Dear East Side Union High School District Employee,

Thank you for the sacrifices you make every day on behalf of our students. What if we told you that for as little as $5.00 a month — the cost of a grande latte — you could make the difference in one of those students not just enrolling in college, but graduating? Now you can through the efforts of the East Side Union High School District Education Foundation (AKA East Side Education Foundation).

We are asking you to set up a monthly contribution to the Foundation though ESUHSD. As you sign up for your benefits, just select “Spartan East Side Promise – ESEF” as a voluntary payroll deduction and choose an amount that’s meaningful to you.

Seven years ago, ESUHSD and our partnering K-8 districts — Alum Rock, Berryessa, Evergreen, Franklin-McKinley, Mt. Pleasant, Oak Grove, and Orchard — came together as the East Side Alliance to collaborate on programs to uplift the 80,000 students we serve.

One of the most significant contributions of the East Side Alliance is a partnership with San José State University to create the Spartan East Side Promise. This innovative program offers automatic admission to SJSU for ESUHSD graduates meeting minimum criteria. It also provides a summer orientation and expanded counseling support for program participants, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. Additionally, the East Side Education Foundation has awarded $81,500 in scholarships over the past three years to 76 students, 98% of whom identify as BIPOC. It’s worth noting that several scholarship winners expressed a desire to return to ESUHSD as teachers.

If just 10% of employees across the East Side Alliance chose to give as little as $5 a month, we could increase the total amount of annual scholarships by over $20,000!

The East Side Education Foundation is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with support from a small team of contract professionals who help with our finances, maintain our web presence, and organize events. In other words, every dollar you give will go directly to programs supporting our students.

We hope you will seriously consider making a monthly contribution to help students in their journey to a college degree. Did we mention your donation is 100% tax deductible?

Please select “Spartan East Side Promise – ESEF” as a voluntary payroll deduction when completing your benefits enrollment this year.

Still have questions or want to learn more? Sign up using the form on this page, and be sure to select your work site!

Sincerely,