Kean Education Foundation outlines literacy, STEM and student-support programs, requests continued county funding

Kelly Kelly, executive director of the Kean Education Foundation, told the Kane County Commission on Sept. 16 that the nonprofit used $21,000 in county support this year to run literacy, STEM and student-support programs across the county. “You guys have been such a great support to Kean Education Foundation, giving $21,000 for us to help do what we do throughout the year,” Kelly said during the foundation's presentation.

The foundation described multiple ongoing programs. Kelly said the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a free monthly book-mail program for children birth to 5, serves Kanab and surrounding communities (Big Water, Orderville, Glendale, Mount Carmel, Duck Creek and Elk). Since launching the local program in 2021 the foundation reported 8,827 books delivered and estimated budgeting roughly $6,000 a year for the program; the foundation pays about $2.60 per book per child per month while Dolly Parton’s organization handles printing and postage.

Kelly outlined a $20,000 STEM budget used to underwrite activities that include a preschool summer science camp (budgeted about $1,000), a 2-day STEM camp for girls and a 2-day camp for boys run with the Kane County 4-H (about 40 girls and 40 boys per camp), and an annual two-day STEM fest that brings students from neighboring communities. The foundation said high-cost activities such as laser design and soldering are offered free to participants through grants and local support; Kelly said the foundation’s STEM camp unit costs can be the equivalent of “$200 to $300 per kid,” covered for attendees by subsidy.

On student mental-health support, Kelly said the foundation funded licensed school counselors to work through the summer with high-risk students so they wouldn’t lose progress from school-year therapy. The foundation reported funding counselors to serve 39 students and said summer costs rose this year; Kelly said the foundation budgeted about $15,000 this summer but expects the line may need to increase to about $20,000 next year because providers offered some hours pro bono when the budget ran short.

Kelly also described a school-based effort to provide period products and new “teen centers” at several schools stocked with laundry, showers, food and basic supplies for students. She said the foundation brought 400 free period-packet kits to distribute through school nurses and maturation programs and will coordinate with schools to help sustain supplies in the teen centers.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about funding sources and usage rates for the period packets. Kelly said she would check usage with the school nurse but expected the packets would be consumed quickly by maturation programs. Commissioners confirmed that some county funding for the foundation comes from the library property-tax fund (the foundation said $5,000 supports the Imagination Library and the remaining $15,000 had been from the general fund). No formal vote was required for the presentation.

The foundation also outlined smaller arts-in-library kits (budgeted about $5,000 annually) and scholarships distributed to local high-school students. Commissioners thanked the foundation and said they would continue to work with staff to sustain the described programs.