In conjunction with this milestone, the school district is honored and grateful to announce a special $30,000 donation from founding member Elsa Brule.

“Brule’s generous contribution reflects her enduring belief in the mission of the club and her continued investment in the success of our students. Her leadership, dedication and tenacity, both at the founding of the organization and today, exemplifies the spirit of school and community partnership that has defined the club for three decades,” the school said in a statement.

The club holds a distinct place in local history as the first academic booster club established in the state. It began when Brule was soliciting money for landscaping upgrades at the high school and evolved into a conversation about supporting other fundraising efforts for the library and the bleachers. Since the district already had an athletic booster club that could work on the bleachers, they were trying to figure out how to raise money for both. From this discussion grew the idea of creating an academic booster club. The same people involved in the conversation — including Brule, Kris Andes and Betsy Trumbell — helped create the club as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Since that time, the club has backed many purchases in the district. Peter Anderson, a member from 2005 to 2014, remembers several projects that stand out, including lighting for the auditorium, purchasing the first 3-D printer in an Upper Peninsula school and accelerometers for the physics class.

Some of the original members of the academic booster club at Iron Mountain School, in a photo from 1999 — from left, in front are Betsy Trumbell, Elsa Brule, Wilma Verrette and Rhonda Carey; in back are David Brule, Bev Tobin, Tracy Husing, Sharon Arnold and Jim Laydon. (Iron Mountain School photo)

Other purchases include a $30,000 donation to the FUTURES –Facilitating Understanding Through Unique Research-based Educational Strategies — Program in spring of 2016.

In 2017, the club purchased 10 T183+ graphic calculators and for the first time paid for a bus trip for the juniors to visit Michigan colleges.

In 2021-22, Rhonda Carey’s chemistry class participated in a computer-based, acid-based titration lab using magnetic stirrers and hotplates donated by the club. Prismacolor Colored Pencils were also purchased for art class that year.

In 2023-24, eight Metic Swiftline microscopes were purchased for students in biology and advanced biology.

Anderson said the club had an annual fundraiser for quite a few years and as they accumulated money, they allocated more to annual grants to teachers or the high school itself. At the same time, they also were increasing their endowment fund.

The Iron Mountain High School FUTURES — Facilitating Understanding Through Unique Research-based Educational Strategies — program received money from the Iron Mountain Academic Booster Club in 2017. (Iron Mountain School photo)

One of the final fundraisers, at Pine Grove Country Club, was aimed at a new technology push. The room was decorated with outdated technology — old phones, typewriters, etc. There was a dinner and many donated raffle items.

“As that fund kept building, we had many discussions on how much was enough? To the best of my memory, the club was spending $5,000 to $10,000 per year in grants to the school. We concluded that if we had a $200,000 fund balance that the club could go on for at least 20 years without fundraising. All generations have responsibility, but we were giving people in the future some break in the efforts required to fundraise. The $200,000 seemed like an achievable goal, so we worked hard for a few years and met that goal.”

Said Laura Hagan, a long-time staff member at the school and a member of the club since the early 2000s, “It has been a fantastic club to be a part of,” adding, “I always enjoyed our fundraising events, but I was very happy when we reached our goal for the endowment so we wouldn’t have to fundraise anymore and could just ‘grant teacher wishes’ each year.”

Current officers include Russell Kassin, president since 2021; Junie Barrow, secretary; and acting treasurer Angela McClean. They are in search of a new vice president.

As the academic booster club looks ahead to the next 30 years, its mission remains steadfast: to enhance educational experiences, support innovation in classrooms and recognize student achievement.

“This anniversary is a celebration of vision, volunteerism, and the power of community support. IMPS has a bright future ahead. We are deeply grateful to our founders and to supporters like Elsa Brule, who continue to invest in academic opportunity for our students,” said Kassin, who has been part of the club since late 2020.