Our Stories

Thanks to the generous support from grants, students from Barr Middle School had an unforgettable opportunity to bring their English Language Arts lessons to life by attending a rehearsal performance of Grand Island Senior High's (GISH) production of "Suzie Scrooge," a modern take on the classic "A Christmas Carol." The trip, made possible by funding from the Clark W. Reese Memorial Endowed Fund and the Gloria and S.N. "Bud" Wolbach Student Kindness Grant, ensured that all 7th graders had the transportation needed to experience live theater and deepen their understanding of the play's timeless themes.

The holidays are here, and just around the corner is the most anticipated annual visit from that jolly bearded man in a red coat. Santa Claus is a staple of the winter season, and has been for a very long time. But what do we really know about this legend? Today, we’re going to find out. Check out these fun facts, figures and folklore about the man, the myth, the legend—Santa Claus.

Dreaming of your next step after high school, but worried about the cost? Whether you're aiming for a university, a community college, or a trade school, scholarships can help you get there! The GIPS Foundation is here to help you make those dreams a reality.

The best news? The GIPS Foundation Scholarship Application is officially OPEN!

Volume 10 | Number 6

Welcome to the November 2025 edition of Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. We show up every other month in over 11,000 in-boxes bringing you news, views, and memories of GISH. This is Issue #6 of our tenth year of publishing the only consistent connection for alumni and friends of Grand Island Senior High.

Second-grader Alex needed a critical tool for communication: a specialized device crucial for overcoming barriers posed by his Autism diagnosis. Before the grant, frustration often led to challenging behaviors, and his ability to communicate was severely limited.

Thanks to the Embree “Em” Learned Memorial Fund, Alex now has a voice that has dramatically improved his classroom engagement and independence. Read how this investment in technology transformed his communication from simple phrases to detailed expressions, and why his Speech/Language Pathologist calls the impact "immeasurable."

This year, the Foundation awarded 8 Classroom Grants totaling $10,371 for the 2025-2026 school year. These exciting new projects are expected to directly benefit 2,429 students across the district. Generous funding from sources like the Foundation's Harvest event, Community Campaign, Staff Giving Campaign, the Richard "Dick" Nabity Memorial Fund, and the Janeth Davis Memorial Fund made this impact possible.

The GIPS Foundation announced that its 2025 Harvest Event was a monumental success, shattering previous fundraising records by raising an incredible over $177,000. The record-breaking achievement reflects an inspiring commitment from the community to the Foundation. The GIPS Foundation’s mission is all-encompassing for our Students, Teachers, Administration, Staff, and the all-important supportive community. Together, we share one foundational vision: ALL STUDENTS MATTER!

In a world of instant gratification and technology answering many of our wants, there are still needs for our local students. Katie Lofing and Lauren Anderson, both inductees of the GISH National Honor Society where members are challenged every year with developing and executing a service project. Lofing and Anderson set their sights on Shoemaker Elementary, a non-Title I school with limited federal funding. Lofing and Anderson identified that having the proper supplies helps ensure a successful learning environment while easing financial stress for teachers and families. Lofing and Anderson enlisted the help of the GIPS Foundation. Their guidance provided security and exposure to propel Lofing and Anderson’s fundraising project, reaching above their goal to $2,025.

Volume 10 | Number 5

Welcome to the September 2025 edition of Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. We show up every other month in over 9,000 in-boxes bringing you news, views, and memories of GISH. Leading the news this issue is Walnut’s celebration of 100 years as a school. That’s our “At the Top” piece, which includes photos and a list of events to mark the milestone.

Thanks to a GIPS Foundation Classroom Grant, students at Grand Island Senior High (GISH) are getting a chance to create custom items at school. The grant was used buy a DTF (Direct-to-Film) printer for the student-run GISH School Store and the Academy of Business and Communications. The printer can be thought of as a hybrid between a Cricut and a screen printer. It prints designs on a transfer paper, then the design can be applied to various products.

The Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS) Foundation is excited to announce its annual fundraiser, Harvest, a special evening dedicated to cultivating incredible opportunities for GIPS students. The event will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at Riverside Golf Club, beginning with a cocktail hour at 5:30 PM.

Harvest is more than just a fundraiser; it's a celebration of community, generosity, and the shared commitment to investing in the future of GIPS students. Funds raised at the event provide vital resources and learning experiences for students, extending beyond the traditional classroom setting. These opportunities help students expand their horizons, discover hidden talents, and build a strong foundation for a successful future.

Thanks to a GIPS Foundation Classroom Grant, students at Stolley Park Elementary are taking their morning announcements to the next level. The Picture Perfect Productions project is bringing professional media tools to the classroom, giving students hands-on experience in video production while transforming how the school shares news each morning.

The GIPS Foundation is excited to announce the opening of its annual Classroom Grants program, empowering dedicated GIPS teachers to bring innovative learning experiences to life for their students. This vital program funds educational opportunities that extend beyond the district’s general budget, fostering creativity and enriching the academic journey for thousands of Grand Island students.

At the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, our mission extends beyond supporting students—we are also deeply committed to empowering the educators and staff who shape their success. Through the Dr. Eugene Miller Professional Development Grant and the newly established GIPS Foundation Professional Development Grants, we are proud to invest in the continued growth and excellence of our district’s professionals. Each grant awards $1,000 toward further education or training that supports the applicant’s current role and future goals within Grand Island Public Schools.

Volume 10 | Number 4

Welcome to the July 2025 edition of Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. In this edition we hear about Dollywood, the Foundation's summer activities, and a bird far from home. Visit the July Rise newsletter for these stories and more. Stay in touch, Islanders. And remember: Keep pushing on.

Students at Gates Elementary took a journey through space without ever leaving their school, thanks to the “Our Solar System and Beyond” project, funded by a GIPS Foundation Classroom Grant. This initiative brought the Edgerton Explorit Center’s portable planetarium to campus, giving first, third, and fifth graders an unforgettable, immersive experience with the solar system.

With gratitude, the GIPS Foundation acknowledged the outstanding generosity of its staff, who presented 10,000 reasons, one for each student, to invest in student opportunities. A significant highlight of this year's campaign was the heartfelt gesture from Joel and Terry Wiegand, who provided a $5,000 matching gift for all new or increased donations to the Foundation during this year’s campaign.

Volume 10 | Number 3

Welcome to Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. We show up every other month in over 9,000 in-boxes bringing you news, views, and memories of GISH. Rise is a publication of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.

Second-grade students across the district are exploring the world in greater detail, thanks to the “Microscope Marvels” Classroom Grant, funded by the GIPS Foundation. This project provided digital microscopes to all 36 second-grade classrooms, transforming how young learners experience science. McKenna Supencheck, second-grade teacher at Dodge, said about this grant, “I think it's awesome to use grants for things like this so we can do hands-on things, because we're teaching and we're talking all the time, but being able to provide an actual experience where they can see things and remember… they will remember this for a long time.”

Volume 10 | Number 2

This is Issue #2 of our tenth year of publishing the only consistent connection for alumni and friends of Grand Island Senior High. That makes this iteration 56 of Rise as we reach a decade of bringing the comings and goings of Islander alums across the globe.

At Shoemaker Elementary, first graders are gaining confidence and improving their reading skills, thanks to the “Decoding Our Way Through First Grade” grant, funded by the GIPS Foundation. This Classroom Grant provided a collection of decodable books to help early readers strengthen their phonics skills and develop a lasting love for reading.

Thanks to a Grand Island Public Schools Foundation Classroom Grant, Grand Island Senior High and Walnut, Barr, and Westridge middle schools recently hosted Bobby Truhe of KSB Law for a thought-provoking presentation on digital citizenship. Truhe used humor, real-life legal cases, and compelling statistics to highlight the responsibilities and risks tied to social media use.

Thanks to a GIPS Foundation Classroom Grant, students at Newell and Lincoln Elementary Schools brought their imaginations to life by creating clay monsters inspired by the book “Where the Wild Things Are”. Over 535 kindergarten through fifth-grade students participated in this hands-on project, led by artist-in-residence Nancy Fairbanks. Fairbanks taught students about clay and guided them through the process of working with it, encouraging creativity and self-expression as they crafted their own unique monsters.

At their January 15 meeting, the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation Board of Directors elected Kelly Enck, President; Paul Hoos, Vice-President; and Shane Wissmann, Secretary/Treasurer. The board elected Yetzira "Yetzy" Calvillo Bermudez, Robert Alexander and Jennifer Worthington as new board members.

Volume 10 | Number 1

We'll start our roster of what’s inside this Rise in the Galapagos Islands, where Wandering Writer Sarah Kuta found some spectacular and unique animal species on her continued journeys across the face of the Earth. “On the Island” correspondent, Alex Weaver, gives us some inside information about GISH seniors embarking on their own journeys into the college and scholarship application process. Abigayle Frazier-Hansen brings us up to speed on said scholarships, highlighting those connected to former Senior High teachers and the impact they have made on students.

The Grand Island Public Schools Foundation is offering Major Saver cards through participating elementary schools. Students will receive their sales information packets on January 9 and 10 and sell the $15 discount cards until January 20. Profits from the Major Saver cards directly support the participating schools. Grand Island Public Schools has received over $174,000 in proceeds from these sales since 2016.