FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JANUARY 29, 2024

Basalt Education Foundation highlights O/Ex Ed 2023 successes and BEF leadership changes in 2024

[Basalt, CO] — The Basalt Education Foundation (BEF) highlights the impactful efforts of its Outdoor/Experiential Education programming and announces the search for a new Executive Director.

About Basalt Education Foundation (BEF)

The Basalt Education Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to enhance educational opportunities for students in the Basalt community. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, BEF strives to support innovative educational programs, scholarships, and resources that empower students to reach their full potential.

Through generous community contributions, BEF created a new Outdoor/Experiential Education (O/Ex Ed) Coordinator position in 2023 to support inclusive outdoor and experiential programs for all students from K -12 grades.

2023 Achievements: A Year of Impactful Outdoor/Experiential Education

Under the guidance of Desiree Pimentel, BEF's Outdoor/Experiential Education (O/Ex Ed) Coordinator, BEF achieved remarkable milestones by improving access and inclusivity for existing and new experiential programs within the Basalt schools. These include supporting six hut trips and 13 adventure seminars for high school students, 16 middle school overnight trips, and six elementary school ice skating trips in collaboration with Colorado Extreme. Over 25,000 impactful outdoor education hours were provided, benefiting every Basalt student and teacher.

On behalf of students, teachers, and staff, BEF thanks all of our community volunteers for helping get our students out of the classroom for such unique opportunities. Desiree Pimentel noted, "Through a highly coordinated community effort, we relieved many teachers of more than 25 extra hours per teacher/grade of unpaid workload. Additionally, due to parent volunteers, programming added at the elementary school provided teachers up to 4 hours additional planning time."

BEF is gearing up to support more exciting O/Ex Ed initiatives in 2024, such as: 

  • 4th through 8th grade ski days at Buttermilk & Snowmass Mountains

  • Basalt Elementary School - art days with Aspen Art Museum and other nonprofit organizations

  • Basalt Middle School - overnight camping trips

  • Basalt High School - entire school fall O/Ex Ed trips

BEF is Hiring a New Part-Time Executive Director

BEF could only have accomplished the launch of the O/Ex Coordinator role with the efforts and leadership of our former Executive Director, Amy Honey. In December, Amy accepted a full-time position as Vice President of Education and Programs with the Aspen Historical Society.

Amy will continue to contribute her expertise and passion for supporting educational initiatives in the Basalt community as a BEF Board member and, in March, will become the next Board President. "We are thrilled to have Amy Honey as our new Board President. Her experience and passion for education make her an ideal choice," said Lauren Cornish, current BEF Board President. "With such a strong and dynamic Board, BEF will continue to thrive and positively impact the educational landscape in Basalt."

BEF is actively seeking a new, part-time Executive Director. This position plays a crucial role in shaping and executing the Foundation's mission to raise funds to enhance educational opportunities for students in the Basalt area. The Executive Director will work closely with the board, stakeholders, and the community to drive BEF's initiatives forward.

"We are actively seeking a dynamic individual with ties to the community to fill the role of Executive Director. This person will be instrumental in advancing our mission to support and enrich the educational experience for students in Basalt," said Amy Honey.

Prospective candidates for the Executive Director position are encouraged to review the job posting on the BEF website and submit their applications by March 1, 2024.

For more information about the Basalt Education Foundation and its initiatives, please visit www.basaltedu.org.

For more information about our programming or BEF's mission, please contact:
Lauren Cornish
Board President
lcornish@basaltedu.org


To apply for the Executive Director position, please visit basaltedu.org/hiring.