Friends of South High Foundation, Inc.

Completely blown away by the response from our donors this year for Give MN 2021.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

You humble us with your generosity.  In 2020, we raised over $8,000 for South High Students and the South Emergency Relief Fund (SERF)!

Thank you!!

GiveMN 2021 Campaign - South High Library and Media Center Accessibility

To our amazing donors and families, this school year (2021-2022) our campaign is focusing on how to improve the accessibility of the Library at South, both physically and with added resources.  

Please help us in providing these resources for the students at South. Below is a listing of items that will aid students with vision impairments, hearing loss, reading disabilities, dexterity issues and also benefit all students.

"Last year, I asked teachers what technology we could add to the library and the response was assistive technologies for students who have physical limitations.  Electric standing desks could be adjusted for different wheelchair heights.  They can also be adjusted for the physically able student who is tired of sitting all day. 

By adding as much assistive technology as possible to our library, we seek to make every student feel welcomed and enabled to be independent and successful."  -Deb Snell, Teacher Librarian

Technology requests:

1. CCT Reader or My Reader (vision impairment) Closed Caption Tv Reader - 15" screen that blows up paper to an enlarged size.
2. Z phone Video Relay Service for individuals with hearing loss - A deaf person calls a hearing person with a live remote interpreter.  Video interpretation of sign language

   or calling directly someone for a video chat.  One time purchase.

3. Software:

        -  Dragon Speaking Naturally - (use a flash drive to create a profile) 

     -  Jaws - for individuals with visual impairment (Reads screen aloud)

     -  Kursweill  3000 - vision impairment cognitive etc, reading disability - converts text  into speech (highlights text as it goes across screen...you control speed of text...stops on definitions (multiple languages)) 

     -  Magic or Zoom Text- screen enlarger (zoom text includes has speech)

Accessories Requests:

           -   Braille keyboards

       -  High contrasting keyboards

       -  Keyboards with really large keys

       -  Large mice (for people with dexterity problems)

       -  Mouse track balls

       -  Optical lens magnifier (hand held)

       -  Sound clear personal amplifiers (tiny)

Computer Tables Request:  Replacing 5-10 of the computer tables from stationary desk to adjustable sit/stand ergonomic desks for a variety of wheel chair sizes.  This would benefit all students! (~$250/table)

Library Entry/Exit Request - Improving the entry/exit to the Library with the addition of an automatic operator for the doors. (~$25,000)

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

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 Jerry 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 each year on providing more than $80,000 in grant funding for various South High School programs and projects. Past grants have ranged from support for the Writing Room, materials for the Robotics Club, support for the theater, dance, music and academic programs, computers for the foreign language department, supplemental funding for athletic programs and capital improvement projects, including improvements to the South High Athletic Field.

In addition, the Foundation annually provides more than $100,000 in scholarships for worthy seniors and graduates of South High. Through the past 38 years, the South High Foundation has awarded over $1,000,000 in Scholarships to South graduates to help them continue their education! The Foundation also serves as a connection to the large South High alumni community through its alumni lunches, newsletters, and our 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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