Pleasant Valley Education Foundation Tell me and I will forget Show me and I may remember Involve me and I will understand The quote above has been variously attributed to Benjamin Franklin, an ancient Chinese proverb, or a Native American saying. Take your pick. Regardless, it is a philosophy that the Pleasant Valley Education Foundation (PVEF) believes in. Experiential learning can engage parts of the brain - create true understanding - in ways that a textbook can’t. The Pleasant Valley Education Foundation generates the resources and provides the programs to create hands-on opportunities in the arts and technology for Camarillo, California K-8 public school students. While you can learn math and history from textbooks, creativity, abstract thinking and self-confidence are learned by doing. But why the Arts....why Technology? Click on the About Us button at the top of the page to learn more. Pleasant Valley Education Foundation has an all volunteer Board of Directors which runs our programs. Please browse our website to learn more about us. We invite you to support our efforts through donations, sponsorships and volunteer positions. The Pleasant Valley Education Foundation generates the resources and provides the programs to create hands-on opportunities in the arts and technology for Camarillo K-8 public school students. This is based on our belief that a well-rounded education includes experiential learning in those subjects - specifically arts and technology - which cultivate and enhance the skills for 21st century living. Among those skills are creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaboration. History The Pleasant Valley Education Foundation was once known as Camarillo Foundation for Educational Enhancement. This group was incorporated June 28, 1985 and for a variety of reasons went silent several years later. It stayed that way for many years with ~$10,000 in the bank but no directors to control those funds. On September 29, 1998 the name was changed to the Pleasant Valley Education Foundation. The PVEF gained a full head of steam in Feb 2001. Seed monies were collected from local developer Pardee Homes out of funds that were earmarked for a new school that the district didn’t need at the time. We also received a large grant from Tone Yee Investments. The two grants gave us over $500,000 to start with. This money was earmarked to get the Foundation off on a secure footing through the hiring of a fine arts chairperson for five years to write grants. The district hired someone but due to a combination of factors, the position only lasted a year. The monies were then redirected to boost the band program and start the foundation in its present form. Over the last several years, PVEF has provided the funds for: Virtual Science Lab Project, which equipped classrooms with laptop computers Interactive SMART Boards which connect to computers and energize classroom presentations. Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Band Programs District-wide Strings Program Early Music Education (Flutophones for Elementary Schools) In the past, the only program that the PVEF created and ran on its own was CineMagic. Most funds went to support Pleasant Valley School District programs. While we still offer support to PVSD programs through our Innovation Grants, PVEF now runs its own programs for the benefit of all K-8 public school students. For a complete list of our programs, click on the Programs button at the top of the page. Board of Directors Peggy Smith - President/Chairman Cynthia Fiacco - VP Marketing/Publicity Samson Ghaffari - VP Fundraising Maria Waggoner - VP Programs Darren Patnoe – Treasurer - Robotics Program, Committee Chair Deanne Ellison - Secretary - Speech Program, Committee Chair Bob Taylor - Immediate Past President/Chairman Simhan Mandyam - CineMagic Program, Committee Chair Mark McCarthy - Innovation Grants Program, Committee Chair Dianne Engebretson - Annual Golf Tourney, Committee Chair Jonathan Novick - CineMagic Committee Greg Stuart - Robotics Committee Glenn Ishida - Gater Liaison, Gater Chairman Non-voting staff: Sharon Taylor - Executive Director