Friends of South High Foundation, Inc.

Image above:  South Music Students from their spring 2026 Chicago Tour.   

2026 October matching challenge!

The Alice M. O'Brien Foundation is  challenging all of you with their very generous matching donation of up to $35,000.  A message from the O'Brien family:

I hope you will join my family in honoring and supporting the students, staff and teachers at South High.  My children, Kennedy Sharp, Class of 2000 and Lily Crutchfield Bieletto, Class of 2010, not only received a rich education at South but also gained lifelong friends and a strong sense of community.  Kennedy still plays soccer with her high school teammates and Lily married Eliot Bieletto, South Class of 2009.  

Many South High students need our support, right now!  Please consider donating to the Foundation, so they may meet this $35,000 match and continue providing critical assistance to students in need.

All donations received in the month of October will count towards this matching donation.  

Are YOU up for this challenge!!

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Many thanks!!  We'll be adding $4,400 to our grants budget, thanks to your generosity!!

GiveMN 2025 Campaign - Grant programs at South

Please help us.... in celebrating our amazing Grant's Program.  We are seeking continued financial support for the many grant requests submitted by Teachers at South.  Our budget ranges from $100,000 to $150,000+ per year (including dedicated funds from alumni).

Music Program at South - support for every ensemble, instrumental and vocal.

• The yearly trip taken by students in the spring (48 students went to Kansas City last year where they performed and enjoyed workshops with professors at Kansas University).
• Providing equity and funds for private lessons for 100 students through out the year.   Many of whom are beginners.
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English Debate - a program with nationally winning/competitive students.  We support their competitions, travel, hotel and food.

Spanish Debate - students debating in Spanish at the national level.  We support their competitions, travel, hotel and food.

Special Ed, Bonsai - Providing autistic students with their own Bonsai tree and tools, then watching them trim a single leaf at a time with amazing focus.

Athletics - providing funds to compensate the assistant Coaches for their time, plus upgrading football helmets, and paying clock workers at Basketball events

 and so much more.

Social Work programs - supporting the Counseling department, and our students/families in many ways.  

E-sport Gaming, D&D Club, Math club, Robotics - the foundation supports many clubs and extra curricular groups.

Dungeons & Dragons Club

Senior class party, Boat bash, BBQ bash - the foundation supports many senior events in spring.

Tie Dye T-Shirts - Applying Chemistry concepts in class, thru tie dye.

 

All Nations program support - supporting their goal to "strengthen cultural identity, language use and community connections among Indigenous students through hands-on, land based, and experiential learning".

Spring Art Show 2025 - The visual Arts program showcase their student's works in a professional setting.  Last spring was their 7th showcase at Modus Locus Gallery.

Be the difference in enriching the experience of South students by supporting the South High Foundation.

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Our donors are amazing!!  We raised over $7,200 for the Special Ed School Store last year (2024) and we are so grateful.  

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Be Proud—Be South!

The Friends of South High Foundation is one of the first and oldest high school nonprofit-support organizations in the country.  Established in 1983 by then-Principal George Dahl, Assistant Principal Gerry Cady, and alumnus Dick Westby, the South High Foundation provides unique and enriching academic, cultural and social programs and projects serving South High students, faculty, administration, and community. 

With more than 11,000 active alumni, parents, friends and corporate sponsors, the Foundation focuses on providing more than $100,000 in grant funding yearly, for various South High School programs and projects. We have awarded over $2,200,000 in Grants to students and teachers and over $2,300,000 in Scholarships to South graduates to help them continue their education within these last 42 years.

 The Foundation also serves as a connection to the large South High alumni community through its alumni lunches, newsletters, and annual Pancake Breakfast.

The South High School Foundation is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Corporation chartered in the State of Minnesota, MN.  All contributions are tax deductible as provided by law.

Please accept our most heartfelt thanks for your consideration—and for your generous contributions!

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