<![CDATA[MOORHEAD LEGACY EDUCATION FOUNDATION - News]]>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:03:01 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[MLEF Awarded Prestigious Community Grant from FM Area Foundation]]>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/mlef-awarded-prestigious-community-grant-from-fm-area-foundation<![CDATA[MLEF Awarded Moorhead Rotary Grant]]>Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/mlef-awarded-moorhead-rotary-grantThe Moorhead Rotary Club presented a check for $2,000 to Moorhead's Legacy Education Foundation at Rotary's June 9th meeting. The money will be used for school supplies and other needed materials to help elementary children learn. The check was presented to MLEF Executive Director, Janelle Leiseth, by Moorhead Rotary President, Tim Hiller.

​Rotary’s Grant will provide milk and snacks for MLEF’S Food For Thought program, feeding Kindergarten-4th graders in the Moorhead School District. MLEF believes students learn best when well fed.
]]><![CDATA[Announcing the 2026 Spud Scholars]]>Fri, 01 May 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/announcing-the-2026-spud-scholarsCELEBRATING 35 YEARS for Spud Scholarships in 2026! 
Graduating Moorhead Spuds were honored at the MHS Award Ceremony on April 29th. Thank you to MAPS staff and counselors that help coordinate the special evening, and thank you to our presenting guests that helped hand out their named scholarships. MLEF awarded $117,000 in scholarships to 80 deserving students this spring. This is possible thanks to our scholarship donors, endowments and our annual Phonathon.
A list of the endowed and pass-through scholarships awarded can be found here: https://canva.link/q4wms9jdjc47y3y
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]]><![CDATA[For Immediate Release: 35 Years of Spud Scholars]]>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/july-01st-2026Reaching this 35-year anniversary is a testament to the generosity of our community. ~Janelle Leiseth, Executive Director
The Moorhead Legacy Education Foundation (MLEF) is proud to mark a significant milestone this spring as it celebrates 35 years of the Spud Scholars program. Since its inception in 1991, the
foundation has been a cornerstone of support for Moorhead Area Public Schools ISD152, awarding over $2 million in scholarships to approximately 2,200 graduating seniors to assist in their pursuit of post-secondary education.

This year’s awards ceremony continues a powerful community tradition of "Spuds helping Spuds." In 2024, the foundation reached a major financial goal by building its endowed scholarship funds to $1.52 million. This milestone ensures the perpetuity of the program, allowing the foundation to use interest from these funds to provide annual scholarships ranging from $500 to several thousand dollars to deserving students. “The Spud Scholars program has been awarding scholarships to graduating seniors since 1991, and reaching this 35-year anniversary is a testament to the generosity of our community,” says Janelle Leiseth, Executive Director of MLEF. “Every donation, from our annual Spud Phonathon to individual endowments, helps create a lasting legacy for learning for Moorhead students."

The scholarship awards are funded through individuals who set up endowments, through business and organizational support, and through the annual Spud Phonathon, which is completely driven by student callers. MLEF is awarding 76 individual scholarships to graduating seniors, and 4 Moorhead alumni scholarships later this spring, totaling over $117,000.00 in financial support for post-secondary education. A full list of scholarships is published in an anniversary booklet online:  https://canva.link/q4wms9jdjc47y3y

A full list of this year's Spud Scholars and their respective awards will be published and announced following the MHS Award Ceremony, which will be held on Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm.

About Moorhead Legacy Education Foundation:
The Moorhead Legacy Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experiences of all students within the Moorhead Area Public Schools district. Beyond the Spud Scholars program, MLEF supports students and staff through the Food for Thought initiative and Spud Impact grants for innovative programming and classroom projects.
]]><![CDATA[MLEF Announces 2025 Spud Impact Grant Awards]]>Wed, 19 Nov 2025 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/mlef-announces-2025-spud-impact-grant-awardsMLEF awarded Spud Impact Grants this November. In all, $10,250 has been awarded toward basic needs, classroom projects or activities within the district.

​Congratulations to the following awardees and their project or activity:
  • District 152 : basic school supplies funding
  • Brian Cole, Horizon Middle School : "Orchestra bows" *This project was funded by the Christoffers Family Spud Impact Grant 
  • Sherri Dryburgh, HMS-West : "Digital Microscopes to Increase Student Engagement"
  • Tammi Fortney, School Psychologist, Moorhead High : "Inclusive Spuddy"
  • Rebecca Green, Technical Director : "Theater Dress Forms"
  • Courtney Grout, S.G. Reinertsen Elem : "Kindergarten Sensory Bin/Hands on Manipulatives"
  • Caitlyn Harvey, HMS-West : "Books for Diverse Literature Circles"
  • Katie Kohorst, S.G. Reinertsen Elem : "Flexible Seating for 4th Grade Classroom" *This project was funded by the Irene Olson Spud Impact Grant
  • Sarah Martin, Learning Resource Strategist, Probstfield Elementary : Gifted/Talented "Think like an engineer" ​
  • Kevi Muhammed, Moorhead High School : "Indigenous ELA Curriculum Project"
  • Alison Sluke, Ellen Hopkins Elementary : "Sensory Regulation Items for Hopkins"  *This project was funded by the Irene Olson Spud Impact Grant
  • Hayley Steffes, Robert Asp Elementary : "Classroom Library"
  • Erika Thiel, Dorothy Dodds Elementary : "Nurturing Hearts Take 2"
  • Andrew Tichy, Moorhead High School : "ELA Classroom Libraries at MHS" *This project was funded by the Moorhead Rotary's Dr. Lynne Kovash Spud Impact Grant
]]><![CDATA[Dorothy Dodds Elementary Staff Give In Memory of Moorhead Student]]>Sun, 21 Sep 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/dorothy-dodds-elementary-staff-give-in-memory-of-moorhead-student
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Moorhead’s Dorothy Dodds Elementary staff have taken up a collection in memory of student, Adam Amin. Adam attended Dorothy Dodds Elementary as a Kindergartner and is remembered as being kind and having a smile that could light up a room. Adam was tragically killed in a bike accident in the summer of 2025 near S.G. Reinertsen Elementary where he was to attend as a fourth grader.

Dorothy Dodds Elementary wishes to honor Adam Amin by sharing his legacy of kindness with other Spuds through the work of the Moorhead Legacy Education Foundation. The funds raised by staff will go toward MLEF’s Spud Impact program and Food For Thought to help Adam’s fellow Spuds.

If you would like to give a gift in memory of Adam Amin, you can mail a check to MLEF (P.O. Box 1006, Moorhead MN 56560), or use our secure donor link at https://moorheadlegacyeducationfoundation.ddock.gives. In the memo/comment line, state that your gift is in memory of Adam Amin.
]]><![CDATA[End-of-School Year e-Newsletter]]>Thu, 05 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/end-of-school-year-bi-annual-newsletterMLEF's bi-annual newsletters are published each end-of-year and end-of-school year. MLEF's 2024-25 impact report for Moorhead Schools is outlined in our latest e-Newsletter, here. To sign up for our emails, simply subscribe to the button at the end of the published email.
​GO SPUDS!
]]><![CDATA[Announcing 2025's Spud Scholars]]>Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/announcing-2025s-spud-scholarsSpud Scholarships are awarded each Spring. Moorhead's students were honored at the MHS Award Ceremony on April 30th. Thank you to MAPS staff and counselors that help coordinate the award process and special evening, and thank you to our special guests that helped hand out their named scholarships. MLEF awarded $123,000 in scholarships to 112 graduating seniors and 4 alumni pursuing higher education. This is possible thanks to our scholarship donors, endowments and our annual Phonathon. A full list of 2025's Spud Scholars and their awards are listed below. Congratulations to Moorhead's 2025 Spud Scholars!
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]]><![CDATA[In the News - MHS Awards Night and MLEF]]>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/in-the-news-mhs-awards-night-and-mlefRead the InForum article by Kjersti Maday, here.
]]><![CDATA[A Milestone Goal, Reached!]]>Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:00:00 GMThttps://www.moorheadlegacy.org/news/a-milestone-goal-reachedSince 1991, the Moorhead Area Education Foundation had a goal of creating and sustaining a scholarship endowment total of $1.52 million. In the timespan of 1991 through 2024, the program Spud Scholars has awarded over $2 Million in scholarships to 2,000 Moorhead High graduates. Only the interest from the endowment funds is awarded each year, ensuring the perpetuity of the funds.​ Many scholarships are awarded directly by our now, merged, foundation -- the goal has remained. Other scholarships are sponsored by individuals, families, businesses and organizations in the community. The endowment goal was reached in 2024.  Our annual Spud Scholars Phonathon is run by current students of Moorhead Area Public Schools and occurs each February/March. Answer to thisthe call!]]>