The Kansas City, Kansas School Foundation for Excellence received a $10,000 donation today from the La Familia Dean-Lozoya Foundation to support students in the district.
The funds will be used to provide internet connection to approximately 125 students spreading across 13 schools in the Harmon and Wyandotte high school cluster.
“The passion of the La Familia Dean-Lozoya Foundation is to serve the most vulnerable in our society and ensure they have the opportunity to become successful and contributing members to our community,” said Michael Dean, one of the foundation’s founders.
Michael and Guadalupe Dean-Lozoya established the foundation in 2016. Dean is an alumnus of Harmon High School in the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, and an entrepreneur. He said he has always wanted to support the residents and city he grew up in.
“There are many Hispanic families who don’t have internet access. We want to do what we can to help connect students to resources that can help them learn and achieve academically. Access to technology and the internet is a way of achieving this goal while also closing the digital divide in our community,” Dean said.
Guadalupe grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico. Her childhood memories of growing up in poverty have motivated her to start the foundation so she could help those who may not have a voice or have been left out of opportunities.
“We are very grateful to the La Familia Dean-Lozoya Foundation for their generous donation and even more thrilled by the fact it’s from one of our very own alumni of the district,” said Christal Watson, executive director of the Kansas City, Kansas, School Foundation for Excellence. “This is a wonderful example of a successful former student, giving back to meet the needs of our current students.”
The La Familia Dean-Lozoya Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that has helped struggling families, single mothers, and DACA students. Dean also serves as a board member on the KCKSFE.
- Story and photo from Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools