Giddy Up Four Points

We are really looking forward to the next few weekends; there is so much going on in the Four Points/Steiner Ranch area.  Two big events we love to participate, have fun, and make a difference is the Giddy Up Gala and Run the Ranch. Giddy Up Gala The Giddy Up Gala is the fundraiser for the Hill Country Education Foundation. This annual gala is in its 6th year and just keeps getting better. If you haven’t been, you definitely should get tickets and consider going next year. Of course there is a silent auction, a live band, photo booth and a crowd favorite – Heads or Tails with Travis Brannon.  Aside from the enjoyment of attending, you will gain immense satisfaction in knowing you are directly contributing to the success of the Leander School District. Hill Country Education Foundation - HCEF The Hill Country Education Foundation (HCEF) began in 2009.  Its mission is to enhance the academic careers of students through a variety of programs including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), entrepreneurship and college prep courses. Through grants, HCEF supports the vision of teachers, students and various programs to ensure that the Four Points area children are fully prepared to succeed in college. This preparedness begins early in a child’s academic career, ensuring the benchmarks are met from elementary through high school. HCEF funds programs at all stages of the student’s educational lifecycle. Contributions Awarded Thanks to HCEF, programs such as Turnitin, an online student self-assessment writing tool, is available to Vandegrift High School. Turnitin is a program used by 69% of the top universities and 56% of the top 100 high schools in the US (source US News and World Report.) Other programs funded include JSTOR (another college level resource used by institutions of higher education), First Tech Challenge, Gateway Engineering, Quest programs and so much more. HCEF is making a difference in the Four Points academic arena from elementary to middle to high school. In fact, in the past year, HCEF has invested more than: $400,000 to the Four Points area schools $165,000 in grants $73,000 for PSAT testing for both middle and high school $50,000 to the Robotics teams $50,000 to LISD for college readiness platforms $20,000 in scholarships $18,000 to the biomedical program at VHS $11,000 to the library programs It is no coincidence that in the few short years that Vandegrift has been open, it is already named a Newsweek’s top high school in America, ranking at number 256 out of 500. According to Newsweek, Vandegrift has an 80.1% college readiness score; a 99.5% graduation rate and 93.6% of our students are college bound. Since Vandegrift’s inception in 2009, HCEF has been running in tandem to support VHS and its feeder schools. Our community believes there is no greater gift than the gift of education and as proponents of that philosophy, we fully contribute to the success of HCEF. As a member of the Four Points area community, we ask that you join us in supporting this mission. If you have questions or would like to know how you can get involved, please contact Gene or myself, we would be love the opportunity to speak with you.