Former ESUSD Board Member and Employee Contributes Monthly

El Segundo resident, Ruth Parks came to El Segundo 58 years ago when she moved with her husband for his job. Their young children all attended El Segundo schools. When she was widowed, Mrs. Parks took a job with the school district and worked as a school secretary at Center Street School for 19 years and at Richmond Street School for 6 years.

Mrs. Parks served on the school board for eight years starting in 1981, and when the El Segundo Educational Foundation was created in 1983, she began giving monthly contributions of $15.00 to support the local schools. She says her commitment to give to the Foundation on a regular basis stems from the needs of the schools. 'I think it's very important that outsiders, people who are not in government, support the schools because the money we get from the state is not adequate. I wish I could give more,' she says.

She's so consistent in her contributions, says Kirk Howell, the Foundation's Chief Financial Officer, that "every month she sends a $15.00 check." Mrs. Parks says she wants the Foundation to use her contributions for the most important and immediate needs.

As a resident who no longer has children in the local schools but faithfully gives every month, Mrs. Parks encourages all parents with school-aged children to be active contributors to the El Segundo Educational Foundation because, she says, 'it's for the good of your students.' She also encourages parents not to be discouraged by the amount they can give, 'Even $5 a month, which works out to be $60 a year, adds up. There's no amount too small to give,' she says.

We are grateful to Ruth Parks and donors like her who have made the commitment of a monthly contribution to the El Segundo Educational Foundation. These regular, unrestricted contributions are granted to the El Segundo Unified School District to meet the needs of our El Segundo schools.