News

The Niles Education Foundation is kicking off its 2025-26 fundraising campaign with its annual Legendary Evening at 6:30 p.m. Friday, August 8 at Gallery 1245, 1245 S. 11th St..   Sharkey This year the foundation will honor Niles graduate and retired Vikings teacher Karl Sharkey. Sharkey is a 1954 graduate of Niles High School. After graduating, he went on to continue his studies receiving his undergraduate degree in Education from Western Michigan University and his Masters in Secondary Education from Michigan State University.

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2025/07/09/niles-education-foundation-to-honor-graduate-karl-sharkey/

The Niles Education Foundation awarded nine teachers more than $10,400 in funding with the goal to enhance and enrich the learning environment for students in Niles Community Schools.  The awards were part of the 2018 fall grant and project cycle, which were approved earlier this year.

Recipients included: • Joseph Morsaw, Niles High School for magnetic levitation vehicles Subscribe to Leader Publications’ free newsletter • Angelecque Thornton and Dawn Green, Cedar Lane for “Why Try?” • Paula Rose, Eastside, Connections for home learning kits • Scott Morgan, Ring Lardner Middle School for equipment for 21st century arts • Jennifer Duis, Northside Elementary for fine motor development • Debra Burkhard, Ballard Elementary for “An Ant’s Life” • Cody Armstrong and Alicia Kuntz, Ring Lardner Middle School for “What’s Your Word”

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/02/27/niles-education-foundation-awards-more-than-10400-to-school-projects/

A baker’s dozen of area food businesses provided their signature dishes to attendees of Legendary Evening, a Niles Education Foundation fundraising event meant to celebrate the movers and shakers of the Niles Community Schools community.

Live and silent auctions; drinks from bartender Samantha Beck and Iron Shoe Distillery; and boogie-worthy music dished out by DJ Adam Roark all occurred at the 6 to 10 p.m. event. The height of the evening, however, was in its recognition of community leaders.

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/08/12/legendary-evening-attendees-celebrate-niles-schools-its-supporters/

Resident Jane Brandstatter still has the tenacity, toughness and metaphorical ragged beard of the Niles Viking in her blood. She said being a Viking stays with a graduate forever.

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/08/08/niles-resident-to-be-recognized-as-an-exemplary-viking/

Amy Gourlay provided two words to describe this year’s reading store at Ring Lardner Middle School’s library this March: “absolutely fantastic.”

“On my Facebook page, I said, ‘I never thought I could be so exhausted and exhilarated all at the same time,’” she said. “Every single student … came through my library and picked a brand new book of their choosing.”

Thanks to a Niles Education Foundation grant, she will be able to host the program again in 2020.

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/07/26/ring-lardner-reading-store-to-enter-second-year/

When Sara Grishaber’s fourth-grade Howard-Ellis Elementary students enter her classroom Monday mornings this fall, they might pick up a board game rather than a textbook.

Late last school semester, Grishaber was awarded a $500 grant from the Niles Education Foundation to create a classroom program she saw a fellow Instagramming teacher implement: a period of play to start and close the school week.

Read more at: https://www.leaderpub.com/2019/07/23/niles-teachers-program-will-start-the-school-week-with-rr/