PAFE's dedication to students benefits us all

If you haven’t heard of the Panhandle Alliance for Education, you haven’t been paying attention to education in Bonner County.

Since 2003, attorney Bill Berg’s vision of creating at community-based, nonprofit organization to raise money for local schools.

The grant program for teachers was an instant hit and contributed mightily in a state that doesn’t adequately fund education. Far too many teachers found themselves limited by budget constraints to barely teach the basics. Anything extra came out of their own pockets or, more likely, didn’t happen at all.

Berg’s vision attracted like-minded individuals and especially important, caught the attention of Georgia Shonk-Simmons — Coldwater Creek’s get-it-done leader.

The Creek has helped raise the lion’s share of a grant system that has awarded more than $100,000 a year to teachers for the past four years and has an endowment of $1.1 million.

The list of accomplishments is impressive and PAFE has found a way to improve the educational process from kindergartners to post graduation.

About 44 percent of the children entering  Lake Pend Oreille School District lack readiness skills that could seriously impede their ability to succeed in school.

Recognizing that, READY! for kindergarten started last year to give parents tools, books and tips to help those children.

Another gap was a lack of career guidance at the high schools. Thanks to PAFE funding, there is a new career counseling center at SHS to help students map out the future.

PAFE’s list of accomplishments is too long to share here but it isn’t an exaggeration to state that PAFE has touched every Lake Pend Oreille school and teacher in one way or another.

Congratulations, PAFE!

Continued good luck in the future. I don’t know where we would be without you. If you would like to know more: panhandlealliance.org.

David Keyes is publisher  of the Daily Bee.