About CEF

The Camas Educational Foundation was founded in 1997 based on the belief that partnership between community and schools is the most certain means to achieve excellence in education. We are a non-profit volunteer group of parents, educators, and community members dedicated to raising money and awarding grants in support of academic enrichment programs impacting over 5,000 students in the Camas School District.

Two Boys in Class

Through June 2007, the Foundation has funded over 280 innovative grant requests from teachers, parents, and administrators. Grants supported have purchased materials and equipment, and enabled programs in social studies and history, the arts, math and science, reading and language arts, leadership and mentoring, media and communications, and physical education.

Aided by support from a three-year, strategic CEF grant, the district has implemented the Waterford Early Reading Program at all four elementary schools. Waterford utilizes state of the art multimedia technology to help children learn to read. According to Christy Cline, a reading specialist at Prune Hill Elementary, “Having used the Waterford Early Reading Program for 2 full years with our most struggling kindergarten students, I have seen significant results. The improvement has been measured in abc letter recognition, letter-sound correspondence, phonemic awareness, concepts of print and reading levels. Two of the lowest students in kindergarten last year entered 1st grade in the upper middle skill level of their class and did not need LAP services at all this year. Five others just needed a short term in LAP and have now exited above grade level.”

Two Girls

The CEF Legacy Fund is our endowment fund, intended to extend the work of CEF into the future and guarantee educational excellence for the next generations of Camas kids. The Legacy Fund committee has set a five-year goal of achieving a principal balance of $1,000,000 by 2012, with the present balance at approximately $250,000. Planned giving contributions are intended to be a primary source of funding for the endowment, combined with an annual allocation from our general fund raising, and cash donations from corporate and private donors.

Our Mission

Assist the Camas School District in building and maintaining a world-class K-12 educational system:

  • Supplement traditional funding via community contributions and public and private grants

  • Develop and support in-class and after school enrichment programs

  • Promote innovation in our schools

We will achieve this by:

  • Conducting community/local business fund raisers

  • Establishing an endowment fund for the future

  • Building community awareness and support

Our Vision

  • INSPIRED children who embrace the challenge to learn

  • A MOTIVATED community that commits to a stake in the success of K-12 public education

  • A strong PARTNERSHIP with Camas Schools supporting a world-class educational environment

How is the Camas Educational Foundation structured, and what are the key fund
raising activities?

A volunteer Board of Directors governs the Foundation, according to published by-laws. Officers are elected each year, and meetings take place throughout the school year. The Board maintains a close working relationship with both the School Superintendent's office and the School Board. To facilitate communication and alignment of goals, Directors sponsor our four standing committees, which include the Endowment (Legacy Fund) Committee, Grant Funding Committee and our two key annual general fund raising committees, the Auction Committee and the Phone-A-Thon Committee.

How Can You Make a Contribution to
the Foundation?

By sending your tax-deductible contribution to the following address:

Camas Educational Foundation
1919 N.E. Ione Street
Camas, Washington 98607-1145

The Camas Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity and is registered under the Washington State Charitable Contributions Act. IRS Tax ID 91-1868504.

Your Contribution Will Help:

  • Provide materials for hands-on math and science learning
  • Supplement books available in our school libraries
  • Enable student mentoring programs
  • Sponsor arts festivals and visits from accomplished authors
  • Provide equipment and technology for the classroom
  • Help guarantee educational excellence for future generations of Camas students and further strengthen our community

How Can You Find Out More and Get Involved?

Find out more and see what's going on through this website. You may also send us a message.

To get involved, contact any of our many volunteers or committee members. We need and welcome anyone interested in helping out; someone from the Foundation will gratefully contact you and help you get involved!