CTFL_001 helper - ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL_001) Updated: 2024

MANKATO — For this dynamic duo, patience and persistence paid off.

The Ann Bancroft Foundation in St. Paul announced its 2023 fall grant cycle recently, with awards to 140 Minnesota girls, including two Mankato sisters. The awards totaled more than $129,000 to help fund girls’ dreams. It’s the most grant money the foundation has awarded in its 26-year history.

Four Mankato area girls are among the grant recipients.

Two of the grant recipients are Mankato sisters Claudia and Estelle Mathew. Seven-year-old Claudia is a second grader at Rosa Parks Elementary School and Estelle, 11, is a sixth grader at Prairie Winds Middle School.

The girls applied last year for foundation grants but were denied. However, they were determined and, thus, decided to apply again. This year they were surprised and happy to be selected, said their mother Diana Mathew.

“Each got a $1,000 one-time award,” Mathew said. “I received two separate emails from Ann Bancroft stating both girls would be recipients. It was fantastic.”

Sixth grader Kianna Peterson, 11, of Nicollet, applied for funds to go toward gymnastics, which she said helps with her ADHD, depression, anxiety and confidence. “It also makes me feel proud of myself,” she wrote in her grant application, “and feel like I belong and to belong to something important.”

A North Mankato 9-year-old’s family asked for her name to not appear in The Free Press. She plans to use her grant toward paying for basketball, as her dream is to play college hoops and one day be featured on TV.

“I am thrilled to witness the transformative power of our grants in the lives of these remarkable Minnesota girls,” Ethelind Kaba, executive director of the Ann Bancroft Foundation, stated in a release.

“Their dreams and aspirations drive our mission, and we are proud to provide the support, inspiration and resources that empower them to reach new heights.”

Claudia is applying her $1,000 toward math tutoring. She aspires to be a geologist, and her mom has told her to succeed in the field she’ll need to take many math classes, Claudia said.

“Math can be tough,” she said in her foundation application. “I want to find a way to enjoy learning math. I can also help my friends in class who do not get to go to Mathnasium.

“My teacher tells me that finding a love for math is important for me to go through additional math classes in high school to be able to apply for college. I want to go to college to be a famous geologist.”

Claudia’s sister Estelle also landed a $1,000 foundation scholarship and she too is putting it toward private math tutoring. Like her sister, she has big dreams.

“I see myself working for NASA someday as an aerospace engineer,” she said in her foundation application for grant funds. “I wish to take AP classes in my high school and finish at least two years of college before I even graduate high school. I realize that it is important for me to get good at math to be able to pursue my dream of one day attending an engineering college… I hope to discover more of my love for math through these lessons.”

The foundation received about 200 applications for the fall 2023 grant cycle.

Since 1997, the foundation has awarded more than $2.3 million to 5,500 Minnesota girls in grades kindergarten through 12th. The grants are aimed to be investments with immediate and lasting impact.

This is the first year with a $1,000 maximum, with previous cycles awarding up to $500. However, these grants are about “more than just money,” the foundation’s release said.

“We are always looking for the dream that each girl has for themselves in the future,” said Lauren Skar, program coordinator for the foundation. “We also love when applicants make deeper, personal connections, where they share more about who they are as a person.

“We know girls have multiple interests, and we love to see when their interests have connections to their dreams. Sometimes these connections are straightforward, like a girl whose grant funds her school trip, and who dreams of traveling the world. But if that girl’s dream is to become a lawyer, then she can still make the connection to her activity by saying that the trip will help open her eyes to new perspectives, connect with her peers, and foster independence.”

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Dec. 12—Only have a minute? Listen instead

The former Brownsville Community Foundation announced a free program Monday to provide tablet-based internet connectivity to Brownsville Independent School District students — as the Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation — and to low-income Valley residents.

The foundation announced the re-branding during a news conference at Morningside Elementary in Brownsville, where it also announced it will be the facilitator for an Educational Technology Program for the Valley through Public Wireless Company.

The foundation announced it was changing its name to Rio Grande Valley Philanthropic Foundation to reflect a more regional focus.

The developments mean that any BISD student, as well as veterans and low-income Valley residents who meet criteria can receive a 10-inch tablet computer with a SIM card to immediately connect to the internet, foundation CEO Diane Milliken Garza said at the news conference.

"We are here today to tell you about the very first local challenge that the regional foundation is addressing. That challenge is the lack of connectivity for a very large percentage of the population of the Rio Grande Valley," she said.

"This is not a permanent solution to the problem of establishing local broadband service. This program in no way competes with the building of a broadband service for our region," Garza said. "But what this program does do, is ... provide immediate and free connectivity through tablets with (a) SIM card that provide broadband service completely free to all of the eligible students, veterans and underprivileged in the RGV community who care to apply for it."

Garza likened internet connectivity to access to pen and paper or the public library in times past.

Garza and BISD officials awarded the tablets to several Morningside students amid a pep rally-like atmosphere where the students were urged to utilize the devices as a powerful tool for learning.

Eligibility is income based. The program is completely funded through the FCC and grants or donations for at least the next five years, Garza went on to say.

In the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, Congress appropriated $3.2 billion to the FCC to help low-income households pay for broadband service and connected internet devices called The Emergency Broadband Benefit, but it was temporary.

"However, it did so well, it transitioned to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) beginning December 31, 2021. The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps households afford and access the broadband internet connectivity they need for work, school, health care, and other essential needs.

Then to expand the knowledge base and to reach additional markets, the FCC reached out to private entities like Public Wireless — a 30-year wireless company.

Public Wireless, using the current Affordable Connectivity Program as a foundation, has developed The Educational Technology Program (ETP).

Instead of households getting a discount for broadband services and devices, now they pay nothing.

The RGV Philanthropic Foundation is the local facilitator for the Educational Technology Program.

This is what is included in the ETP completely free of charge for qualified applicants:

— A 10-inch tablet computer with a hard case cover.

— A SIM card that provides 24/7 LTE broadband internet service.

— A repair program — if broken or damaged, send it in and they will send a brand-new replacement.

— 24/7 tech support and customer service.

— An automatic new and updated tablet each year that the program exists.

Through the ETP, there is absolutely no responsibility, cost or strings attached for the recipients. There is never a bill and they will own the tablet.

To qualify for the ETP, a member of the household only needs to meet any one of the criteria listed on the application — for example: SNAP, Medicaid, federal public housing assistance, SSI, WIC, Lifeline, information provided at the event indicated.

Benita Villarreal, BISD Career and Technical Education director, said all BISD students qualify for the tablets because all district students qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches and thus receive the benefit.

"Our present and our future are now irrevocably interwoven with the world wide web. By providing connectivity to those who have not had access to it right now, immediately — even as we wait for permanent local broadband to be established — will absolutely change lives," Garza said.

Point Isabel ISD will be the next entity to partner with the foundation, she said.

"If your child is a student at any BISD school or any Port Isabel school, you need to use the applications from those school districts. Anyone else interested in participating can go to our website to access the application," she said.

For further information, visit the Brownsville Community Foundation's website RGVPF.org or email [email protected]

A new nonprofit foundation is being set up to help fund educational programs in the Ravenna School District and provide opportunities for its nearly 2,000 students.

Sponsored by alumni, the foundation will be dedicated to the school district, but function as an outside entity as is now required by Ohio law.

Matthew Ferrell, president of Buckeye Residential Solutions and an alumnus of Ravenna High School, is leading the effort to get the foundation up and running. Ferrell has been joined by other alumni who have agreed to serve on the foundation’s board. Brandy Tsai will serve as treasurer and Melissa Morris as secretary. Justin Yun and Amy Adams will serve as board members.

“We have filed our articles of incorporation and await a ruling by the Internal Revenue Service that gives the Ravenna Schools Foundation 501(c) 3 status,” said Ferrell. “We have already set up an account at Portage Community Bank that can accept donations.”

The foundation will be similar to others that public schools throughout the state of Ohio are forming to help overcome what educators believe is an inadequate effort to fund public education. Locally, Aurora and Kent publiuc schools have foundations.

Shaker Heights has the oldest public school foundation in Ohio. Set up 42 years ago, the Shaker Schools Foundation, according to its president, attorney Carter Strang, has assets that have grown to more than $5 million and during its existence have provided more than $10 million in support of students and teachers funding programs not covered by tax dollars. One recent example is funding sewing machines for a program set up in collaboration with the Kent State School of Fashion. Shaker is a larger school district, but its foundation shows the potential that can accrue to a public school system.

An advantage of the foundation will be its ability to grow as funds are conservatively invested. This will help extend the life of scholarship money, which is often dedicated to the memory of someone.

Ravenna Superintendent Laura Hebert said the foundation is critical to the Ravenna district. Ravenna schools, she said, “are not fully funded by Ohio’s Fair Funding Act.” The additional money provided by the Ohio lottery and the casinos, she said, “amounts to $60 per student, a drop in the bucket.”

Citing medical insurance as one of the Ravenna School District’s major expenses, she noted that premium rates since 2005 have gone up by 163%. Base salaries for teaching and non-teaching staff since 2005 have risen only 40%, she said.

Despite tight finances, Hebert said Ravenna is undertaking important initiatives. The Ravenna Renaissance Scholar Program will provide personalized learning opportunities in the areas of art, business, and manufacturing/engineering. Students in the program will work in a cohort learning in each content area. They will also collaborate on an industry proposed issue and design and market a product to address the issue. The model, she said, is based on the Virginia Commonwealth University’s DaVinci Center focusing on works in the high school setting.

Ravenna also intends to beef up its Career and Tech Education offerings, especially the area of health services, she said. Ravenna would like to acquire a simulator ambulance for this program and perhaps someday the new foundation can help in initiatives like that. She said the foundation can also enrich the William R. Day Civics Institute’s curriculum. She said Ravenna would like to offer more advanced placement courses for Ravenna’s college-bound students and the foundation could help that effort.

The foundation has already received two donations totaling nearly $10,000 as word has spread on social media. Ferrell said the Foundation has adopted as its slogan, “Every Raven, Everywhere.”

Noting the bond that alumni often feel about the schools where they have received their education, Ferrell said the foundation will become an effective instrument for alumni who want to give back to Ravenna schools.

David E. Dix is a retired publisher of the Record-Courier.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New Ravenna schools foundation will help students achieve

As valuations come down, now more than ever, founders “need to prove their company is built to last with long-term profitability and scalability in mind,” writes Russ Heddleston, CEO of DocSend at Dropbox.

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According to DocSend data, investors aren’t scouring pitch decks as earnestly as they were in the past. There’s still a market for early-stage deals, though. “For founders now, perfecting the pitch, having an efficient sales strategy, and scoping the product with urgency will create a strong foundation for success that attracts investors.”

Thanks for reading and happy holidays!

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Crypto valuations ‘came back to earth’ in 2023, but VCs expect them to rise again in 2024

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This year hasn’t been great for crypto firms, but change might be on the horizon. Experts told Jacquelyn Melinek that crypto activity is likely to pick back up again in 2024. “The drier funding climate of 2023 only served to weed out the weaker businesses that had managed to secure capital in 2021,” she writes.

Story continues

Seed to Series A: Strategic insights for tech founders in the 2024 venture landscape

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A new report from Forum Ventures offers a good look at the current state of early-stage B2B SaaS investments.

The data might be discouraging, “but the silver lining is that rounds are still getting done and companies that find product-market fit should benefit from scaling into what will likely be the next bull market over the coming years,” writes Forum Ventures CEO and managing partner Mike Cardamone.

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:05:00 -0600 en-AU text/html https://au.news.yahoo.com/strong-foundation-help-raise-early-190541570.html

LouCity and Racing Foundation partnering with Lights Under Louisville to help kids with sports

Updated: 8:58 AM EST Dec 18, 2023

NEWS A POPULAR HOLIDAY ATTRACTION IN LOUISVILLE IS BENEFITING A LOCAL FOUNDATION THAT HELPS FAMILIES LIGHTS UNDER. TICKETS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT LOOSE CITY AND RACING FOUNDATION HERE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING FOR US JEREMY JARVIS. HE’S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION. SO TELL ME IF YOU WENT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS WORKS BECAUSE THE CAVERN LIGHTS UNDER LOUISVILLE, ALL OF THAT IS SUCH A POPULAR COOL THING TO VISIT THIS TIME OF YEAR. YEAH. IT’S ONE OF OUR FAMILIES FAVORITE TRADITIONS EACH HOLIDAY SEASON, TOO. SO THE THE FINE FOLKS ARE FRIENDS AT MEGAC CAVERNS HAS A LOT OF THE FOUNDATION ELIMINATE NUMBER 100 TICKETS FOR FOLKS TO PURCHASE. IT’S THE SAME PRICE AND ALL THE PROCEEDS 100% THE PROCEEDS WILL GO BACK TO THE LOOSE CITY AND RACING FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT YOUTH SOCCER. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE. FOUNDATION AND HELP HOW THAT HELP. S LOCAL SO THE FOUNDATION’S JUST BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW AND KIND OF WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE SOCCER ACCESSIBLE TO ALL KIDS AND WE DO THAT A NUMBER OF WAYS WHETHER THAT BE THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS. WE DISTRIBUTE A LOT OF FREE EQUIPMENT. WE’RE DOING A LOT OF PROGRAMMING CLINICS IN NEIGHBORHOODS. WE’RE KIDS AREN’T ABLE TO GET TO ABLE TO PLAY SOCCER. SO WE KIND OF BRIDGE THOSE GAPS AND MAKE SOCCER ACCESSIBLE. GOAL FOR THE FOUNDATION WHEN YOU GUYS DREAM ABOUT AND YOU’RE ONLY TWO YEARS OLD NOW WHEN YOU ALL DREAM ABOUT 20, 25 30 YEARS FROM NOW IN THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. WHAT DO YOU SEE? WELL SOCCER IS THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS THAT ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE AND YOU’RE RIGHT NOW THEY DON’T AND SO WE USE SOCCER AS THE PLATFORM TO NOT ONLY TEACH THEM THOSE SUCKER SKILLS, BUT ALSO, TEACHING THEM LIFE SKILLS HEALTHY HABITS NUTRITION AND ALLOWING THEM TO BENEFIT FROM ALL THE THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH SPORT HOW TO WORK AS A TEAM ALL THOSE THINGS. YEAH, THEY’RE SO SO CRUCIAL. SO IF PEOPLE DO WANT TO GET THESE TICKETS, THEY WANT TO SEE LIGHTS INTO LOUISVILLE. THEY WANT TO ALSO BENEFIT LUCIDITY AND RACING WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO? YEAH, WE’LL GO TO OUR WEBSITE LUCIDITY RACING FOUNDATION.ORG OR CALL OUR MAIN ON PHONE NUMBER OF THE TRAINING CENTER, AND WE JUST HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS AVAILABLE. I THINK WE HAD A HUNDRED TO STAR AND THERE’S ALREADY BEEN OVER 30 PURCHASED. WOW. TWO AND IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH JEREM

LouCity and Racing Foundation partnering with Lights Under Louisville to help kids with sports

Updated: 8:58 AM EST Dec 18, 2023

The LouCity and Racing Foundation is partnering with Lights Under Louisville to raise funds for its mission of making sports more accessible to kids.The Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC founded organization, which has been around almost two years, has allotted 100 tickets for people to purchase to the annual holiday favorite event.All proceeds from those sales will go to the foundation. This helps pay for scholarships, free equipment and clinics.They want to use soccer as a platform to teach healthy habits and teamwork.Tickets can be purchased here. You can also buy tickets by calling the Lynn Family Sports Vision and Training Facility at 502-308-5866.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

The LouCity and Racing Foundation is partnering with Lights Under Louisville to raise funds for its mission of making sports more accessible to kids.

The Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC founded organization, which has been around almost two years, has allotted 100 tickets for people to purchase to the annual holiday favorite event.

All proceeds from those sales will go to the foundation.

This helps pay for scholarships, free equipment and clinics.

They want to use soccer as a platform to teach healthy habits and teamwork.

Tickets can be purchased here.

You can also buy tickets by calling the Lynn Family Sports Vision and Training Facility at 502-308-5866.

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 23:58:00 -0600 en text/html https://www.wlky.com/article/loucity-and-racing-foundation-partnering-with-lights-under-louisville-to-help-kids-with-sports/46163199

The Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative and The Literacy Center were among 30 local recipients of the HarborOne Foundation’s bi-annual grant awards benefiting local youth and families.

The foundation’s grant to the Interfaith Collaborative will help provide nutritious and delicious meals to the most vulnerable members of the community with six meal sites serving six days a week in Attleboro, Mansfield, Norton, North Attleboro and Foxboro, according to a press release.

The grant to The Literacy Center will help enhance the financial literacy component of the organization’s Basic and Level I English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes.

“It’s a privilege for the HarborOne Foundation to support the important work of local nonprofits and community leaders,” said Jennifer White, vice president for community relations, HarborOne Bank, and president, HarborOne Foundation. “The foundation’s efforts are centered on investing in programs that are having a transformative impact on their local community and The Literacy Center and Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative are two terrific examples of organizations changing lives every day.”

Since its inception, the HarborOne Foundation has invested over $2.7 million to support and expand the work of community non-profits including organizations that promote educational opportunity, create access to safe and affordable housing and provide basic human services to our most vulnerable citizens.

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0600 en text/html https://www.thesunchronicle.com/business/harborone-foundation-grants-help-attleboro-area-nonprofits/article_65088b45-64ac-50e3-a3a4-5e8f1204655e.html No result found, try new keyword!Philippines — Cebu City Councilor and former basketball star Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros led the formal launch of his “DH25 Foundation” which aims to reach impoverished Cebuanos to help ... Mon, 18 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0600 en-us text/html https://www.msn.com/