Thank you to the Sonoma Index-Tribune for covering new programming at the Empowerment Academy inspired by students' curiosity about our local hospitality and tourism industry!

"One of the most rewarding aspects of speaking with the students was being able to demonstrate that hospitality careers aren’t 'one size fits all,'" said Jessica Koski of Benziger Family Winery and Imagery Estate Winery.

Benziger and Imagery are long-time SVEF business partners, and SVEF Executive Director Sarah Carroll said, "I look forward to building more bridges with the Empowerment Academy and our business community as the hospitality workshop evolves beyond its initial pilot and other opportunities arise." 

We're excited to announce a whole new way to celebrate our schools and students!

Back to School @the Market will showcase students and schools throughout September. The month-long series at Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Market will expand and reimagine the Red & White Ball, long known as a one-night event to support public education.

Each week will feature a specific theme with interactive student presentations and exhibits — brought to you by SVEF. Mark your calendars for September 9, 16, 23, and 30, and stay tuned for program details.

The new collaboration between the market, the City of Sonoma, and SVEF is the next evolution of the Red & White Ball's transformation into a community celebration in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

“The shift to a community-centered event was received with tremendous enthusiasm,” said Carroll. “With this exciting new partnership, SVEF is expanding to a month-long celebration and giving our students and educators even more opportunities to connect with the public.”

SVEF will coordinate programming for the free series and provide information about how the community can get involved and support local students and schools throughout the year. Further specifics of the program lineup will be announced this summer.

Want to participate in Back to School @the Market? Learn about sponsorship opportunities or drop us a line to volunteer. 

We're proud to share our 2024 "yearbook" featuring stories of impact, program details by the numbers, and more. Thanks to donors like you, we invested $1 million in local students and schools in 2024 -- enriching teaching, inspiring learning, and advancing innovative programs to prepare students for success.

To dive in, visit the 2024 Annual Report online or download a printable PDF version. Or browse through individual articles:

• Taking a Stand for Students, Thanks to You - Message from the Executive Director
• Your Generosity Helped a Teen Tackle Life's Challenges
• Inventive Instruments Unleashed Musical Joy
• Study Space at Empowerment Academy Helped Teens Succeed

Students need a quiet place to focus on homework– but for many, this space isn’t available in their homes. Noisy younger siblings want to play after school, not study. There might not be a quiet corner for a desk. Pets need care.

Add the lure of a video game and the ever-present buzz of a cell phone, and it’s easy to set aside schoolwork. Your generosity helped make possible the Empowerment Academy, an after-school program on the Sonoma High campus where teens were able to find their focus.

Open two afternoons per week, Empowerment Academy offered a space with plenty of tables and chairs, making it an ideal place for group and solo study. It’s been a welcome oasis of calm for Evelyn, whose four-year-old sister and eight-year-old brother demanded attention as soon as she got home from school.

“It’s a quiet and peaceful environment, and I get my work done a lot faster,” said Evelyn, a junior.

Empowerment Academy is overseen by our partners from the Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance and Teen Services, a program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley. Staff are on hand to provide homework help if students are struggling with difficult concepts.

Students can also ask for help from Evelyn and schoolmates like her who’ve signed up as peer tutors. Concepts are relatable when teens talk them over together, and there’s no intimidation factor.

“Sometimes it can be scary to go talk with a teacher one-on-one,” says Evelyn. “When it’s a student helping another student, it’s easier, because you’re both in the same position.”

Teens can take a break from the grind to play a board game or a round of pool and make new social connections outside of their usual friend groups.

The entire class of second- and third-graders was in harmony. With faces set in concentration, they followed melodies, kept time, and sang – experiencing the joy of making music together.

This feat was possible thanks to teacher Lynn McArthur and a set of instruments with a serious purpose and a silly name: C Major Boomwhackers.

With support from donors like you, Ms. McArthur requested a Classroom Grant to buy enough Boomwhackers for all her classes at Sonoma’s four public elementary schools.

Boomwhackers are hollow plastic tubes students can smack on the floor or against their palms. Each tube is a different color and a different length, and makes a different sound – from tall and low to short and high. A full set of eight makes an octave.

With your support, Ms. McArthur could experiment with instruments like the Boomwhackers without worrying about extra costs. There are no strings to squeak and no notes to read. Students know it’s their turn by following Ms. McArthur’s conducting and color-coded cues on a big-screen TV.

The energetic motion of whacking the tubes on the floor helped them embody the tunes. “I like it when a lot of people play at the same time and we have to go fast,” said Sam, a third-grader at Prestwood Elementary School. “It’s really fun.”

Each time Gael steps onto the field to play football, he’s already won.

The Sonoma Valley High School junior has earned his place in the lineup. Playing on the defensive line is tough. But to meet the 2.0 grade-point average requirement for SVHS athletes, Gael has had to do something even harder: retrain his mind.

Your support funded a life-changing boys empowerment group for Gael and his peers. Working with mentor Andy Mughannam of Awakening Wisdom, Gael and other young men tackled tough social-emotional challenges, from conflicts at home to struggles at school.

Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, sessions are offered for free on the high school campus, eliminating cost and logistical barriers.

Gael joined the group after his grades slipped during freshman year, and as a result he wasn’t allowed to play football. He acknowledges that at the time, he was struggling with conflict at home and began skipping classes. When he did show up, his temper would often get the better of him, and he’d end up talking back at teachers or even walking out.

“I was at one of the worst points in my life,” he recalls.

That’s when he heard about another student who had boosted his grades with Andy’s help. Gael immediately recognized Andy was different from the other adults in his life. Not only does Andy talk frankly during group sessions; he’s available after hours and even answers text messages.

“What made me trust Andy is that he’s looking out for us,” recalls Gael. “He is a very kind guy, and he pays attention to our feelings.”

In his ongoing work in the group, Gael has learned to pause and reflect rather than reacting purely with emotions. He brought his grades up and joined the football team again last fall.

Group sessions cover practical topics, from taking responsibility for schoolwork to looking for a job. And while Gael knows there is still more work for him to do, with Andy as an ally, Gael and young men like him can envision a positive future for themselves.

You stood up for students.

At a time when Sonoma Valley’s future workers, leaders, and citizens need support more than ever, you strengthened your commitment to children.

This meant that in 2024, you enabled us to deepen our investment in critical programs to support student wellness, academic enrichment and teacher innovation.

Thanks to you, students have the academic support they need to thrive throughout their school years. From  funding fully-subsidized preschool for our community's youngest learners, to covering the cost of college application fees for first-generation college students, you helped eliminate barriers and gave students of all ages the support they needed to soar.

Thanks to you, our network of partnerships with other youth-serving organizations is stronger than ever. Through this collaboration, you provided students with a variety of opportunities for learning and community after school. From music and dance to drivers’ education and money management, Sonoma Valley students learned new skills that broadened their horizons.

Finally, thanks to you, students were able to meet with a counselor or participate in a group support session when they needed help. Research shows that when students have access to mental health resources and get the support they need, they are better able to focus in the classroom, build resilience, and stay on track toward their goals.

As we look ahead to spring and the rest of 2025, the challenges are steep, but our commitment is strong. Thank you for taking a stand for students, and helping ensure a healthy future for our community.

Sarah Carroll, SVEF Executive Director

Tamsen Drew joined the Board of Directors of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation in January of 2025.

Tamsen Drew and her husband, Alex Kivelstadt, moved to Sonoma County at the start of 2025. Currently an attorney at the Law Office of Michael R. Woods, a Sonoma Valley real estate and land use law firm, Tamsen brings over 15 years of experience in leadership roles across the public and private sectors.

Previously, Tamsen served as Chief of Staff for the Office of the General Counsel at Salesforce, where she led strategic initiatives across a global team. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles in the San Francisco Mayor's office as well as the former Redevelopment Agency, contributing to transformative projects like Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point, CPMC’s hospital projects, and the Golden State Warriors’ arena on Piers 30/32.

A dedicated community leader, Tamsen has served on the boards of SPUR and the East Cut Community Benefit District. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from UC Law San Francisco and holds a B.A. in Architecture, with high honors, from UC Berkeley.