By Natalie Tran
Founded in 1992, Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) Baron Academic Foundation (BAF) is a non-profit charitable organization with a rich history of supporting educational excellence on campus. If FVHS had boosters for sports, choir and band, why not academics? That was the logic in creating this unique foundation.
For many years, the BAF has provided students with the resources they need to succeed within the classroom, from purchasing stoves for Home Economics to donating books for the school library. All contributions, from both private and public sectors, directly benefit students at FVHS, as they are at the forefront of the BAF mission.
“[The] BAF, I would say, is more of the business side of volunteering,” BAF co-president Anna Katsuki said.” “With the monies [we receive], we give grants out to teachers who make requests for items that will help them in their classroom.”
Various FVHS departments and clubs have benefited from the foundation as they have received computers, graphing calculators, cameras, foreign language workbooks, CD drives and warranties for PE equipment. The Link Crew Orientation Program, helping to introduce freshmen to campus each year, has also been kept alive thanks to the BAF. Our newspaper, Baron Banner, is also funded and supported by the BAF.
SAT and ACT practice tests and prep classes are also made easily accessible with the BAF. Not only that, seniors can especially benefit from the foundation with its Meg Kelly Scholarship, which honors students who demonstrate academic achievement while also giving back to their community through volunteering.
All of the contributions and opportunities mentioned above are only made possible through parent membership, community partnerships and continued support.
“We are looking for new members and participants [since] the present board has completed their years in their positions. We need people to step up to be co-presidents, secretary, treasurer and more,” Katsuki said. “[We are looking for] board members [to] vote on proposals submitted to us by the different teachers and staff. We also need members to help with organizing the student planners. We are also looking for students who would like to be student [representatives] at our meetings.”
So to any parent, this may be your calling. If you’re interested in helping to enhance the quality of education for students here at FVHS, please connect with the BAF.
“The future of this organization depends on parents stepping up to care about FVHS and the programs at our school, which directly impact every student,” Katsuki said. “We hope that many parents will come to our meetings to learn what we’re all about.”
Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. over Zoom. To find the latest foundation news and Zoom link for meetings, please visit their website at baronacademicfoundation.org.
