students complete the following program model:

	Log dozens of hours of after school research on social issues and craft legal solutions to identified areas of concern;
	Complete 10 hours of community service;
	Achieve excellence in the classroom and in after-school activities;
	Model academic excellence for their peers;
	Maintain exceptional attendance throughout the entire school year;
	Attend the class trip to Washington D.C., document their experiences, and share them with others after they return.
	After only one year of the program, the impact can be seen in the high schools where these students are currently flourishing. Consider the following examples of achievement from D.C. Kids:
	Lorena Morena ran for Central High School’s freshman class president this fall and won.
	Freshman Sayda Rosales picked up an extra math class to challenge herself to excel even further. Sayda also helps students in her old math class as a teacher’s aide—even though many of them are juniors and seniors.
	Freshman Anthony Esposito earned a spot playing percussion with his school band in the state competition earlier this fall.

Nick de la Torre/The Arizona Republic

Brian Holman, a government teacher at Osborn Middle School, talks with Kathy Araiza (left) and Conra Monroe about making a bill. The girls will be among the students going to Washington, D.C., with Holman.

Annemarie Moody
The Arizona Republic
Apr. 15, 2005 12:00 AM

What started as a simple request in a government class is turning into a yearly quest to get eighth-graders to the nation's capital.

For the second year in a row, Osborn Middle School teacher Brian Holman is taking 59 students to Washington, D.C., on two trips at the end of May and beginning of June.

Students who applied, passed all their classes and stayed out of trouble are eligible to go.

"Last year, they didn't think they'd actually get to go, that the money they were earning would be used for students in the future. This year, they know it is going to happen, and there is a different kind of motivation for them," said Holman, who teaches government and economics at Osborn, a low-income school in Phoenix.

Holman has made it his mission to teach the students that they have the opportunity to achieve greatness. Holman, 25, thinks big, evidenced by a sign on his wall that reads, "We are not getting ready for high school, we are getting ready to change the WORLD!"

Right now, Holman said, they are in the peak of fund-raising for the trips.

No money is coming from either the district or the school; each student must raise the $750 cost, either through fund-raising or tax credits from their parents. One of their group efforts will be a spaghetti dinner and raffle on April 29 at the school.

Astrid Barnhart and Diana Carmen, both 14, are going on the trip, and said the fund-raising makes the reward more special.

"It's more valuable this way," Astrid said. "If you just get something, it has less value."

The trip is just the final piece of a semester-long research project for all Osborn eighth-graders. Each student picked an issue important to him or her and created a new law based on existing laws. Diana picked polygamy. Astrid picked child abuse.

Salvador Rosales, 14, is one student who is not going on the trip; he says money problems are keeping him at home. However, he is still enthusiastic about his law, which is raising the smoking age to 21.

"It's not that people 18 to 20 can't make the right decision, but so many people are dying of cancer, if you increased the age, there would be less opportunity for people to start smoking," he said.

The two trips will be four days apiece, with each day having a theme and purpose. For example, the day the students visit the Arlington National Cemetery and the Holocaust Memorial Museum, they will deliberately be walking a lot, which will signify how rare freedom is and how hard it is to obtain it, Holman said.

Amelia Theobalb, 15, went on the D.C. trip last year.

"I enjoyed having a chance to go because I didn't think we'd be able to," she said. "Mr. Holman made it possible."

A Big 'Thank You'

Some community businesses and organizations that provided support for the Osborn School District include: 

	Arizona BookPALS: Programs like “We the Children” autobiography writing program facilitated by Professional actors from the Actor’s Guild
	AZ Literacy and Learning Center: Provided child development classes twice a week, found volunteers to teach ESL classes, etc
	Ballet Arizona: materials to support our Ballet Program
	Call-A-Teen: supplying fantastic workers at no cost to our district
	Camp Fire USA: Family club met twice a month to play games and make crafts. Camping trip at end
	Catholic Healthcare West: Support of Nutrition & Exercise Training Pilot Program
	Childsplay Theater: Partnering to bring free tickets to see "Petite Rouge" next fall
	City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Program: After school and summer childcare and field trips.
	Costco: numerous donations of drinks and snacks for our evening events and the KaBoom Playground Project.
	Devonshire Neighborhood Association: connects us with new contacts in the community, solicits donations from community businesses, addresses community concerns that our families may have about the neighborhood
	Faith Lutheran Church: provides volunteers for events, give donations
	First Credit Union: adopt classrooms for holiday parties, provide volunteers for events, give donations
	Heard Museum: Docents Program support and training; support of our literacy program
	Home Base Youth Services: Donations of sneakers
	Home Depot: Bringing skilled volunteers to build the KaBoom Playground and completely renovate the Longview students play area
	JP Morgan Chase: Support of SCOPES Preschool Program: 'Dinosaur Preschool'
	KaBoom: Building a fantastic playground at the Longview School
	M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank: provide volunteers for events, school supply drive, may provide instructor for Money Smart class
	North Park Central Neighborhood Association: solicits donations from community businesses, addresses community concerns that our families may have about the neighborhood
	NPower Arizona:  developed bilingual curriculum for computer classes, contracted with instructor for computer class, will implement a self-paced Spanish computer class
	OASIS: intergenerational volunteers who come weekly to tutor our students
	Parent/Teacher Association: Donation of supplies, school support.
	Phoenix Indian Center: support for our students
	Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture: support for arts programs
	Phoenix Parks and Recreation: Supplying after school programming for the students
	Phoenix Symphony: support of music program
	Phoenix Theatre: “Books Alive!” creating drama from novels and short stories
	Price Kong & Co: support for our After School Sports
	Rotary International D-5490: support for numerous programs district-wide
	Sonora Brewhouse: Supplying great food for our volunteers at events
	St Mary’s Food Bank: monthly gleaning program, emergency food boxes
	St Joseph's Hospital: support of school-based healthcare clinic.
	Southwest Headstart: support for our students
	The Volunteer Center: sending us high quality volunteers and donated materials
	U of A Cooperative Extension: helped design and develop the garden and outdoor learning lab
	USDA food program: Snacks and beverages
	Valley of the Sun United Way of Arizona: support for our Dinosaur School Program
	YMCA Christown Branch: after school sports program, swimming instruction

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   For more information on partnerships or opportunities to give, call Sindi Westberg at 

(602) 707-2032 or email here

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This page last updated  October 14, 2008