Areas of Community Need...

Thanks to 2009 Women’s Fund members who paid or pledged and voted to help choose the areas of community need that will direct our research of nonprofit agency programs that will be on the ballot in January 2010.

This year, the community issues considered of highest priority to our members, based on the voting are:

• Human Services (e.g., hunger, foster/senior care, family support)

• Housing and Shelter (e.g., affordable housing, transition shelters)

• Education and Personal Development for school-aged children, youth and adults

Over the next several months, the volunteer Research Committee will research relevant agencies and programs in these issue areas. As a reminder, the Women’s Fund does not accept applications for funding.

All 2009 Women’s Fund members will receive a ballot in January 2010 and vote for the programs they would most like to see funded. Grants will be awarded in February.

Sometimes you just have to see and hear something with your own eyes and ears to truly appreciate it. That was my experience when I attended the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy site visit on May 20. 

In February, the Women’s Fund awarded a $150,000 grant to the Academy for its $3 million capital campaign (to be matched by the state) to construct a new building for its growing engineering program. On paper, it sounded great: the new facility will house mechanical engineering, computer, electronics and metal/wood labs for 384 high school students drawn from all Santa Barbara middle schools. At least 50% (up from 30%) of Academy participants will be girls, and there will be additional space to provide technical training for students who will enter the workforce right out of high school. As a Women’s Fund researcher, I felt it had all the elements of a program worth supporting. 

But seeing this year’s seniors at the Academy proudly explain and demonstrate their work was far more inspiring than anything I had read on paper.

The students spoke confidently and articulately about the robot they designed and built in six weeks and then operated in an international competition of 1,500 schools. The DP team came in second and won the coveted Motorola design award. But that’s not what impressed me most. 

The robot they demonstrated moved effortlessly across the floor, executing a number of complex tasks from their remote handlers.  But that’s not what impressed me most either.

What really inspired me were the students’ attitudes – their dedication and commitment, their teamwork and leadership, their poise and enthusiasm. I was struck by the realization that these students embody the very values we should be rewarding through our Women’s Fund grants: taking responsibility and seeking excellence. 

And that’s the point of our site visits: bringing to life the programs we support through the Women’s Fund.  

I’m looking forward to being equally inspired at our next site visit in September. Watch your e-mail for information. 

Sarah de Tagyos
Former Research Committee Co-chair

Left to right:  Sandy Seale, DP Engineering Foundation President, thanking Fleurette Barsom-Janigian, WF Oversight Co-Chair; Students, Luke Seale and Stuart Sherwin demonstrating robot; Students, Gabe Rivas, Alysa Ogi, Yidi Yang  making presentation.