LANSDALE –

The North Penn School District Educational Foundation invites the community to break out their sombreros and maracas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with this year’s Cinco de Mayo Silent Auction and Fiesta. The event will be held on Sunday, May 5 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at “Casa de Schwenckfeld.” Schwenckfeld Manor is located at 1292 Allentown Road in Lansdale, PA.

This festive evening will feature wine and food samplings, silent auctions and entertainment. There will bemany items available for purchase in a wide-range of categories, and include such coveted gifts as hotel stays,vacation stays, sporting memorabilia and tickets, jewelry, a flat-screen TV and one-of-a-kind experiences such as a birthday party at the North Penn High School Natatorium.

Adding to the excitement of the evening, the Foundation will honor the following four individuals and groups for their service to the North Penn Educational Foundation and the North Penn community:

Alumnus Award – Jim Finnemeyer dedicated his life to North Penn High School. After graduating from NPHS in 1964, he went on to Millersville University to study education and history. After graduation, he started teaching social studies at NPHS in 1967 until 2002. During this time, Mr. Finnemeyer was the student council advisor at Pennfield Middle School (1967-1971) and North Penn High School (1971-1995,1998) and then the director of student activities at the high school from 1988 until 2007. During his tenure at North Penn he developed diligent students and empowered student leaders by involving them in student government at NPHS and state and local student council organizations.

Educator Award – Stephen Frederick began his career with North Penn High School in 1972, when he joined as NPHS band director and director of the award-winning North Penn Marching Knights. During this time, Frederick and the Marching Knights developed into the nationally recognized team that it is today. Frederick served as band director until 1990. During this time, he touched many musicians’ lives and instilled a love of music for many of his students. Mr. Frederick left the district for two years for his first administrative position with the Colonial School District. He could not stay away from North Penn, though, and in 1992 joined Penndale Junior High School as principal. In 1994 he returned to NPHS as an assistant principal and in 1995 was named associate principal. In 2000, Frederick was appointed principal of North Penn High School. In 2003, Stephen Frederick ended a 35-year career in education when he retired as principal of North Penn High School.

 Educator Award – The NPSD Technology and Engineering Education Department continues to embrace the mission of the North Penn Educational Foundation by applying for grants that teach students the ability and place to apply knowledge and skills. The list of foundation grants awarded to the department is as extensive as they are innovative. From making Lego’s, wooden pens and skateboards to robots, model airplanes, and nanotechnology, The Technology and Engineering Education department has received over $21,000.00 in foundation grants in the past five years.

Adding to the relationship with the Foundation, the Technology and Engineering Education department is widely recognized throughout the state for their program and leadership in the field of Technology and Engineering Education. Many of the department members are actively involved with promoting technology and engineering at the state and national level. We have been honored as the Middle School Program of the Year in 1998 and as the High School Program of the Year in 2006. These were both state and national awards.

In addition, the department has four teachers who have been recognized as Teachers of The Year by both our state and national technology and engineering education associations.

Supporter Award – Dan Reavy is the director of Local Government Relations and External Affairs for Verizon Pennsylvania, Inc., where he is responsible for community, public and government affairs, brand and reputation management and stakeholder relations throughout a twenty county region covering Suburban Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

 Since 2005, Mr. Reavy and the Verizon Foundation have donated close to $60,000 to the Foundation. Their support has gone to projects to improve the computer literacy of North Penn students. Through these grants, schools purchased items like smart boards and lap tops and funded training in internet safety and cyber bullying. Verizon Foundation is working with North Penn School District to ensure families stay healthy and safe.

 Tickets are currently on sale for this event. Tickets are $55 for an individual and $100 for a couple. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact [email protected] or 215-853-1021 or visit www.npenn.org/foundation.