Beyond the Books application deadline approaching

Posted on March 5, 2017
A rock climbing wall at Evans Jr. High School was funded through Beyond the Books. (Photo courtesy Facebook/beyondthebooksBN)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – The deadline for local educators to apply for grants from the Beyond the Books Educational Foundation is Monday.

Beyond the Books has been providing funding for innovative projects in Unit 5 and district 87 for the last 25 years. Board President Vickie Robertson said they get around 100 applications every year.

“Typically, we give about $40,000 a year to grants in those districts,” said Robertson. “We have self-sustaining endowment that we keep alive through donations and investments.”

Beyond the Books held a special 25th anniversary celebration last weekend at Evans Jr. High School. Evans was chosen because the school’s rock climbing wall was the 2015-2016 Beyond the Box grant winner. The Beyond the box grant is the largest Beyond the Books gives out and is worth $10,000.

Beyond the Books has handed out close to $550,000 for 725 innovative projects in that time.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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