The Illinois Art Education Association has named Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF) the 2012 Illinois winner for Outstanding Service to Art Education Outside the Profession. This award recognizes the exemplary contributions, service and achievements of one outstanding organization or individual annually. The award will be presented at the IAEA conference in Lisle, IL on November 3, 2012.
Indian Prairie Educational Foundation was selected on the basis of its outstanding commitment to visual art education as well as its wider contributions in the Northeastern Illinois region. The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation is a non-profit, autonomous, tax-exempt, organization directed by 16 citizen volunteers. The Directors include parents, business persons, and other members of the District 204 community, as well as the Superintendent and a representative from the Board of Education. The mission of the IPEF is to support District 204 in serving the needs of all students through community outreach, financial development and innovative programs.
In general, the Foundation funds projects which supports the District 204 curriculum - particularly the arts, sciences, technology, and/or other subject areas.
Since being created in 1988, the Indian Prairie Educational Foundation has provided more than $3 million in educational enrichments for District 204 students, staff, and schools including $374,000 for innovative teacher/classroom projects and $254,000 for artist-in-residence grants, which have resulted in a wide variety of classroom and other educational experiences for District 204 students. In addition, the IPEF sponsored the District 204 annual Fine Arts Festival which showcases the creative talents and academic excellence of students at all grade levels.
IPEF Chairman Kent Duncan was honored to be recognized with this award. "The fine arts programs in Indian Prairie District 204 are nationally recognized and we are proud to be associated with and a part of that success. The IPEF also wants to acknowledge the outstanding staff at District 204 that supports all of the fine arts programs and believe they should also share in this recognition."
The IAEA is an association of the art educators of Illinois. The organization has been serving the children and art educators of Illinois for over 75 years by providing professional development for educators through workshops, conferences, grants, exhibition opportunities, facilitating communication, promoting conditions for the effective teaching of art, and working to influence educational change and reform.