The Mountain Education Foundation (MEF) announced an historic achievement in its ongoing mission to support educational excellence within the Signal community. With gratitude for donor support, MEF will be granting an all-time high of funding to Nolan Elementary, Thrasher Elementary and Signal Mountain Middle/High School for the upcoming 2024-25 school year. Totaling $583,510, this allocation represents a 10 percent increase from the previous year’s funding.
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Of particular note is the remarkable growth in MEF grants to Signal schools. Since the 2016-17 academic year, MEF funding to these institutions has doubled, marking a monumental 100 percent increase. Additionally, the annual average fundraising efforts have nearly tripled during this period including the MEF Endowment funding, underscoring a profound commitment to education within the Signal Mountain community.

“We are thrilled that grants to Signal schools have doubled in the last few years - a 100 percent increase! This is possible thanks to several milestone achievements in recent years, along with continued donor support from our community,” announced MEF executive director Hilarie Robison.

MEF implements a two-part grant funding structure, aimed at maximizing impact and flexibility in addressing the diverse needs of our schools. Part 1 grants, totaling $420,670 ($155/student), form the bulk of MEF funding annually, and are designed to be non-variable, maintained at a constant level each year. Part 1 is not expected to increase (or decrease) annually and is committed to Signal schools in early spring so that principals can determine how to best use these funds at each school.

The principals prepare staffing plans and budgets each year, filling in gaps with their Part 1 grants from MEF. In the past, Part 1 MEF funds have been used to support various teaching positions and  curricula in STEM, Spanish, Tech/Computers, Tutoring, Intervention, and much more.

Part 2 grants, totaling $162,840 ($60/student for the 2024-25 school year), are granted for PTA/PTSA organizations to work in collaboration with principals to meet specific needs at each school. This second wave of school grants is variable and entirely dependent on the amount of funding contributed to MEF during the school year. In the coming weeks, school principals and PTA/PTSA organizations will determine how to best utilize this additional funding from MEF.

Each school determines their own priorities and needs for MEF funding, submitting requests for how they intend to utilize their MEF grant amount to benefit students in our community’s aim for education excellence beyond what public funding provides. MEF does not dictate how schools should use the funding, and hence there are differences in what is funded at each school. Both Part 1 and Part 2 funding is distributed evenly per pupil across all three schools.

With a total funding of $583,510, Signal Mountain reaffirms its support to educational excellence. The MEF board and staff extend a special thank you to our entire community for such stalwart commitment that makes a difference for our children every day.

“We are humbled and grateful to be able to pass on these resources from our donors to our Signal Mountain schools,” shared MEF board chair Dr. Cara Hennings. “The growth of MEF grant dollars to Signal schools in recent years is thanks to our remarkable community. Now that our endowment allows us to self-fund expenses, and every dime that donors contribute is passed on to benefit students, we hope for even greater growth and impact.”

by Emily Odeh

The Mountain Education Foundation (MEF) hosted its highly anticipated Celebration for Education (CFE) fundraiser and gala on February 3 at the Signal Mountain Golf and Country Club. The sold-out event at 250 tickets not only showcased the community’s commitment to Signal schools but also broke previous fundraising records with dollars raised and pledged that night. The online auction helped reach these new heights of success with a gross amount exceeding $41,000.
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Parents, grandparents, community leaders and friends gathered to celebrate the future of Signal schools, embracing the Sky’s the Limit theme. From the harmonious blend of futuristic and elegant decor to the diverse menu of delectable dishes, the event was thoughtfully orchestrated for an unforgettable evening. Guests were treated to the talents of live music performances by Moon Slew and Supreme Cutlass, providing an experience that complemented the evening’s celebration of education an d community unity.

The heart of the celebration lay in the program from MEF executive director, Hilarie Robison. Guests gained deeper insights into the mission and impact of MEF’s endeavors, and it was during this time that an announcement of a groundbreaking milestone achievement was made. Robison revealed that the MEF Endowment has surpassed the crucial threshold, allowing the organization to initiate an annual draw of earned revenue beginning this school year. This draw is poised to cover all operating costs for MEF, ensuring that every donated penny to the annual fund directly impacts Signal students and schools!

Established in 1991, MEF has continually played a pivotal role in enhancing educational opportunities for the Signal Mountain community. The lifetime impact of MEF includes an impressive array of achievements, from providing $10 million to Signal schools to supporting more than 200 teacher salaries. MEF has not only been a financial supporter but has also served as a thought leader and model, showcasing best practices that are often scaled and replicated at other schools after being proven with MEF funding.

Over the past five years, MEF has showcased its commitment to forward-thinking and strategic planning, resulting in remarkable growth and impact. It has achieved forward funding to raise funds in advance of promising them, as expected by grantmaking organizations. Grants to schools have doubled, and average fundraising has nearly tripled while the MEF Endowment has more than quadrupled. Also, assets have increased by more than 400 percent. This extraordinary trajectory has led to the milestone announcement.
“This draw will cover all operating costs, ensuring that every dollar donated to the annual fund directly benefits Signal students and schools,” shared Hilarie Robison. “This milestone achievement places MEF in the enviable and rare position among nonprofits, where every penny raised goes directly to impact students and schools.”

As the announcement echoes, “Every dollar. Every year. Every student. Forever. This is Signal!” The achievement proudly signifies 0 percent overhead and 100 percent impact, showcasing the unity and strength of the Signal Mountain community. Together, the community is achieving something truly remarkable: building a legacy of education excellence with MEF as the driving force behind expanded opportunities for Signal students.

by Emily Odeh

There’s much to celebrate as another school year closes for Signal students. Fourteen million dollars. That’s the amount of scholarship money (from many different sources) awarded to SMMHS graduating seniors.

Fifty-one. That’s the number of different universities those students will attend in the coming year.

Two thousand six hundred and sixty. That’s the number of students attending Signal’s public schools. Specifically 2,600 different personalities, needs, abilities and potential, all of which can be seen when reviewing the great things happening at Signal schools.

By the time they complete their journey through Signal schools, local students have had many years of unique, additional support and resources to help them succeed, thanks to donations to the Mountain Education Foundation (MEF). At this time of another school year drawing to a close, we celebrate the achievements of our children and all that is provided with private financial support.

Thanks to community investment in MEF, we celebrate these highlights for our students during 2022-23:

• 1,300 students in K-5 receiving Spanish instruction
• Technology support for 1,300 students and 250 teachers
• Technology capital investments at Nolan, Thrasher and SMMHS
• 362 students in grades 9-10 taking practice ACT exams and receiving individual feedback
• 500-plus students in K-12 receiving targeted, individualized intervention and tutoring
• 1,300 students in K-5 receiving STEM instruction
• Reading curriculum for K-5 students
• Scholarships for IB exams, technology student conference Girls/Boys State, and governor’s schools
• Professional development for K-12 administrators and teachers (coding classes and cool real-world skills!)
• Clubs, activities and classroom enrichment for K-12 students
• Materials and supplies for art, media and more for grades K-12
• Teacher appreciation activities for 250 K-12 teachers
• Consumables for eLab and robotics students grades 6-12
• 2,800-plus sessions of tutoring and related services for grades 6-12
• 20-30 volunteer hours donated monthly by students to tutor peers
• Three targeted classes offered for students grades 6-12: Academic Strategies, Organizational Skills, and Social Skills

Truly making a difference for Signal Mountain students, MEF shares two examples:
Carrie wasn’t sure about her future until she found support from “all the amazing people in the Learning Center. Thank you for helping me graduate! I never believed I could but you all stuck it out with me and I’m forever grateful!”

Gus was a new student in Signal schools and struggling to transition until he started working with the MEF-funded reading interventionist. “She helped me so much! She helped me feel comfortable and confident and find my place. I’m really thankful for how she prepared me for middle school!”
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Donations to MEF make a difference for children every day. Thank you for helping our Signal students soar!
by Hilarie Robison

What do the terms blockchain analyst, social media manager, content producer, user experience designer, telemedicine physician, cloud architect and chief listening officer have in common? According to Forbes, these are all highly-sought, in-demand jobs that are integral to the modern private and public sector landscapes that did not exist 15 or even 10 years ago. 

It isn’t any wonder that technology-based roles have grown into prominence, with technology - and more specifically, the internet - integrating into every aspect of our lives. The majority of these integrations have added positive value to our daily experiences, and so it follows for our children. If one of the purposes of childhood education is to expand the learning experience in a way that prepares our children to make the most of their futures, technology and STEM programs are critical components of the school day. 

And, according to the students attending the MEF-funded STEM, eLab, Literacy Lab and Robotics in the mountain’s three schools, they are also a whole lot of fun. 

Investing in these programs and educators benefits students today by increasing engagement with the traditional core curriculum, in addition to preparing them for the skillsets that colleges, universities and the workforce are expecting.

Through community donations to the Mountain Education Foundation, Signal Mountain can boast being one of the few communities in the county with a K-12 Tech and STEM continuation. Providing insights into a student’s typical tech-at-school day are Kellie Robison, Chase Woods, Ricky McEvoy and Rob Dodson - four local educators supporting our children in their explorations of tech-academic integration.

Chase Woods  |  STEM Lab - Nolan Elementary School
“What I do here is either go into more depth on what they are learning in their science block or I actually have the opportunity to show them. For instance, third-graders have the opportunity to conceptualize, build and test rockets. For several weeks they will be engaged with engineering, problem-solving, critical thinking and collaborating. In here, they have the opportunity to test out what is being taught. They can see science become real.

Fifth-graders have the opportunity to build circuit systems from scratch. They can try and fail and try again until they get it. That hands-on-learning is really important, as is seeing why something doesn’t work. Observing why something doesn’t work, brainstorming with others to test and re-test the solution is a vital skill. They are recognizing patterns, learning how to incorporate suggestions, and building confidence by applying what they learned.

Universities and employers are placing greater and greater emphasis on collaboration. With STEM Lab in these early years, students are introduced to the thought-processes that make collaborative projects successful - like active listening. You don’t have to agree, but if you don’t listen to your teammate, you might miss out on a perspective or insight that can lead the group to a solution. Knowing when to listen and when to speak up, how to test your ideas and see results in real time is valuable.”


Kellie Robison  |  Literacy Computer Lab - Nolan Elementary School
“I have been with Nolan 20 years and have seen an evolution of technology instruction over that time. When I began, the computer lab focused on things like typing, Excel programs, etc. We have since evolved into a literacy lab, with the emphasis on introducing our students to programs that will reinforce the Language Arts instruction they receive in their classrooms. One of my major roles is to help students, especially in kindergarten and first grade, navigate their Chromebooks and the installed programs. Reading Eggs and iReady are just two of the literacy programs that have been definite boosts in helping students increase literacy skills and concepts. The programs make these skills fun while also helping teachers identify each student’s strengths and areas where extra instruction might be necessary.”


Ricky McEvoy  |  eLab - Thrasher Elementary School
“I have been with MEF for 16 years and in that time have continued to support both Thrasher and Nolan with IT to their student technology and computer equipment. These past few years, I have also been using my time to secure grants that develop STEM and tech instruction and help outfit our eLab that opened in 2021. 

MEF supports me in my role of eLab instructor. The main purpose of the eLab is to build solutions and support learning that is happening in the classroom. The state and county have standards that all our students and teachers work hard to meet. In the eLab, I help the school stay ahead of the curve with various technology-integrated learning opportunities. The goal is not to just meet the standard, but level it up.”


Rob Dodson  |  eLab/Robotics - SMMHS
“I have been teaching STEM [eLab] here about six years. The role of this lab is for students to work through the engineering design cycle, which is really product-based problem solving. 

The biggest take-away that they can apply to other classes is the ability to work with other students. In traditional classroom settings, there is a lot of individualized learning. Certainly they have group work, where students might work on a math problem or history project together. But here it’s a little bit different when you are dealing with a product - what are you designing, how’s it going to work, how are we actually going to construct this thing in order to make it work in the way that we want it to? In eLab, or even on the Robotics team, they take the information or knowledge-base they acquire in the classroom and apply it. They also see how it is applied in the very technologies they are using to work through the design cycle.

In regards to the STEM or eLab, the county has funded the equipment. However, as part of our agreement with the county, MEF fully funds our consumables and other materials. We could have the best machinery and equipment in the world - and they are quality - but we wouldn’t be able to do much without these materials that allow us to put the equipment to use. The Robotics program is completely MEF-dependent. They fully fund the program, insofar as registration fees, etc … as well as materials.”
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by Corina Lopes

February is here - the month of love - and on Signal Mountain, we sure love our schools! We also love to see our money doubled, and that is the case for all donations to the Mountain Education Foundation MEF during the Love Our Schools $50K Match Challenge, which runs February 1 through 15, 2023.

Initiated in 2019, the Love Our Schools Match Challenge has become a highly successful component of MEF’s fundraising efforts to support Nolan Elementary, Thrasher Elementary, and Signal Mountain Middle/High School. In 2020, the campaign grew with the addition of effective volunteer-led efforts, including the popular “Love Your Pet? Love Our Schools!” pet photo contest and, separately, crowdfunding teams that engaged in friendly competition to raise funds for MEF, as well as outreach to grandparents. The 2022 campaign exceeded the goals of the match, raising a total of $60,000 for the MEF Annual Fund and $52,000 for the MEF Endowment, including the matching funds.

“By giving to both the annual fund and the endowment fund, we feel like we get the best of both worlds,” shared local parents Emily and Philip Lehman. “Our kids who attend Signal schools receive an immediate benefit, but we also like paying it forward for future generations. We give monthly to show our sustained support of MEF, and all that it does for Signal Mountain.”

Right now is an ideal time to give to MEF because ALL donations are doubled through the Love Our Schools $50K Match Challenge. From February 1-15, the community is invited to give to the annual fund to meet school and student needs now … or give to the endowment to bless our children later … or give to BOTH! All gifts will be matched: up to $25,000 for the annual fund AND up to $25,000 for the endowment. These matching funds are made possible by generous anonymous donors to each fund, with the goal to raise a total of $100,000 ($50,000 each for the annual fund and the endowment) in February through the Love Our Schools campaign.

“Clearly our donor base loves to have someone else match their contribution and double their money. We are very grateful that the match challenge is a successful motivator, resulting in so much generosity that benefits our children!” shared MEF Executive Director Hilarie Robison. “Donating to both the immediate, yearly needs through an annual fund and to the long-term sustainability of the organization through an endowment fund are equally valued and important to every nonprofit.”

Donations to the MEF Endowment are separate from gifts to the MEF Annual Fund. Annual fund donations are used to meet current needs and annual grants for Signal Mountain’s three public schools, including funding 15 teacher salaries and more not covered by public dollars. Funds raised during the 2022-23 school year determine the funding available for Nolan, Thrasher and SMMHS for the 2023-24 school year.

The MEF Endowment is an investment fund designed for long-term sustainability of MEF’s mission in support of Signal schools. Gifts to the endowment are not used for current school needs, but are invested for long-term impact and support. An endowment typically includes funds given to a nonprofit by donors who have stipulated as a condition of the gift that its principal may not be spent, and who expect that its value will increase over time. Hence, the MEF Endowment is invested for long-term benefits, with the earned interest income eventually used for the Foundation’s mission of strategic investment in educational excellence at Signal Mountain public schools. The MEF Endowment Fund has grown by more than 200 percent in the last four years, thanks to generous contributions. A growing endowment is one of the signatures of a strong and sustainable nonprofit.
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“I believe in Signal Mountain schools and the Mountain Education Foundation. MEF provides tremendous, valuable resources that are key to helping students succeed. Investing in the MEF Endowment means those resources will be available for generations to come,” shared the anonymous endowment donor.

What’s with the gauge signs? ​
It’s a community challenge!
100 for Signal!

It’s a call to action in our community, on social media with the hashtag #100forSignal! And it has to do with the signs that popped up after Christmas near our Signal Mountain schools. What do they mean, though?

The MEF board of directors set a goal to increase automatically-recurring monthly donors by 100 (from the current 225 to 325) by the end of the 2022-23 school year. Setting up a recurring monthly donation of any amount at MEFtoday.org will qualify for the challenge. When we reach that goal as a community, every Signal student will win a dance party at his or her school! A fun break during the school day for our 2,600-plus students will celebrate this Signal achievement that will mean even more resources to invest in their educational success.

Fewer than half of the families in Signal schools currently donate to MEF (either annually or monthly). With the community’s support, MEF funds a remarkable array of resources for local students, including 15 teacher salaries and more at Nolan Elementary, Thrasher Elementary and Signal Mountain Middle/High School. Signal school principals often challenge the parents of their students to reach 100 percent participation, encouraging every family to invest in MEF… at any amount.

When he joined the MEF board, local parent Gabe Whitmer was shocked to learn how few families actually donate to MEF. “If we even got to 50 percent participation, it would be a game changer! Donations already make such a huge difference for our kids at Thrasher, Nolan and SMMHS ... It’s amazing to think how much more we could do if more families will invest - at any amount,” shared Gabe.

For this community challenge to increase the number of monthly donors, MEF’s goal is to broaden the donor base and engage more Signal school families, increasing the rate of investment in Signal schools, at any amount. Newcomer Ernie Lopez caught the vision and immediately set up a recurring donation to MEF. “My wife, two kids and I moved to Signal Mountain last summer partly because of the schools. Soon after arriving, we wanted to do our small part to ensure that our boys and other students continue to have a quality experience, so we set up a monthly donation,” Lopez said.

Setting up a recurring donation helps donors manage their family budget and make a bigger impact over time. “Maybe a family is not in a position to give what they consider a meaningful donation at a single time. But if they designate just $20 each month, for example, that becomes $240 each year,” shared Hilarie Robison, MEF Executive Director.

MEF’s goal amount per student for monthly donations is $35 each month, or $400 per year. As a point of reference, this amount funds a year’s worth of classroom supplies for three teachers.

The current average amount for monthly donors to MEF is $67/month, which funds 48 individual tutoring sessions for students. Families that want to reach a donation of $1,000-plus annually will often set their donation to $100 per month, which covers the cost of one week of Spanish instruction for elementary students.

Donors to MEF that give monthly currently range from $5 each month to $750 per month, and everything in between. Robison emphasizes that every amount makes a difference, especially when it is compounded monthly. Consistent recurring monthly donors are key to helping Signal SOAR!

“Some donors give annually or once each school year, and those donations are very welcome and so appreciated. Please don’t stop!” continues Robison. For those who are not yet donors or don’t want the hassle of writing a check each year, setting up a recurring donation can be the right fit - set it and forget it! “Monthly recurring donations help MEF with budgeting because we know what income we can count on each month, and this subscription model also reduces costs … eliminating the need to solicit individual donations over again each year.”

When donors set up a recurring donation at MEFtoday.org, they can specify both the contribution amount and the date of the month when they want it withdrawn. They can use a debit card or a credit card or connect directly to their bank account. The monthly donation continues until they choose to cancel it, either by logging into their online account or reaching out to MEF.

Signal Mountain has always been a community that prioritizes our children. As we work together to achieve this goal for 100 new monthly donors to MEF, and the resulting impact in more funding for our beloved Signal schools, we will get to see how big Signal DREAMS!