Lynnwood High School was the setting for the Edmonds Public Schools Foundation’s annual fundraising luncheon March 18th. Following the event theme, “A Recipe for Success,” the high school’s student chefs — under the direction of local chef, author and teacher Greg Atkinson — prepared and served a lovely meal of baked salmon followed by apple crisp to the 200-plus in attendance.

Edmonds School District students and teachers told the audience about Foundation-funded projects and programs that had benefited them, and Edmonds resident Adam Cornell, a Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney, gave a moving speech about how teachers inspired him to succeed against all odds. (Check back here later for a summary of Cornell’s speech.)

School Board member Susan Phillips noted that given the continually shrinking school district budget, it’s more important than ever to support the Foundation, which provides direct grants for programs that the district otherwise could not afford to fund.

Meadowdale High School photography teacher Jill Van Berkom talked about a digital cookbook she and her class prepared — with students and their families providing recipes and food photography — using Foundation grant money. Third-grader Lukas Malin of Cedar Way Elementary didn’t miss a beat in reading his speech about how the Foundation-funded Wings to Reading program helped him and proudly stated that he now mentors other students who have trouble reading. Scriber Lake High School graduate Katherine Kepler told the audience how the school’s Women of Wisdom anti-bullying program inspired her to stand up against girls bullying other girls.

For more information on how you can help, visit the Foundation’s website.