Woodfill Elementary School principal John Gesenhues knows exactly how important the gym in a school can be – and how many purposes it can serve. “Our gym is used for so much more than physical education,” says Gesenhues. “We hold student performances, musical programs, parent events, assemblies, celebrations and other school-wide activities in that space. With nearly 450 students at Woodfill, our cafeteria simply isn’t large enough to accommodate many of these events. The gym has become an important gathering space for our entire school community, and having quality sound and projection equipment makes a tremendous difference.”

By applying for and receiving a grant for new equipment from the Fort Thomas Education Foundation, Woodfill was able to upgrade its “multi-use” gym area by outfitting it with a new projection and sound system. The resulting technology helps turn the entire gym into a space fit for gatherings of all types. “This equipment allows us to project presentations, videos, student work and other visuals while also providing much better sound for performances and events,” explains Gesenhues. “It really helps us make the gym feel like a true multipurpose space rather than simply a place for physical education.”

Money donated to and raised by the Fort Thomas Education Foundation goes toward helping to fulfill the “wishlists” of teachers who seek to supplement their classrooms with outside-the-box thinking and valuable resources which might not otherwise be in the budget of an independent school system.

For Gesenhues, the support of an organization like FTEF can help make a difference in the experiences a school system is able to provide its students, teachers and community. “The people who invest in our schools deserve to see the impact of that investment,” says Gesenhues. “When someone gives their time, money or resources to support education, they are really investing in students and their future.”

Those interested in contributing to the ongoing efforts of the Education Foundation can do so in a variety of ways, from one-time gifts to annual, estate or trust giving. And for a Fort Thomas School Independent School System principal like Gesenhues, seeing the support from the community is a signifier of the town’s commitment to the future of its children.

“The equipment itself is great, but the real story isn’t about a projector or a sound system,” he says. “The story is about what those things allow our students to experience. It’s about creating memories and experiences that students will remember long after they leave Woodfill. At the end of the day, that’s what makes the Education Foundation so special. They aren’t simply funding equipment; they are helping us create opportunities for our students.”

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