The nonprofit Lopez Island Education Foundation helped fill Lopez School with fun activities and field trips.

The fifth grade class trip was to the Islandwood Environmental Learning Center on Bainbridge Island where the students conquered the obstacle course, building  teamwork and trust in the soon to be middle-schoolers. A grant from LIEF helped cover the costs of this trip.

The third  and fourth grade classes went to San Juan, boarded the University of Washington research vessel Centennial, and using Centennial’s media center were able to follow along as divers explored the depths of Parks Bay off Shaw Island. The trip was part of a marine invertebrate program presented by the San Juan Nature Institute and funded by a grant from LIEF. Teacher Rachael Cochran took elementary students to the Fidalgo Pool in Anacortes where they learned about water and boating safety and had fun. LIEF helped cover the costs.

English teacher Elizabeth Simpson was awarded a grant to purchase curriculum materials to be used to integrate the sciences into the 10th grade English class and to purchase books for a new class, World Mythologies. Volunteers at the elementary school’s Discovery Days were assisted by a grant that reimbursed them for materials. The Math Olympiad team’s entry fees and transportation to the competition in early May in Arlington were funded by LIEF. Teus Rabel, Aaron Vliet, Makalike Lyons and Anthony Velasquez participated in this event. For more info visit www.LopezIsland EducationFoundation.org.