Uncategorized Archives - Red Hook Education Foundation

The 11TH ANNUAL RHEF Gala – Decades Dance Party!

Friday evening, June 16, 2023: Thank you to everyone who dressed to impress and danced the night away with us to ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s classics in our favorite place, Bard’s Spiegeltent! The menu, created and prepared by renowned chef (and RHEF Board Member) Colleen Bloxham, was delicious; the tunes, spun by local DJ Jason Baker, rocked; and all the donations and sponsorships in support of Red Hook Central  School District students were greatly appreciated!

THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS 2023 SPONSORS!

PLATINUM SPONSORS

Prestige Toyota
Bard Fisher Center

GOLD SPONSORS

JOLOstudio.com
Ackerman Mechanical
Migliorelli Farm & Stands
Maura Sullivan & John Horiszny
Stephen Bardfield

SILVER SPONSORS

Nuvance Health
Mighty Donuts
Third Eye Associates
Illiana Van Meeteren
Halley & Michael Roomberg
Crown Energy
eMATHinstruction.com
Ascienzo Family Foundation
Ulster Savings Bank

BRONZE SPONSORS

Alison Lankenau
Diane Williams
Rhinebeck Wealth Advisors
Lasting Joy Brewery
Dave’s Tree Service
Christine & Matt Kurlander
Laura Roberts & WriteReadLearn.com
Eric Hineman & Anna Belliveau
Steven Appenzeller
Belinda Kaake
Joshua Bardfield
Colleen Bloxham

SPONSORS

Laurie Husted
Jamison & Maya Hall
Roy Paisley
The Crafton-Pujol Family
Tara & Ned Sullivan
Rachel Ephriam & Adam Kushner
Kingston Fine Jewelry
Rhinebeck Bank
Jeremy Greenberg
KoernerConstruction.com
Jay & Laurie Bloomfield
Tricia & Foster Reed
Karen & Nevill Smythe
Kathleen & Kevin Sullivan
Christie Billeci
Chris Chale & Dan Freedman
Village Pizza III
Robert McKeon
Kirchhoff Development

All Aboard the Clearwater, Class of 2027!

RHEF was happy to help the Class of 2027 set sail aboard the Clearwater last fall (2022) for hands-on experiential learning about the ecology, history, environmental challenges, and importance of the Hudson River. In addition to the “sailing classroom,” students enjoyed a trip to the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston.

Normally, students get this experience during 7th Grade, but Covid and bad weather delayed it twice and increased costs required some extra financial support. It is often the case that water-based activities, especially sailing, are reserved for those with money and means. Many students grow up next to the Hudson River without ever having a positive experience out on the water. The Red Hook Education Foundation was able to ensure that all students who wanted to participate could be transported back through time and experience adventure aboard a boat built in the style of the Dutch vessels that once sailed the river long ago.

For more examples of the kinds of things the 8th graders got to experience aboard the Clearwater, check out this informational video:

Please Give to the Student-In-Need Initiative

The Student-in-Need Initiative supports programs throughout the year that align with RHEF’s mission of equity for all students, regardless of their ability to pay. Donations provide, among other items, clothing, eye glasses, field trip funds, exam fees, and school supplies for Red Hook students.  These are just a few of the many ways your contribution makes a difference for Red Hook kids. Please join RHEF as we work together to meet the needs of students and families at home and in school by making a gift to the Student in Need Initiative.

HOW TO DONATE

We’ve partnered with PayPal to accept credit card donations to make supporting RHEF easy: click on the button above to donate now. Or you can simply mail a check payable to the RHEF at PO Box 2, Red Hook, NY, 12571.

HONOR A TEACHER WITH A DONATION

In the past, RHEF has encouraged contributions to our Student in Need Fund initiative by honoring individual teachers and staff members with each donation. Feel free to send us a note along with your PayPal donation mentioning who you’re honoring with your gift. Here is just some of the feedback from Red Hook faculty and staff:

  • “What an honor! This is welcome news indeed. Just a few weeks ago I brought to the attention of our team a child in need of eyeglasses.” (middle school teacher)
  • “Wow. That is awesome. What a wonderful way to start the holiday season.” (high school teacher)
  • “Thank you for letting us know! This is a great gift.” (middle school teaching team)
  • “How wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I do have a student in mind that could use some clothing this winter. I will reach out to Mr. Boyd.” (Mill Road teacher)
  • “Thank you so much!!! This certainly brightened my day 😉 I already know which student in need I would like to help out!!! Happy Holidays to you and your family!!!” (middle school guidance counselor)

Our 1st Dinner & a Movie – A Success!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for RHEF’s first annual Dinner & a Movie Night on Thursday, November 10th (there was no school on Friday in honor of Veteran’s Day).

DINNER

Folks dined at these participating Red Hook restaurants before the screening on November 10th, and 10% of their checks were donated to support RHCSD students. Dinner was not required to attend the movie, but highly encouraged. Families picked favorites or tried something new! A big THANKS to all our participating restaurants:
Brigitte Bistro
Broadway Pizza
Bubby’s Takeaway Kitchen
Cancuns (Red Hook)
Charlie O’s
Cider Bros Roadhouse
CJ’s Pizza & Pasta
Flatiron Steakhouse
Giobatta Alimentari
Hana Sushi
Jaeger Haus German Restaurant
Lucoli Pizza
Osaka Tivoli Japanese Restaurant
Red Hook Diner & Restaurant
Rojo Tapas & Wine
Sabroso Mexican Restaurant
Salvatore’s Wood Fired Pizza (Red Hook)
Santa Fe
Savona’s Trattoria
Taste Budds Cafe
Village Pizza III
Yum Yum Noodle (Red Hook)

… AND A MOVIE

After dinner, families gathered at the Red Hook Performing Arts Center auditorium at the high school for a 7:30PM screening of the 1977 classic “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (PG, 1h 45m). Suggested movie admission was $5 per person and the RHHS Senior Class hosted a cash concessions stand.


The food and the Force were with us! It was such a great family night out, supporting local restaurants and give Red Hook students more opportunities and resources. We plan on making it a regular thing. Let us know what movies you think we should screen in the future and what days and times of the week work best!

Couldn’t make it on the 10th? You can still donate here!

Thanks for Making Our 10th Annual Fundraising Gala a BIG Success!

Thank you for making the 10th Annual Red Hook Education Foundation Fundraising Gala a big success! On the evening of Friday, June 17th, from 6:30 to 10:30PM, in Bard’s Spiegeltent, cowboy hats were donned, boots were stomped, and good eats were had by all. Thanks to From the Ground Brewery for the beer tasting, to Bruce Molsky and Paula Bradley for bringing Appalachia to the dance floor, and to all our generous sponsors (listed below) for their contributions. We look forward to seeing you all at our next RHEF event — stay tuned! 

Sponsors of the 10th Annual RHEF Gala

Platinum Sponsors

Prestige Toyota

Gold Sponsors

Maura Sullivan & John Horiszny
eMATHinstruction
 The Rhinebeck Branch of Wells Fargo Advisors


Silver Sponsors

Nuvance Health
Esme.com
Innovation Glass 


Bronze Sponsors

JOLOstudio.com
Illiana Van Meeteren
Orthopedic Associates
Alison Lankenau
Zulch Tax
Omega Institute
Palumbo Group
Third Eye Assoc.
Laurie and Roger Husted
Steve Appenzeller and Beth Goldberg 
Marshall and Sterling Insurance
Colleen & Mike Bloxham
Brooke Stevens 

( Become a sponsor! )

See RHHS’s 3D-Scanner in Action!

Here’s the Red Hook High School’s new 3D Scanner & Printer — that YOU helped fund — in action! 

Art teacher Mr. Joseph Monson and senior student Kat Seymour visited the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College recently to practice with the 3D scanner and computer setup.  Kat will be attending Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) next year to study engineering and will be working with technology like this in their first year.  They were permitted to work on scanning the Atlas Herm, an Italian sculpture of white marble on a Verona marble scroll base from the late 1600s. “It was an invaluable experience,” said Mr. Monson.  Not only were Kat and he able to learn how to work around a more detailed figure, they were also able to test the limits of the computer’s processing power because the sculpture is over 6 feet tall! After scanning, it took about 40 minutes just to save the model file (which will help them plan for future uses).  The next step will be preparing the model for 3D printing and then setting up future dates to work with other students next year. 

Thanks to all who supported our Red Hook Education Foundation’s campaign to help get RHHS a 3D Scanner! Your continued donations to RHEF fund important educational opportunities like this for all Red Hook students.

Thanks for Helping Send the LAMS 8th Grade to D.C. in ’22!

After two years off due to the pandemic, the annual LAMS 8th Grade field trip to Washington D.C. returned the spring of 2022!

Costs per student this year were higher than usual. Your donation by the trip registration deadline of FRIDAY, February 11, made a HUGE difference! You helped make sure that all our students who wanted to go, went!

You can still give to future trips at The Red Hook Education Foundation’s online PayPal donation page and select “8th Grade DC Trip Fund” from the pulldown window.

DONATE ANY AMOUNT!

Thank you for helping us make experiential learning a reality for EVERY Red Hook student!

And a big THANKS to the 8th Grade class for sending RHEF a framed photo of everyone on the trip along with a lovely Thank You card — we will cherish it.

Red Hook High Schoolers Get a 3D Scanner & Laptop!

Thanks to your kind donations and the matching gift of $2500 from a generous anonymous donor, Red Hook High School will benefit from the interdisciplinary opportunities of an Einscan Pro 2X Plus 3D Scanner & Laptop!

The Einscan Pro 2X Plus 3D Scanner scans an object, which is rendered as a 3D model in the dedicated laptop, where the model can then be studied, measured, manipulated, redesigned or even 3D-printed!

Now Red Hook High School students will get hands-on experience with some of the most advanced technology used in the many fields of 3D design, fabrication, and production. The possible projects are limitless! 

  • Students in TECH courses would be able to scan real structures & reproduce them.
  • Students in BIO classes would be able to scan & replicate organs after dissection.
  • Students in ART courses would be be able to work with museums to scan sculptures.
  • Students in SOCIAL STUDIES classes could use the scanner on field trips.
  • Students in AUTOMOTIVE classes could replicate car parts.

The 3D scanner is educational, easy-to-use and super cool for school! But with a $10K price tag, we needed YOUR help. And you delivered. THANK YOU!

Here’s a quick intro to how it works:

RHEF is always looking to fund events, programs and tools that help make the education of Red Hook students even more robust. So please consider making a donation or regular donations to our foundation. Any amount is a BIG help toward making dreams like this 3D scanner a reality:

Proud Sponsors of R.H.’s Summer Academy, Four Years Running!

Red Hook Education Foundation is delighted to have once again co-sponsored The Red Hook Summer Academy, a grant-funded enrichment program for rising 8th grade students through graduating seniors. This program is FREE to students and includes courses such as SAT Prep, Automotive Tech, Coding, Farm to Table Cooking, Acoustic Guitar, World Languages and much more!

Registration is closed, but you can check out these links to see what was on offer in 2021:

• 2021 Summer Academy Course Listings

• 2021 Summer Academy Course Calendar

R.H. Students Get First Use of the New Auditorium!

The Sunday afternoon of May 23rd, 2021, marked the soft launch of the new 700-seat performing arts theater, with the high school spring musical performance of The Fantasticks, which was web-streamed from there live. (Click here for more info.)

It’s been a long journey — from the special vote in late 2017, to the groundbreaking in June of 2019, to the continuation of construction through a pandemic, all the way to its completion this past April of 2021.

We are so proud to have been a part of helping make the auditorium a reality, and are so delighted that Red Hook kids are now, at long last, getting to enjoy it. We’re looking forward to all the wonderful performances and community events that will surely grace the stage!