PHOTO CAPTION: A proud Burns Park fifth grader poses with his mom as they present a check to the AAPSEF’s Village Fund Initiative. Jackson organized a touch football tournament at his school to raise money for under-funded PTO’s in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

5^th Grader Plays Hard for Fellow AAPS Students

It takes a village, or at least an energetic fifth grader from Burns Park Elementary! Jackson Hawkins wanted to raise money so that students at other elementary schools in Ann Arbor could have the fun extras that many PTO’s can provide for kids; field trips, social events and after-school programs. He invited 4^th and 5^th graders from Burns Park and other elementary schools, collected $5 per person, and held a 4 vs. 4 Touch Football Tournament on April 26^th. A week later, he put a check in the hands of AAPSEF’s Executive Director, Wendy Correll.

“What a great grassroots effort,” said Correll. “We are so grateful to Jackson for following through on his idea and organizing the tournament, and to all who participated.”

The Village Fund Initiative, a program of the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation, allows donors to address an inequity in our school environments – some communities just have more ability to raise funds for field trips, after-school activities and social events. Donations to the Village Fund Initiative help under-funded PTO’s in the Ann Arbor Public Schools provide the extras that build community and make school