Our 1st Annual Graduation Food Truck Fundraiser was a tremendous success! Families, friends, and community members gathered in the Quality Shoppe parking lot to celebrate the Class of 2026, enjoy delicious food, and support student opportunities in the Kutztown Area School District. Thank you to our food truck partners, community volunteers, and everyone who made this memorable night possible. We look forward to making this a new tradition!

On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the Annual KASD Education Foundation Reception, the Foundation recognized this year’s Distinguished Alumnus. The reception was held at Setter Ridge Vineyards, Kutztown and catered by the Kempton Kitchen. In addition to the Distinguished Alumnus’ family and friends, the reception was also attended by KASD Administration, School Board and Education Foundation Board Members, and numerous donors.

Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. John J. Siegfried, Class of 1963, addressed the group with a focus on his early work experience on the family farm, the positive impact of his Kutztown Area High School science teachers, as well as the many opportunities his career provided him to learn about a wide range of topics (from peanut butter to NFL TV blackouts) and to influence many important decision makers in business and government (from CEOs to the Supreme Court).

During the commencement ceremony held on Thursday, May 28, two distinguished students were honored with special recognition as recipients of additional KASD Education Foundation scholarships. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian Scholarships were awarded to celebrate the exceptional academic achievements and dedication of this year’s top graduates. Congratulations to the recipients of these prestigious honors!

On Thursday, May 21, AP Government and AP Human Geography students traveled to Washington, DC. Our students were invited to participate in a question-and-answer session with Rep. Madeleine Dean. All students attended a session of the Senate.

AP Human Geography visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Washington Monument, while AP Government students attended a session of the House of Representatives and visited the Supreme Court. Students had the opportunity to connect what they’ve been learning in the classroom to real-world experiences in a meaningful and engaging way.

The GES Reading Olympics Team proudly earned a first place ribbon at this year's Reading Olympics competition! Thanks to the generous support of the KASD Ed Foundation, students received all the books on the reading list and custom team T-shirts featuring their chosen name: "Cougar Readers = Cougar Leaders." To participate, students read and took notes on at least three books, learning valuable lessons in independence, teamwork, time management, and responsibility.

Kutztown Elementary School proudly entered its first team into the Reading Olympics this year with the support of a mini-grant. The grant funds allowed us to purchase several copies of each of the 25 books on the reading list, and our students spent months reading, discussing, and preparing for the competition.

The Brew, Kutztown High School’s student-run business, provided a donation in support of the Cougar Courtyard Sensory Playground. Through the entrepreneurship elective, students gain hands-on experience launching and operating their own business while making a meaningful impact within the school community.

7th-grade students enjoyed looking through the world history books provided by the Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation for inspiration to create original lessons. Mrs. Patten tested their ideas during PSSA weeks, where they learned about Empress Wu Zeitan, the first and only woman emperor in China, and developed a STEAM boat challenge inspired by the navigation of Admiral Zheng He. 

The Kutztown Area High School chapter of Future Business Leaders of America extends a heartfelt thank you to the Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation for awarding a mini grant this year. With this generous support, FBLA members were able to attend the Regional and State Leadership Conferences—competing in business events, attending workshops, and connecting with peers from across Pennsylvania. The grant also helped launch the new “Kutztown Career Closet,” a professional clothing lending library for students and community members.

The Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation is proud to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the Class of 2026. On May 13, 2026, the Foundation awarded 40 scholarships and recognitions, totaling a record-breaking amount of $76,400. This achievement reflects the incredible generosity and commitment of our community donors, who continue to invest in the success and future of Kutztown’s students. Thank you for your continued support!

Each year, the Education Foundation proudly presents a special award to a graduating senior, made possible through generous donations given in memory or honor of family members and loved ones during the previous academic year. These memorial contributions are combined to support the annual scholarship award, which honors a student or students who demonstrate strong academic standing, outstanding character, and a positive representation of the high school community.

The Memorial donations made throughout the year are thoughtfully combined to fund this annual award, offering donors and the Education Foundation a meaningful way to publicly honor our loved ones with recognition during the Senior Awards Night ceremony which was held this year on May 13th, 2026. The number of recipients may vary each year.

The individual to be remembered or honored during the presentation of the 2026 senior awards is: 

In Memory of Irene V. Melton.

Congratulations to this year’s Alumni Memorial Award recipient Gabrielle Loeb.  Gabrielle will be attending The Pennsylvania State University - University Park for Nursing.

We are proud to announce that Addison Blank was honored with the KASDEF Founders Award at the Senior Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. Addison will attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, commonly known as Virginia Tech, where she plans to study Mechanical Engineering.

The KASD Education Foundation is proud to support our amazing Middle and High School Life Skills students!

On Tuesday, May 5th, our students had an amazing day of competition in Hamburg. From a surprise visit by the Cougar mascot to impressive performances in every event, our athletes truly embodied the KASD spirit.

Join us for Graduation Night on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM in the Quality Shoppe parking lot at 45 Constitution Boulevard! Enjoy quick and delicious food and drinks—perfect for students, staff, families, and the entire community.

The Print Festival was a huge success thanks to the Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation. With the new Riley Hopkins screen printing presses, students created original prints and custom shirts, sparking creativity and school spirit throughout our community.

The Kutztown Area School District Education Foundation Board of Directors announced the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus of the year, Dr. John J. Siegfried, PhD. John is an American economist and Emeritus Professor of Economics at Vanderbilt University. He was raised on what is now Rodale Farm in Maxatawny Township and although his work has taken him around the world, he still has a special affinity for Kutztown. Dr. Siegfried is a 1963 graduate of Kutztown Area High School, where he was the Class President. Dr. Siegfried will be honored at the Annual Foundation Reception to be held at Setter Ridge Vineyards on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 5pm to 7pm. Dr. Siegfried will deliver the commencement address to the Kutztown Area High School graduating class of 2026.

Teacher Mini-Grant Update: Sensory Tools

Students utilized the items as tools to regulate their bodies and improve their learning.

Sixteen 4th and 5th-graders were selected to represent Kutztown Area School District in the Berks County STEM Design Challenge on March 17th. On the evening of March 18th , all students who participated in the district-level challenge had the opportunity to showcase their hard work and problem-solving skills.

Both KASD elementary schools had the privilege of participating in an author visit on March 18th with author/illustrator David Biedrzycki.

Students in Dr. Mahoney’s physics class had a blast learning physics through games!

Students played popular board games and then applied physics concepts to explain how the games work. They created diagrams showing the forces acting within their games and wrote explanations connecting their observations to Newton’s Laws of Motion.