This is what your support looks like.

More than 400 students came together for one unforgettable day.

When you give to the Colorado Education Foundation, you're helping bring ideas to life — ideas that teachers and principals know will make a lasting difference for their students.

Every so often, we'd love to show you what that looks like.

This time, we're talking about a memorable project at Crystal River Elementary.

One grant. One school. More than 400 students.

Last September, a CEF grant helped Crystal River Elementary bring environmental artist Daniel Dancer to campus for an Art in the Sky project unlike anything the school had ever done.

More than 400 students, teachers, and staff worked side by side to create a giant aerial image of a ram, the school mascot. Black wood chips formed the outline, while students became part of the artwork themselves, with each grade assigned a different colored shirt to wear. From above, the carefully arranged students and materials came together to create one incredible image..

But it wasn't just about making art.

"We wanted to rally the whole school together around an experience that would kick off the school year as a community," said Principal Kendall Reiley.

Before receiving the grant, funding was the biggest obstacle.

"We had a great opportunity to connect with an artist around a schoolwide project, but the funding was a big hurdle for us," Reiley said. "Grant support was essential to being able to bring in an outside expert."

The best part?

After the artwork was complete, the entire school gathered for an assembly to watch the final aerial video.

"When students saw the image of the ram come together, the gasps were so loud!" Reiley said.

That excitement didn't end when the assembly was over.

"People were excited and talking about it, and we started off the year with super positive energy," she said.

Perhaps her favorite takeaway?

"We also found that our students could handle all-school assemblies!" (What a win.)

Why it matters

Sometimes the biggest impact of a grant isn't something you can measure.

It's the excitement in the hallway. The conversations after school. The feeling of belonging that comes from creating something together.

When asked to sum up the project in just a few words, Reiley didn't hesitate:

"A whole community, as one."

That's exactly the kind of impact your support makes possible.

Thank you for helping schools create experiences students will remember long after they leave the classroom.

The Carbondale Education Foundation