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Impact Stories

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UA+Ed Foundation Grant in Action: Read to Feed

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 | Hastings Middle School


On April 16, 2024, the Upper Arlington Education Foundation was proud to join Paul Crabtree’s class at Hastings Middle School and hear firsthand from the students how they put their grant into action, completing the Heifer International Read to Feed Program. 


The Story Behind the Grant

This grant was made possible through the generous Joanie Dugger, Educator of the Year Award Fund.

2023/24 Educator of the Year recipient, Paul Crabtree, used his grant to bring a service learning project to life in the classroom.


The Project

This project was first introduced with the students meeting Bol Aweng, one of the Sudanese Lost Boys. Together, they read a book titled "Home of the Brave" by Katherine Applegate that follows a similar story of a Sudanese refugee but through the perspective of a 12-year-old boy. 


Reading the book inspired the students to participate in a Heifer International "Read to Feed" program. Their goal was to read 50,000 pages to donate a heifer (cow) to a village in need. Six weeks later, they succeeded in their goal tenfold and read 511,000 pages!


Through the Joanie Dugger grant, the UA+Ed Foundation donated the books and funds to Heifer International to help support not only one but three cows.


The Lasting Impressions 

During the presentation, the students discussed the privilege they feel to live in the United States and empathized with the challenges and changes the Lost Boys of Sudan experienced.


Students were inspired by the theme of education in the boys’ stories and the power that reading had in their lives. The students shared a personal connection with the opportunity to support a village with that same passion for reading. 



The Upper Arlington Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides access to meaningful opportunities for students that are beyond the budget of the Upper Arlington School District. Established in 1985, UA+Ed is permanently structured to fund programs and projects today and for generations to come. The Upper Arlington Alumni Association is an important part of the foundation and keeps graduates connected, engaged, and motivated to pay it forward. 




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