SwampFox

Trip DuBard: It’s elementary: It should be easy to help schools

Mr. DuBard is executive director of S.C. Future Minds, a statewide charity based in Florence that organizes private support for public schools. He can be reached at trip@scfutureminds.org.

Can you remember the name of your first-grade teacher? Recess? How about the moment that you understood long division? South Carolina’s public schools not only produce the workforce driving our economic future; they’re also a rich repository of memory and a source of gratitude for their life-changing impact.

I remember walking home from Augusta Circle Elementary School in Greenville after my first day, feeling so independent and proud — until I saw my mother at each cross street following me home. And I remember Mrs. Browning. White hair in a bun, granny glasses, kindly smile, Mrs. Browning taught us to write the alphabet with exercises of “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

She also taught us lessons for life, including one that applies to South Carolina after losing out this week on the $175 million in Race to the Top dollars, after possibly losing out on $144 million in federal stimulus funds, after watching thousands of teacher layoffs and a promise of more: Sometimes — like now — you just have to do things on your own.

Few people would willingly pay more taxes. But many happily give to a charity that complements a government service. Think health care and hospital foundations. Or the many child-care and social support charities. Or higher education.

The state’s three research universities recently reported raising $309 million in private giving in just the past year from tens of thousands of donors — $118 million for USC, $114 million for Clemson and $77 million for the Medical University of South Carolina.

Why such largesse? Mainly, I believe, the reason is the same for all great charities: People appreciate the tremendous good these institutions do, and often have a personal connection that strengthens their loyalty.

But there’s also this: It is easy to give money to these schools. Their private foundations work very hard at capturing each loyal graduate’s contribution.

Doesn’t it seem odd that there is no equally easy way to support South Carolina’s public elementary, middle and high schools?

Sure, we already pay taxes for our schools. But we pay some taxes for colleges too. My point isn’t to argue whether schools have enough money, or whether they’re spending it properly. My point is that if you do want to give more money to schools, it should be easy to do so.

South Carolina Future Minds is a relatively new private foundation committed to organizing private support for public education. We want to make it easy to help kids in classrooms across the state.

School’s back in session, and thousands of parents and teachers are producing future alumni who will be expected to continue building South Carolina. So if you’d like to help support our schools, here are a couple of options, depending on your financial ability.

• No money. If you’re on Facebook, go to S.C. Future Minds’ page, click on “Events” at the top, and look for the links to the Kohl’s contest. This department store is giving $500,000 to 20 schools nationwide, primarily based on the number of votes each gets through this Friday. You can essentially vote for five schools. If you’re unsure whom to vote for, I’d suggest Forts Pond Elementary in Lexington 1 and Nevitt Forest Elementary in Anderson 5. Both are innovative Inside-Out Centers for Learning.

  You also can volunteer. Check out the scfutureminds.org website for education groups around the state that could use your brain and hands.

• A little money. Go to scfutureminds.org and click on the yellow badge on the bottom left. This takes you to a pre-sorted list of projects in state schools posted with DonorsChoose.org. You can look for projects in your town, or in your former school, and your donations are combined with others to fund a project.
• More money. Check out the list at scfutureminds.org of education groups, especially local education foundations that support your local schools. If your area doesn’t have a foundation, contact us, and we’ll help you create one. Or consider donating to one of the affiliated groups we support on the “contribute” tab.

I didn’t learn everything I needed to know in first grade. But I did learn that simply wishing things were better didn’t make them so.