Beyond Pencils and Crayons Grants Update
November 25, 2024
At the heart of every vibrant community is a commitment to education. That’s why we are proud to award grants that empower local educators to create new opportunities for their students. Beyond Pencils and Crayons grants provide funding to make classrooms more dynamic, inclusive, and inspiring places to learn.
Whether it’s enhancing academic success through multi-sensory learning tools or bringing diverse stories to life with programs like “Overcoming Obstacles to Inspire Success,” each grant is making a tangible difference in the lives of students. Explore the full list of Beyond Pencils and Crayons grants to see how schools in our community are benefiting—and how your generosity is playing a key role in shaping brighter futures for students.
Here’s a list of the most recent grants your belief, passion, and generosity made possible.
St. Peter Lutheran School | $400 for Food and Farm Exploration
Educating children about agricultural innovations and sustainability through experiential learning. This program will provide a deeper connection between the food we eat and where it comes from in the state of Wisconsin.
DC Everest Area School District | $3,400 for Playful Foundations
Incorporating intentional play to further engage students in our ELA curriculum. This project will balance an emphasis on social-emotional learning with complex topics in our curriculum.
St. John the Baptist Catholic School | $750 for Tech for Translation
Providing earpiece translation technology to Spanish-speaking students. This initiative will enhance classroom communication, promote inclusivity, and foster a supportive environment for all learners.
DC Everest Area School District | $4,286 for Clear Solutions
Engaging middle school students in designing and testing filtration systems to address water contamination, including PFAS. The program hopes to foster critical thinking, teamwork, and environmental stewardship while raising community awareness about water safety and sustainability.
St. Peter Lutheran School | $500 for Playaway Audiobooks
Providing access to Playaway audiobooks in the 5th- 8th grade classrooms will help students with lower-level reading abilities and learning disabilities to engage with the same texts as their peers for class novels and reading groups.
Marathon School District | $2,000 for CNC Milling
Enhancing high school shop curriculum by integrating a CNC milling machine for metalworking.
Edgar School District | $4,000 for Overcoming Obstacles to Inspire Success
A focused approach on bringing to life stories that may have never before been heard nor read by having the people who wrote it, lived it, and experienced it come here and share. Four programs throughout the year will focus on Southeast Asian people living in Wausau, a story of service in Vietnam, John Carlos’ incredible Olympic journey, and exploring women in aviation and outer space.
Wausau School District | $4,999 for Music Production II – Audio Engineering
Creating a fully functional recording studio and providing the necessary tools for live audio production for students enrolled in Music Production II.
DC Everest Area School District | $800 for Friendship Friday Activities
Providing toys for special education students to use during Friendship Friday to practice their social skills.
Wausau School District | $660 for Learning Through Productive Play
Implementing an innovative program aimed at supporting neurodiverse learners in our educational community through dramatic play and sensory exploration.
Athens School District | $2,700 for Educational Tool Kits and Team Building
Helping build positive relationships to support our Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum, boosting positive school culture, and encouraging cooperative skills and communications utilizing Team Extreme’s team-building experiences and tool kits.
Athens School District | $800 for Multi-Sensory Learning Tools
Giving students tools and resources to help them focus in order to achieve academic success.
What makes these grants possible?
The generosity of hundreds of donors! Whether you have $20 to give to the Wausau Marathon County Fund, $10,000, or somewhere in the middle, we will celebrate your generosity because each gift generates more grantmaking resources. Donors who give $250,000 or more to the Wausau Marathon County Impact Funds establish a Named Unrestricted Fund for Marathon County to help meet community needs for generations.
The Named, Unrestricted Funds for Wausau Marathon County:
- Otto S. & Esther M. Holmskug | Silver | 1994
- Caroline S. Mark | Platinum | 2005
- Marvin C. & Ruth (Rudie) J. Schuette | Platinum | 2009
- Nils Folke Jr. & Jean B. Becker | Platinum | 2013
- Edward & Lois Drott | Platinum | 2016
- James & Susan Lundberg | Gold | 2017
- Tom & Marilyn Kraemer | Silver | 2023
- William & Juliana Franzen | Silver | 2024
Giving Levels
Diamond | $2,000.000 or more
Platinum | $1,000,000 to $1,999,999
Gold | $500,000 to $999,999
Silver | $250,000 to $499,999
How can you get involved today?
Have you ever dreamed of accomplishing something important but needed more resources to make it happen? Watching nonprofit leaders dream big but lack the resources to make their dreams come true was the catalyst for establishing the Wausau Marathon County Fund. The nonprofits in our community meet a variety of tangible needs, and for decades now, they have been able to apply for grants from the Wausau Marathon County Fund to help make their visions for a brighter community come to life. Anyone can donate at any time! Every gift is meaningful and is important for making the community a better place for all.
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