Ojai Education Foundation Donates Over $100,000
to Support Public Education in the Ojai Valley!

Becky Beckett, Chaparral High School Principal, is joined by her Science Students and staff as she receives her notification letter of a grant from the Ojai Education Foundation to fund science supplies for the 2019 - 20 School Year. In total, OEF provided grants totaling more than $100,000 to teachers, students and Ojai Unified School District staff, the most in the Foundation’s history! Go to “Grant Overview” for our full list of 2019 - 20 Grantees. Go to the Ojai Valley News article “OEF Awards $100,000 in Grants” to read more!

Ojai Education Foundation Celebrates 25 Years of Supporting Public Education in the Ojai Valley

The Ojai Education Foundation held its 25th anniversary celebration April 28 at the Ojai home of former president Michael Addison and his wife, Susan. Nearly 100 former Board Members, donors and friends of the Ojai Education Foundation gathered to honor founder Cindi (Perez) Davis; and pictured founding treasurer Dick Weirick with his wife Jane; and top cumulative donor Louanne Fay and her daughter, Eileen Laber. Go to to the Ojai Valley News article “OEF Plants Seeds for Big Dreams Over 25 Years” to read more!

What’s ahead in 2019!

On behalf of the Board of the Ojai Education Foundation (OEF), we hope your 2019 is going well! And as we continue to mark OEF’s 25th anniversary during the 2018 - 19 school year, we also hope you will support our public schools by:

Making a DONATION to OEF’s Grant Program and Endowment,

Serving as a VOLUNTEER as part our VIP Program, and

Celebrating our 25th Anniversary at our Spring event OEF HONORS! on April 28!

Thank you for supporting OEF. Together, we’re enriching the lives of students, teachers and families through quality public education in the Ojai Valley!

Giving Back & Enriching Lives on #GivingTuesday!

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) Students at San Antonio School learn science concepts with specialized building blocks
funded by a grant from the Ojai Education Foundation!

Donate now!

Tuesday, November 27 marks "#GivingTuesday", the 6th annual globlal giving movement that kicks off the Holidays and Charitable Giving season! During this time of reflection and giving back, we hope you will consider a year-end donation to OEF!

Your donation will fund both the OEF Endowment, as well as a diverse array of grants from teachers, principals and administrators. And starting for the first time this year, OEF's impact will expand to fund grants for students as well!

With your help, we will positively impact over 200 teachers and 2,300 students this year! Right now, we are considering grant requests totaling over $100,000 in urgent classroom needs that we cannot fund without your support including a:

$50,000 investment in technology upgrades,
$20,000 investment for added Mental Health Counseling and Emotional Skills resources for students across the District,
$17,000 investment in Art for a Maker’s Space at Matilija JHS and Ceramic Equipment at Nordhoff HS.
$7,000 investment in GATE Certification for all 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade Teachers across the District, and a
$6,000 investment in online, interactive Math curriculum for 500 Middle School Students at Matilija and more!

And with this year marking our 25th anniversary, we hope you will consider a $250 or $2500 donation! Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to continuing our legacy of enriching lives through public education in the Ojai Valley for the next 25 years and beyond!

OEF raises over $50,000 for Ojai public schools
DURING ”OEF Celebrates!” Fall CAMPAIGN!

The Ojai Education Foundation (OEF) raised over $50,000 during its 2018 Fall Campaign which included “OEF Celebrates!” Fall Fundraiser event on October 11 at Nordhoff High School. Approximately 240 guests attended the event that: recognized OEF’s 25th anniversary, showcased OEF’s 2018 grantees, featured musical, dance and theatrical performances, and paid tribute to OEF’s three Education Heroes of the Year: Natalie Hay, Nordhoff Science Department Chair and Teacher, Asli Ruf, Full-Time District Volunteer for over 12 years, and Abigail Runyan, Senior Honors Nordhoff High School Student. Go to “OEF Spotlights Education” for the story about the event featured in the Ojai Valley News!

OEF ANNOUNCES TWO “FIRSTS” LEADING UP TO FALL FUNDRAISER!

OEF 2018 Education Heroes from L to R:
Asli Ruf, Abilene Runyan and Natalie Hay on the campus of Nordhoff High School.

Each year, OEF recognizes an “Education Hero” for his / her outstanding service to public education in the Ojai Valley. OEF's Education Heroes are honored at our annual Fall Fundraiser. Go to “OEF Celebrates!” for information about our 2018 Fall Fundraiser on October 11.

For the 1st time in OEF history, and in a nod to our 25th anniversary, OEF is proud to not only announce we are recognizing 3 individuals as our 2018 Education Heroes, but in another first, we are honoring a Student as one of those heroes! Please join us in congratulating:

Natalie Hay, Science Department Chair & Teacher, Nordhoff High School,
Abilene Runyan, Senior Honors Student and OEF Grantee, Nordhoff High School, and
Asli Ruf, Full-Time Volunteer, Ojai Unified School District

Go to “Congratulations to OEF’s 2018 Education Heroes!“ to read more about these extraordinary individuals!

$1000+
Tucker & Phillip Adams
Susan & Michael Addison
Carolyn & Jamie Bennett
Joanne & Michael Caldwell
Cam Campbell / California Solar Electric
Beth Cohen
Lin Coleman & Paul Massey
Nan Davis & Brett Nicholson
Robert Calder Davis, Jr.
Roselyn & Anthony Demaria
Laura Denne
Karen & Bill Evenden

$1,000+ con’t
Donna Freiermuth
Dr. Richard Gould
Jill Greene & Scott Silver
Judith Hale Norris & Bill Norris
Julia & Walt Hamann
Ruth Hemming
Rikki Horne
Susan Leech
Anne & Harry Oppenheimer
Angela & Douglas Parker
Joyce Robinson
Lucy & Jonathan Tolmach

Key Community & Business Partners

Ojai Unified School District
Dr. James Halverson, Ojai Valley Family Medicine Group
John Galaska Rainforest Plant Co.
Lorraine Lim Catering
Mike Etchart Sound System
Ojai Business Center
Ojai Chamber of Commerce

Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room
Simply Two Design
Steve Adams Photography
SoulFete!
Ventura County Community Foundation
Venco Western, Inc.
Ventura Rental Party & Events

Ojai Education Foundation Donates Over $100,000to Support Public Education in the Ojai Valley!