Thursday, Jan. 24, is the Foundation's next Connect for Kids event. J. Bean's restaurant, located in New Longview, will graciously donate 10% of proceeds from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. We encourage everyone to plan a dinner out to help the Foundation raise funds for mobile Google Chromebook labs for students in each school across our district. More »

The 14th Annual Taste of Lee's Summit is Saturday, March 2, 2013 at the Pavilion at John Knox Village. You do not want to miss this exciting local event. Tickets are $60 per person. Attire is business casual. Guests 21 and over are welcome to attend. Tickets go fast, so reserve yours today by calling 816.986.1088. More »

Tuesday, Nov. 27 is the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation's first Connect with Kids event. Our inaugural sponsors are Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. These fine establishments are donating a percentage of their sales back to the Foundation to help support our programs. The event runs from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27. Both restaurants are located at the intersection of Missouri 291 and 3rd Street in Lee's Summit. So, if you need a good excuse to go out for dinner, dessert — or both, this it it!

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The Foundation was honored to receive a 2nd Place award for its Annual Report at this year's Non-Profit Connect Philly Awards. The event is held annually to recognize excellence in non-profit marketing, design, videos and communication. Non-Profit Connect recognized outstanding work in 13 categories.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation's 2012-13 Annual Fund Drive. We had excellent participation this year and raised about $10,000 more than last year. Thank you so much for your support. This will certainly help the Foundation as it reaches out to the community to raise $275,000 this year to help fund classroom PEAK Grants AND a mobile Google Chromebook Lab in each of our schools. More »

Oct. 8 is the deadline for early registration for the Race for the Future. Only $20 holds a spot for you. Entry must be postmarked by Oct. 8. (Please do not mail after Oct. 8). The late registration More »

The Lee's Summit Educational Fund 2012-13 annual fund drive is off and running. First, we would like to offer a huge thank you to everyone that participated. From teachers to businesses, from administrators to families...your donations have pushed us closer to the goal of raising $275,000. These funds will go towards helping our school district purchase Google Chromebook computers and charging carts for student use in every school. Also, funds raised will continue to provide PEAK (Promote Excellence And Knowledge) grants to district teachers. Finally, the fund drive will continue to grow the endownment of the Foundation. This endowment will help ensure educational success in our community for the future.

Each year, the Foundation enters the Philly Awards, which honor excellence in nonprofit communication. Nonprofit Connect sponsors these awards that recognize outstanding work in 13 categories. This year, the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation placed in the Annual Report category. The Annual Report was designed by Lee's Summit's candid marketing firm. The People's Choice award is still a possibility. You can help us by voting for the Foundation at Nonprofit Connect's Facebook page. The awards breakfast is Monday, Oct. 22 at the Kansas City Convention Center. 

Don't forget to join us the morning of Sat. Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. for the popular 16th annual Race for the Future. This energizing 5K Run/Walk and Kid's Dash will benefit the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation and the Carrie Foresee Memorial Scholarship Fund. The event attracts more than 800 area runners, walkers and nearly 150 volunteers.     The race is held at Lee's Summit West High School. Awards will be given in different age divisions. Oh, and if you just can't make it that morning, consider becoming a Dream Partner. This is a simple (and less sweaty!) way to donate. Go here to download a race registration brochure. Or go here to register online. Or for more information, please contact LSEF Director Sheryl Franke, 816-986-1015 or sheryl.franke@leesummit.k12.mo.us.

Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of people passionate about making a difference in the lives of students, the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation exceeded its 2009-10 Annual Fund Drive goal of $250,000. More »

The Sue Jacobi Scholarship Fund was recently established to honor Sue Jacobi, Pleasant Lea Elementary secretary, upon her retirement from the Lee's Summit R-7 School District after 22 years of dedicated service. "I was so surprised and delighted that my friends, family and co-workers chose to remember me in such a special way.It really means a lot to me that this scholarship will continue helping students for many years," said Jacobi. More »

The Foundation has added a new photo gallery feature to its Web site. Click on the photo gallery tab on the left of the homepage to view photos from the 2010 Taste of Lee's Summit, 2010 PEAK Patrol and 2010 Student Scholarship Awards. Come back often to see additional photos of these events as well as other featured events throughout the year.

The Lee's Summit Educational Foundation hosted its 11th annual A Taste of Lee's Summit on March 6 to raise money in support of excellence in education in our community. Held at The Pavilion at John Knox Village, the event raised an estimated $82,711 which helped the Foundation exceed its annual goal of raising $250,000 for special programs within the school district. More »

During May, the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation awarded more than $38,000 in scholarships to 52 graduating seniors at Lee's Summit High School, Lee's Summit North High School and Lee's Summit West High School.  For a listing of scholarship awards and recipients, please click on the scholarships tab on the left side of the homepage. Individuals or businesses interested in establishing a scholarship fund to benefit students may contact Foundation Director Sheryl Franke at 816-986-1015.

On May 6 and 7, members of the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation Board were the bearers of good news as they surprised educators across the district with Foundation PEAK Grants.  Armed with oversized checks and balloons, board members delivered over $55,000 in grants to 46 classrooms across the district.     More »

The Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation’s 11th annual A Taste of Lee’s Summit is on Saturday, March 6 from 6-9:30 p.m. at The Pavilion at John Knox Village. This fundraiser benefits the Educational Foundation’s annual fund drive programs which include Audio Enhancement Systems in Kindergarten Classrooms, PEAK Classroom Grants, Great Beginnings Healthy Habits Grant and Classroom Technology. More »

The Lee's Summit Educational Foundation hosted its 11th annual A Taste of Lee's Summit on March 6 to raise money in support of excellence in education in our community. Held at The Pavilion at John Knox Village, the event raised an estimated $82,711 which helped the Foundation exceed its annual goal of raising $250,000 for special programs within the school district. More »

Please help us make a difference for students across the entire district as we strive to reach our goal of raising $250,000. The following areas have been identified as priority concerns for 2009-10: More »

At a luncheon held on November 12, the Truman Heartland Community Foundation and its Youth Advisory Council awarded the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation, Inc. a $3,450 grant. The grant will provide program support for Great Beginnings, an Early Education Center located in Legacy Park that offers services for developmentally delayed children, as well as Parents as Teachers and Head Start programs. Funding is earmarked to kick-off Healthy Great Beginnings winter field trips and related activities designed to demonstrate healthy food choices and exercise habits.  Approximately two-thirds of the cost for Great Beginnings was funded by an anonymous donation and matching fundraising efforts through the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation from 2001-2005. More »

On November 23, 2009, the Lee's Summit Educational Foundation hosted a special event for retired R-7 employees to learn more about one of the Foundation's Annual Fund Drive priority areas: audio enhanced classrooms. Guests traveled by school bus to Hawthorne Hill Elementary where they saw how audio enhanced classrooms help children. They also heard testimonials from two kindergarten teachers, from Principal Carol Germano and from Superintendent Dr. David McGehee. Summit Bank of Kansas City hosted a reception following the classroom tour. More »

Race for the Future, a 5K run/walk held Oct. 10, raised approximately $23,825 to benefit the Lee’s Summit Educational Foundation and the Carrie Foresee Memorial Scholarship Fund. Braving unseasonably cold weather, a total of 742 runners and walkers registered for the 5K event and another 127 participated in the Kid’s Dash. Total proceeds over the race's 13-year history are $184,825. The popular metro-area event is held at Lee's Summit West High School. Race results, including times for all runners and walkers, are available at www.mararunning.org. More »

The Lee's Summit Educational Foundation won first place at The Eastland Community Foundation’s annual Sing for your Supper event, held Oct. 20 at John Knox Village. The "Grease" inspired song won the foundation $3,000 from Eastland Community Foundation and bragging rights for the year. The performance was featured on KMBC Channel 9 Click here for an excerpt.