About Us | Dysart Education Foundation

Dysart Education Foundation

DEF is composed of volunteers who are passionate about supporting education in our community. We are a nonprofit organization committed to raising funds for the purpose of enriching student learning in the Dysart Unified School District and supporting continued education for high school graduates.

More Information

Dysart Education Foundation (DEF) was established in 1985 by employees and community members of the Dysart Unified School District. The Dysart Education Foundation was established for the purpose of raising, receiving, and disbursing funds to enrich the education and activities of students, teachers, and staff in the Dysart Unified School District. DEF is completely run by volunteers which ensures that every donation goes directly to funding scholarships and grants. Our board is comprised of retired teachers, professors, administrators, community leaders, and parents. DEF cares about our community and is dedicated to supporting our future leaders through education!

Are you passionate about supporting student education? Do you have time, skills, or community connections that you’d like to use to help further the mission of the Dysart Education Foundation? If so, please contact us today at general@defweb.org to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

Currently the Dysart Education Foundation supports students through providing scholarships that high school graduates from the Dysart Unified School District can use toward higher education tuition costs. Also, each year teachers are selected through a competitive grant process to receive mini-grants for innovative classroom learning activities. Programs like this can only be sustained through the generous contributions of the community we serve.

Funding

Individual and Business Donations

The Dysart Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and, as such, donations to the organization may be tax deductible. The Foundation relies on contributions from the Dysart community for its funding and volunteer assistance.

United Way Campaign

United Way donations can be designated specifically for the Dysart Education Foundation. In 2019, DEF raised over $6,500 through the United Way.

Amazon Smile

DEF is registered as a non-profit on Amazon Smile. Register today and select Dysart Education Foundation on the website below. When you purchase items from Amazon Smile, a small percentage of your total will be donated to DEF helping us support students and teachers in the Dysart School District. Thank you for your support!

Register for Amazon Smile today!

Fry's Community Rewards

DEF is registered as a non-profit with Fry’s Food Stores. Log in to your Fry’s account, select Community Rewards then select Dysart Education Foundation or one of the high school alumni groups to support a scholarship for that school. Once you link your Card, all you have to do is shop at Fry’s and swipe your Shopper’s Card. Click here for more information about Fry’s Community Rewards.

Dysart Education Foundation
Dysart High School Alumni
Dysart Education Foundation – Shadow Ridge HS Alum
Dysart Education Foundation – Valley Vista HS Alum
Dysart Education Foundation – Willow Canyon HS Alum

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Dysart Education Foundation

1 week ago

Adriana Arevalo is a 2019 DEF 4 year scholarship recipient from Dysart High School. Here's what we've heard from her:

"Before I write about my personal update in regards to how I have been throughout the summer, I want to give thanks and appreciation towards the Dysart Education Foundation program because it has been an honor, and will always be an honor to have the opportunity of receiving your financial support for the continuation of my educational goals. Throughout this summer, I have been completing a four credit course online through Rio Salado Community College, to get ahead in my studies and receive credits to transfer on to the university I will be attending in the fall. The picture below displays one of the locations I have visited in the summer as well. I had a nice time enjoying the view of the Hoover Dam located in Nevada. There have been complications and personal family issues throughout these past months due to the pandemic, but me and the people I love have been keeping our heads up to be safe and proceed with the next steps of our lives. I hope for the best among all the board members and sponsors throughout this time of difficulty, and wish for everyone to stay safe and healthy."

Adriana, here's hoping this coming semester is much less complicated! Best wishes. ... See MoreSee Less

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Dysart Education Foundation

2 weeks ago

Nadeen Fakhoury is a 2018 Valley Vista HS graduate and a recipient of a four year DEF Scholarship. Nadeen is majoring in Business Communications at ASU. Here's her update:

"This past semester I volunteered at St. Mary's Food Bank. Donation Centers have seen much scarcity in food donations. After donating my own bags of non-perishable foods, I helped sort out all the donations and helped pack them away to be delivered to various parts of our community.

This past semester is definitely a semester to remember. Through all the new transitions, I have learned that I thrive under pressure. I not only overcame the obstacles Covid 19 has brought up, but my determination to continue a successful semester pushed me to achieve my educational goals."

Congratulation on another successful semester, Nadeen! ... See MoreSee Less

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Dysart Education Foundation

2 weeks ago

Hanna Frazier, a Valley Vista HS graduate, is a 2019 recipient of the Arizona Lottery Scholarship. Here's her latest:

"I took this picture because I was feeling really excited about things in my life. I had just gotten done talking to my school advisor and figuring out my schedule for the following semester. The reason I was so excited was because my advisor told me that by Fall 2021 I should be just about done with my adventure here at Estrella Mountain and figuring out what university I want to be going to to complete my degree in Forensic Psychology. Hearing my advisor say that hit me really hard because of how fast time has blown by. All I can think about now is getting my schooling finished with so I can finally start my career. Even though, lately I have been thinking about looking for a job in my desired career after I finish up with my bachelors and while i'm going to work, I might possibly work on my Masters degree and possibly even my Doctorate degree if my work decides to help me with schooling."

Hannah, DEF shares your excitement! Best wishes for another great semester! ... See MoreSee Less

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2019-2020 Dysart Education Foundation Board Members

Billie Laird

President

Quinn Kellis

Superintendent/Director

Teresa Heatherly

Director

Kristi Richards

Vice-President

Donya Davis-Seay

Director

Fran Sperling

Director

Michelle Benham

Secretary

Bill Pupo

Director

Holly Bowen

Director

Monica Dorcey

Treasurer

Ken Hicks

Director

Kara Poling

Liaison

Contribute to Our Mission

Large or small, your tax-deductible contribution to the Dysart Education Foundation directly affects the quality education programs. Make a donation using Paypal. A donation verification letter will be sent to the address you enter when making your donation. This letter may take up to 30 days to arrive. If you leave an email address we can email you the letter.

If choosing to donate by mail, please make sure to include all the following information when you send in your donation…

Your name
Your address, city, state and zip
Your phone number
Your tax-deductible contribution amount

Please mail to:

Dysart Education Foundation
P.O. Box 1898
Surprise, Arizona 85378-1898

Thank you for your contribution!

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Contact Us

For more information, please contact the members of the Dysart Education Foundation Board using the link above. Thank you!