Continuing a wonderful tradition, the Oxford Educational Foundation (OEF) planned its annual breakfast to honor the staff and volunteers in the Oxford Area School District. The event, co-sponsored by the OEF and Oxford Area Educational Association, included the presentation of both a volunteer award and the John Pittenger Building Grant. The OEF showed its appreciation for its classroom volunteers, mentors, and tutors who work in the Oxford Area School District. These dedicated volunteers gave numerous hours of their time to benefit the students of the district.

Highlighting the event was the presentation of the Randy Sebastian Volunteer Person (RSVP) Award. Mr. Sebastian was a veteran, local lawyer, and founding member of OEF. He also served as a volunteer. This coveted award has gone to retirees, volunteer parents, and community members. This year, the recipient is Nicole Prinsloo, an Oxford High School alumni. 

A familiar face to many of our school employees, Nicole (Hershey) Prinsloo graduated from Oxford Area High School in 2002. Dr. Ray Fischer was her first-grade principal, so it was fitting for Nicole to join him and the OEF as a volunteer. In 2022 Nicole was asked to be a board member for the Oxford Educational Foundation, and she has served for the past two years.

Nicole has always had an interest in working to help children. She got an introduction to teaching as a swim instructor at the YMCA. She also worked at a summer camp, and assisted the preschool program at Octorara during her college years. 

Nicole attended Millersville University and obtained a degree in elementary education with a specialization in early childhood, and then added an ESL certification before graduating in 2006. 

She began her teaching career at the Avon Grove Intermediate School as an ESL teacher. Nicole has been a tremendous help with the ESL students at Elk Ridge, Penn’s Grove and more permanently at Hopewell Elementary School. She has volunteered in both her children’s classrooms. Nicole has many more volunteer hours to give as her children are only going into 7th and 10th grades.

The award has a special meeting for Nicole. As a best friend of Melinda Sebastian, she spent considerable time with the family, including Randy, the award’s namesake. 

Another high point of the event was the presentation of the John C. Pittinger Grant. Mr. Pittinger was Pennsylvania Secretary of Education from 1972 to 1976, a Rutgers University of Law School Dean from 1981 to 1986, and a founding member of the OEF, where he also served as president. The foundation honors his work and his memory by awarding a building grant to the OASD school that has a grant request that best exemplifies the mission of enhancing the education of the students in the OASD. After going through a two-tier process, the OEF has awarded two John Pittenger Grants this year.

The first grant was awarded to Jordan Bank Elementary School for its proposal— Play That Moves Your Imagination for Kindergarten Career Readiness. The purpose of this initiative is to reimagine recess as a platform for children to engage with various career paths, enhancing learning opportunities while prioritizing the value of play. By offering hands-on experiences at different stations, children will delve into roles like firefighters, chefs, doctors, builders, artists, and beyond. Each station will be furnished with props, materials, and activities specifically designed to simulate real-world scenarios associated with different professions, fostering curiosity, and laying the groundwork for future exploration and learning.

The second Pittenger Grant was awarded to Elk Ridge Elementary. The purpose of the grant is to help the school create a more inviting space for students when they have recess and to increase the activities that they can access during this time.  The grant will provide more equipment for the students to use which would include some updated playground equipment, a storage cart, portable basketball hoops, outdoor benches, and paint or templates for blacktop or cement areas. Several existing outdoor benches will be repainted. 

The OEF recognizes that its work in support of the Oxford Area School District is made possible through its volunteers and the generosity of the Oxford community. As the OEF Board of Directors makes its plans for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, won’t you please consider joining the more than 140 volunteers by becoming an OEF volunteer? Opportunities can be tailored to your specific interests and time in becoming a classroom volunteer, mentor, or tutor.

If interested please contact Dr. Ray Fischer, executive director at 717- 947-0075 email at [email protected]  or Kim Lewin , volunteer coordinator at 610-932-7200 or email at [email protected]. Please visit the website for more information regarding the OEF at www.oxfordeducationalfoundation.org.