The Greater Excellence in Education Foundation may sound like a new organization, but it has been around since 2005.
Formerly known at the Greater Edgewood Education Foundation, the group recently changed its name to so "all students and parents could feel inclusive in the programs," according to a news release.
Founder Deb Merlock says the foundation has been open to students outside of the Edgewood area previously, and it didn't change the name simply to reflect wider geographic coverage.
"We've actually been doing this for years," she said. "We're just kind of like formalizing."
The foundation was originally created to help at-risk students in Edgewood, but as they grew older, Merlock said, the students were moving out of the area and the foundation continued to support them.
Changing the name not only lets more parents and teachers know they can utilize the resources, she said, it also helps to attract more businesses to contribute.
"We're just changing the name of who we're serving better," she said. "By doing that, then it opens the door to other businesses and organizations becoming engaged in what we're doing."
Inviting in other businesses will not only help the county's students, but help serve Edgewood better, Merlock said, adding that they are "not leaving the Edgewood community."
Donations and fundraisers are how the group generates money, according to Merlock, as they are a nonprofit and not supported by the local school system or any single school. Programs are also funded through grants from the public, nonprofit and private sectors.
The foundation's programs include Tools for Schools, a resource center of school supplies for needy students; the Youth Leadership Academy and Books in Hand, a reading program that supplies students with books and resources during the summer months.
They also have two career programs, including Finding Your Future Education, a conference to help students and parents with homework, planning and finding money for college, as well as Get Plugged into Your Future, a career expo.
GEEF also supplies Edgewood students with scholarships through the Franklin L. Tull 5K Run and one mile walk. The event is named in memory of the late principal of William Paca – Old Post Road Elementary School, which serves students from Edgewood and Abingdon.
This program, however, also does not necessarily need to be limited to Edgewood, Merlock said. Because those students participate in the run, all of the money they raise is put into a scholarship fund. One part of the new GEEF's growth model is inviting other schools to participate in the run.
"This is a new concept," Merlock said. "I haven't spoken to any other feeder systems about those opportunities."
Another idea is to create a Friends of GEEF group in each of the feeder systems that will model programs based on the needs of each school community. For the Tools for Schools program in particular, Merlock said, the group is talking with the school system to find a permanent location that users can access.
Whereas parents and teachers who need supplies contact Merlock directly to organize a pick-up, if there were a resource center, they could go there instead.
"[We're] hoping to get the resource center started in August," she added.
Plans have not been finalized with the school system on where they the foundation might house the resource center, but Merlock said they want something along the Route 40 corridor because "that's where the need is."