Blue Valley is filled with champions of academics, activities and virtues. On Friday, Aug. 28, the Blue Valley Educational Foundation celebrated the champions of Blue Valley at their 19^th annual Community Breakfast.

            More than 1,100 business leaders, community members and Blue Valley parents attended the event, which was hosted by John Holt of Fox 4 News. The foundation raised $170,000, which will help the foundation support educational excellence in Blue Valley schools.

            Bill Self, coach of the University of Kansas mens basketball team was a guest speaker at the event and spoke to the crowd about being a champion on and off the basketball court and the importance of public education.

            "To the students, to whom much is given much is expected and to the parents and teachers raising our kids is the most important job we have," said Self.

            The highlight of the breakfast was Superintendent Tom Triggs State of the District address featuring some of the district's many accomplishments and progress on its strategic plan, adopted five years ago. Trigg highlighted preliminary state assessment data. For example, 96.5 percent of Blue Valley students met or exceeded Kansas state standards in math while 97.3 percent met or exceeded Kansas state standards in reading. And for the seventh consecutive year, all Blue Valley Schools and the district as a whole achieved Academic Yearly Progress (AYP) as required by the federal No Child Left Behind legislation.

            "When you say yes, we say yes to our teachers and students," Trigg said.

            In addition, Kate Allen, BVEF Executive Director, and Tammy Edwards, BVEF President, thanked sponsors for their generous support. Three presenting sponsors were recognized for donating at the $10,000 level: Capitol Federal Savings, Shawnee Mission Medical Center and (collectively) all 32 Blue Valley parent organizations. Also honored were the 31 staff and 31 student Sunflower Ambassadors. Sunflower Ambassadors are champions of character and the Blue Valley Virtues.

            The breakfast closed with a video of 2009 graduate Alisha Jiwani. Alisha's story told how the Lakewood Middle and Blue Valley West communities embraced her as she struggled with a benign brain tumor. Her story is one of many that represents the numerous faces of champions in the Blue Valley School District.