Late News As we go to press, we are pleased to report the hiring of a new Director of Development in the person of Scott Hutchinson. Scott comes from 6 years as development officer and director of membership at Phi Delta Kappa International, the Bloomington-based professional educators’ organization. Beginning November 15th, he brings solid grant-writing experience and long-time Bloomington community involvement with him to work on successful completion of the Campaign for Harmony which, as reported elsewhere in this issue, is well on the way to meeting its first-phase goal of $6.5 million. Scott joins Mary Beth Roska who serves as HEC’s annual fund director.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Harmony is Doing Good Work in More and Expanding Ways
By Steve “Roc” Bonchek
Harmony’s start came over 30 years ago as a very small group of people decided to serve the needs of a few students. We’ve grown in ways that no one, certainly not I, could have ever predicted. But Harmony Education Center, as we are now known, can still be said to be a group of dedicated people helping other people.

As Executive Director of HEC I’m probably in the best position to see just how many people help contribute to our work. In this issue I’d like to briefly mention several aspects of our work.

Let me first tell you a little about Harmony School. Enrollment is up to 186 students this year, our highest ever, with 66 in the high school, 28 in middle school, and 92 at the elemen-tary and early childhood levels. Our faculty now numbers twenty full- and part-time educators.

Thanks to many donors we continued the historic restoration of our building, which partly serves as a school. We invested nearly $1 million this summer, matching last summer’s level.

HEC is also the home of the National School Reform Faculty, a national group that works in professional development of teachers. Over 14,000 professionals are now trained NSRF coaches who work around the country helping with school change and reform.

We have also done some helping of our own as we mentor a new charter school in Hilo, Hawaii, thanks to a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Again, a good example of people helping people.

Of course, the list of donors in this newsletter shows those who have helped move the Campaign for Harmony Education Center forward this last fiscal year, most of them with cash donations.

However, there are other people who help us in creative but meaningful ways.

One wonderful example is Linda Dzierba, a local realtor who donated her services as she helped us negotiate for and acquire the property where Rhino’s is located.

Another example is John Gillaspy, of World Arts, Inc., a quality color printer in Spencer. They are supplying printing services for the campaign. Their people are helping our people to help others.

That’s what HEC is all about, and I thank you all.

Many Events Raise Funds for HEC Campaign
A capital campaign benefits from all sorts of initiatives, some large and some smaller. The goal is to make it easy for everyone to contribute in some way to achieving our goals.

The photo below shows Maddie Krause, a high school student at Harmony School, Rhino’s Director Brad Wilhelm, and volunteer Becky Wann at the ceremony where a $1,000 grant was awarded by the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Wann, a local businesswoman and HEC volunteer, mentored Krause in the way grant applications are written. The result was a successful addition to the Rhino’s “Raise the Roof” Campaign last summer.

Way to go Maddie!

The 21st annual Oliver/Upland Run was held on Sept. 18 at Morgan-Monroe State Forest.

Each category winner in the event received a unique and colorful hand-painted trophy. They were decorated by Harmony School senior Lucy Carver-Gay.

This year’s event was co-sponsored by Oliver Winery and Upland Brewing Co. The proceeds benefited Harmony School.

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