Support STEAM enrichment programming for Oak Park students by making a donation today!

WE BELIEVE…

 

Helping children explore their curiosities is our superpower,

that every child should benefit, your children deserve the space to dream big and be inspired, equity and inclusion is vital to progress in education, that a sense of belonging is important to learning, innovation in education should be hands-on and fun, and community engagement is crucial to our success.

YOU ARE A PART OF OUR STORY

Here’s What Your Donation Can Do

Art Start

Buys supplies for one Art Start classroom residency.

Visiting Poet

Supports a Spoken Word visiting artist helping middle schoolers find & cultivate their individual voices.

Robotics

Pays to teach coding and design to 3rd-8th grade students.

BASE Camp

Provides BASE Camp scholarships for students looking for an enriching summer experience.

We aren’t funded by taxes or government grants, and our list of corporate underwriters is small. But we are a successful, growing organization because of the generosity of neighbors and friends like you. Our supporters believe in educational partnerships and hands-on activities that inspire students’ love of learning.

We reach ALL our public school kids since almost all OPEF programs take place during the school day in regular classrooms. You never know which kid will be the one to realize he has a passion for science, or she can lead the class in drumming, or engineering makes perfect sense to him. For many students, OPEF programs are the only opportunity they have to interact with a scientist, artist, engineer or architect. It’s their only opportunity to see Chicago, attend a performance or visit a scientist’s lab.

We connect learning to the real world, by bringing in experts and sending kids out on field trips. Field trips are on the decline nationwide, but OPEF continues to fund them and encourage teachers to make time for these meaningful and memorable educational experiences.

Please give generously to support exciting educational opportunities for Oak Park kids!

Or mail your contribution to 260 West Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302.

And thank you.