• Come to the 7th annual Vex Robotics Competition, and check out the OPEF Open House.

    Free, exciting, kid-friendly activities on a Saturday morning! Join us at Julian middle school, Saturday January 28, 9 am, 416 S. Ridgeland in Oak Park. Cheer on our students engineers in the gym and then engage in fun, educational projects for kids in the Commons.

  • Check out the Oak Park Education Foundation's 2010-2011 annual report

    We've just published our first annual report. Read about our programs, accomplishments of our students, and summaries of our financials. Contact us if you'd like a hard copy.

  • Classroom turns electric at Whittier

    Students experiment with electricity and magnetism and learn how they're interrelated.

  • Subscribe to Wednesday Journal and help support the Oak Park Education Foundation!

    Thanks to the Wednesday Journal for donating $5 of every $30 subscription to OPEF in December and January when you mention our name. The newspaper will also make a donation to OPEF for renewals when you mention us. See this flyer for more information and a subscription form.

  • It's annual appeal time!

    With your help, Oak Park public school students are making comets, designing buildings, learning dances from around the world, programming robots, building windmills with LEGOs, and lots more. Your support means so much!

  • Here's our community -- made out of LEGOs!

    Holmes 2nd grade team conducts an in-depth study of their Oak Park neighborhood, including elaborate scale models using LEGOs.

  • Science Alliance and IIT astrophysicist Sally Laurent-Meuhleisen featured on oakpark.com

    The Wednesday Journal's website includes photos and a story about comet-making at Longfellow, as well as includes an interview with one of our enthusiastic scientists talking about why she loves working with kids.

  • 5th graders design unique skylines recently displayed in Oak Park at Red Hen Bread

    Mann Architecture Adventure students' creativity shines in the landmarks and city skylines they created.

  • Learning about other cultures by dancing in their shoes

    Beye 2nd Graders "Travel" the World Through Dance and Art: read the story and see more photos.

  • Many cool projects with our Geared Up LEGOs

    Our students are building Native American communities, designing windmills, testing wheels and axles and lots more using our cool LEGO kits. And we have short videos and photos to show you of all of these projects!

  • Thank you to the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation for our 2011 Grant for Vex Robotics!

    We're proud to be one of 18 local nonprofits who received a generous grant as part of the OPRF Community Foundation's effort to ensure the Success of All Youth. Our grant will help fund our exciting Vex Robotics program open to all middle schoolers in District 97.

  • More Than Just Pretty Pictures

    Middle schoolers study and reinterpret images to engage with their community. Read the story, see the photos, and see the traveling exhibit in the windows of Oak Park Bath & Kitchen, 136 N. Ridgeland in Oak Park, now through November 22.

  • Follow us on Facebook

    Follow us on Facebook to stay current on the latest news and see pictures and videos from the latest OPEF programs.

  • Donate Now

    Read more about supporting exciting educational opportunities for Oak Park kids, or click here to give any amount to OPEF now.
Architecture. Robotics. Art. Science. Technology. OPEF programs bring experts into District 97 classrooms to work hands-on with students and teachers. These experts inspire students, mentor them, and open their eyes to interests and abilities they never knew they had. Our kids go home and say, "Guess what I did in school today!"
1/28/12: Julian/Brooks Vex Robotics Competition and OPEF Open House
4/28/12: William C. Staszak Award Dinner & Benefit
OPEF  •  970 Madison Street  •  Oak Park, Illinois 60302  •  (708) 524-3023  •  dabrahamson@op97.org  •   facebook   •   flickr