Community Connection: The Story Behind WCAEF’s Impact

Great schools don’t stand alone, they’re built alongside a community that believes in them. In this episode, we explore the role of the West Chester Area Education Foundation with Lindsay Sailing of Fulton Bank, diving into how partnerships, generosity, and shared purpose are helping bring new ideas to life for students across WCASD. It’s a look at what’s possible when a community invests in its schools, and how you can be part of that momentum.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

If you're listening to Talking the WCAS D Way, the podcast where we share stories, updates, and voices from the Westchester Area School District community. I'm your host, Dr. Kalia Reynolds. Let's get talking. Welcome to Talking the WCAS D Way, a podcast where we highlight the stories, partnerships, and priorities shaping our district through the voices of those who bring our community to life. Today's episode focuses on the power of community connection and how partnerships beyond our classrooms help create meaningful opportunities for our students. One organization that plays a vital role in this work is the Westchester Area Foundation, which supports innovation, expands opportunities, and strengthens the connection between our schools and our community. I'm joined today by a member of the foundation, Lindsay Saling from Fulton Bank, to share more about this important work and its impact across the district. Thank you for being here, Lindsay, with us this morning. We appreciate it. So we're gonna jump right in. Let's get to talking. Strong schools are often rooted in strong and productive community partnerships. From your perspective, why is community connection so important in supporting student success?

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Sure, absolutely. So not only am I a three-year board member with the foundation, I'm a former Westchester Area School District alumni. I forgot about that. Yes, and and live in the community. My daughter is at kindergarten at Graystone Elementary. So as a parent, member of the alumni, on the board, involved with the community, it's essential for student success. You know, the school district is strengthened by local organizations, small businesses, um, and the community. And having that support helps drive the students to be proud of where they go to school and have that support. You know, when a student knows that their families, local communities, and organizations are working together to help further their education, they will feel valued.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

And have that level of desire to aim higher. Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

It's interesting because as I was listening to you, I was thinking about our portrait of graduate competencies. And that is one of the things where, as a school district, it's our responsibility to tool and equip our students for being successful once they leave us. Definitely while they're here for sure. But more importantly, once they leave us, and I think you bring that out to light as far as this the strength and community partnerships we have makes that real and authentic, not just for our students, but for the businesses that get to benefit.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Absolutely. The foundation was started in 2010, and really it's a nonprofit dedicated to bringing opportunities, real life educational opportunities to the students that traditional funding and curriculum may not be able to support. And that's really where we want to bridge the gap with the businesses, the community, other organizations as well to highlight what they can do as a real life experience for the students.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Which is a great segue because the work of the foundation directly supports learning experience for students. And there I know that there's a lot of grants opportunities, lots of funding that's devoted to classroom and learning opportunities. Can you share some examples of how the initiatives and grants have positively impacted students or classrooms or some of our programs?

SPEAKER_00 3:24

So in 2024-2025, there were 47 different grants requested from teachers and educators within the district to the foundation. We were able to approve and fund 24 innovative projects, over$36,000. That's awesome. So much fun reading them and seeing the passion within the teacher, you know, within the what the teachers desire to do, whether it be adopting, you know, a greenhouse or a mural on the building. Other different things can go from, you know, providing assistance in cafeteria experience, a lot of outdoor places for learning. And it's elementary school, middle school, and high school that all submit them across the district. And it's really a hands-on learning approach to a real life experience for the students. There's a lot of art things. There was an amazing clay, um, pulling clay from a river at East High School. Really, really great opportunities, just that might not be in the standard traditional curriculum.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Well, the a couple of words I heard you say, the innovative and the hands-on and the authentic learning. I think that that is crucial. And I know that having been on the side of reviewing those applications, the foundation board really takes it seriously in how they're awarding and how they're able to say, like, hey, we have X amount of dollars. And so I just know that that's something where you want to be able to fund everyone.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

But it's you absolutely do. And other things that we'll do on a broader spectrum, um, we support Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week, which allows students to be able to test their entrepreneurial skills, um, learn how to run their own business, um, leadership teamwork, um, and those students come back with tremendous experience and ideas of what they they want to pursue beyond the the high school level.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

I think for to your point, with the foundation support, Westchester, if we're not the largest sender district, I know we are one of the largest. And having so many students go a few years ago, I got an invitation that so I drove on up and but to see what the kids are engaged in is phenomenal, and what they're able to accomplish within just a span of a week is and and we have students come back and share every every time this day to recruit and to offer that opportunity for new students, how life-changing and impactful and beneficial it is. So I'm so glad you mentioned that because that's a point of pride, I think, not only for the foundation, but definitely for the district and for our students to get that have an opportunity to participate in that. Absolutely. That's huge. So, all right, so we were able to talk about some of the benefits. Yes. Um, the thing that I think I want to share is for you being alum, being a parent in the district, also being connected to uh community business in the district. How does involvement in the foundation benefit not only students but also the greater community, including our families and organizations and local businesses? Talk to us about that. Sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

Well, Westchester School District, this is an area that people come to to be a part of the district. And not only that, but there's universities within the area. People come and stay, like my like myself, um, because it's very near and dear to them. So these students become a part of our community when they're out. So the benefits really to the community are the community to invest in that education because they do become our future, whether it be within a trade, within you know a professional atmosphere. The the the idea of growth and success, the more that we can grow that part of the future, they they become the part of the community. So having alumni, community partners involved, it's it keeps us connected and it does truly invest in not only the students, but eventually the entire community.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

Oh, absolutely. I think listening to you reminds us of um Career Compass program that was launched this year with um Kate Coulter and also Carol Lill. And that is just something that this is Carol Lill's passion project as far as connecting students with their areas of interest with community partnerships. And you nailed it exactly like there's a benefit that works for our students, but there's also a benefit that works for our community partners. And we found just this first year to be such a level of success as far as like how can we continue to grow and expand because we know that to your point, there are so many people that have such pride in our community and our district too, and as far as making sure that there's some opportunities for sponsorships.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

Absolutely. Well, and being able to provide whether it is employment or an internship or something to give give youth a hands-on approach and that experience, that helps them decide what they want to do with their future. My five-year-old daughter wants to be a teacher because of the inspiration of her teacher, yeah. And that so it's really important that we expose them to every opportunity of whatever they want to be so that they can get that experience that really helps them in the future.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

You completely nailed it, like right on point there. So let's talk about what are some ways and opportunities that other folks can get involved. For instance, some people want to support schools or they are a point of pride, but they're not quite sure how to begin. How did you get your start? Sure.

SPEAKER_00 8:51

Fulton Bank had approached me, however, so there was a little bit of let's be involved as a member of the board, but also selfishly as an alumni, as a member of the community, and then over time, obviously having having a child in the district, but also just the level of involvement and understanding how many opportunities the organizations and local businesses have to be involved, whether it is attending our large Harlem Wizards event that we have or being a sponsorship of that, which is a tremendous turnout, whether your child's involved in the school district or you just want to come, it is a ton of fun and something that is talked about, and you've got to get swag while you're there. Um so that is one of our largest drivers for fundraising. So participating in an in an event or sponsoring the event, um, for forming the partnerships within the local communities. In addition, we we participate and leverage the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit, which local businesses can receive a 75 to 90 percent tax credit for investing in in public education. So that EITC gives us a mutually beneficial way for a small business owner or an organization to enjoy the little bit of the tax benefit, but also continue to pay it forward into the into the foundations of program with grants and and what we're looking to do to provide the future every opportunity they can, whether it be within the curriculum. But and it's tremendous for the teachers. The recognition that the teacher gets when they're writing these grant proposals is is phenomenal. So really, even a small act, whether you're sharing our information, and it can be found at the school district website. Um, you know, attending an event or encouraging anyone else to participate, whether you're a parent, an alumni, a member of the community, work in the community, live in the community, you have a business. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

And EITC, I mean, that's a big touch point.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

It is a good idea. It is a big touch point, and and there are many people that don't know that aren't even aware that that is out there. So sharing that piece of information is really important too.

SPEAKER_01 11:03

Good, good stuff. Well, I have to say, I have just been so grateful for your time and sharing your story and being able to partner with us and in your seat on the board and being able to say, like, hey, here are the opportunities to showcase every year. Um, the district does a a foundation breakfast to one, thank the foundation for the foundation to be able to have all the benefactors that have been able to share their stories. And I will say the thing that is is so cool when when classrooms or teachers are are launching their projects and they're sending an invite to be able to see, that's really really cool.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

You're able to come see at the breakfast, you're able to see some of the projects that we have have provided the funding to support and to see the students able to present it or have somebody talk about the the free enterprise Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week and share their experience. And they want they want to brag, they want to share that um and and pay it forward. That is truly the most rewarding part of being involved.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for your for your partnership. Thank you so much for being an excellent alum and more important, uh just being a mom, being a parent of the district, it means so much that you're you're investing us in us in a number of different ways. Well, thank you. So thank you for your time. Thank you. It was a pleasure. See you next time. Keep on listening. Thanks so much for joining me on Talking the WCASD Way. New episodes drop every other Wednesday. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a conversation. Until next time.

SPEAKER_00 12:38

Because our district is full of stories.