Local News

Breitung schools benefit from $4M Zanardi Trust

KINGSFORD -- Sometimes it's the little things that enhance student experiences that are important.

It's something the Breitung Township School System has embraced in regard to using a portion of the $4 million they received from the John V. and Frances M. Zanardi Family Trust.

While some of the money has gone toward larger projects, such as the athletic field/track sports complex and a state-of-the-art woodshop planer, many smaller things are also funded, Superintendent Aaron Yonke said.

Each year they take the interest from the funds that aren't earmarked for scholarships, which has ranged from $125,000 to about $90,000, and divide it into portions for each school building.

"We created a committee, myself and the administrators, and the board basically authorizes every year how much money we put in a pot," Yonke said.

There are four pots -- one for each building. The committee meets monthly during the school year to consider requests submitted by teachers. If the request meets the criteria, it will be considered. If a request is rejected, it's usually because it didn't meet the criteria or other funding is available.

Funds are used to endow scholarships for graduating students, to enrich the school's library resources and to enhance and enable the athletic camps and programs, academic camps and programs, band camps and programs, special events and school technology.

The money has been used to purchase a book vending machine at Woodland Elementary and new playground equipment for the third grade. New equipment was purchased for the physical education programs across all grade levels, and new risers for the band and choir that can be used by community groups as well, he said.

Some of the funds have been used for field trips, such as the fifth grade fall outing to Getzloff's Corn Maze, the fifth grade spring trip to DeYoung Zoo, the seventh grade end-of-year trip to Bay Beach and the eighth grade dinner dance. The French class recently went to Marquette and explored France's influence on the Upper Peninsula at the Marquette Regional History Center. The Spanish Club has used funds for field trips as well. Some money is used to help offset the cost of prom.

Yonke said he has updated surviving sibling Marilyn Tufte, who lives in Platteville, Wis., on the projects they have used the money for so far, including the new athletic field and track.

He invited Tufte to the grand opening of the field, but she wasn't able to make it. He still sent her a package with some information and plans to continue giving her updates on how the money is being used.

"It's weird when you have a conversation with someone whose family gave you $4 million and they're saying, thank you more than you," he said.

"We had this awesome once in a lifetime gift and how we're using it to benefit students in their experiences across the school district," he said. "And the whole idea for talking to Marilyn is we want the family's legacy to live on and provide kids opportunities that otherwise they may not have had."

———

Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.