SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Teachers and principals at the 42 public schools in Sioux Falls are working hard to educate our children, but they can’t always do it alone. That’s where organizations, civic groups and churches come in. All are supporting programs in our schools to help kids succeed.
One of the most successful ways may very well be one of the newest, and it all started six years ago.
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Steve Hildebrand grew up in Mitchell as the youngest of nine children. After college, Hildebrand built a career as a political strategist and, in 2008, was Barack Obama’s deputy national campaign manager.
He left politics, moved to Sioux Falls, and opened a restaurant. In 2019, he heard shocking statistics about kids living in poverty. The rate had risen to 48 percent in the Sioux Falls School District.
“I just kind of wondered why doesn’t somebody do something about this,” Hildebrand said.
The Promising Futures Fund was founded six years ago this month.
“We started talking to principals and asking how we could support their schools, and that’s how we got started,” Hildebrand said.
Promising Futures began at Lowell Elementary and now operates programs in 21 schools.
In the “Book-a-Month” Program, grade schoolers pick nine books a year that they get to keep. So far, kids have taken home more than 51,000 books.
The foundation also supports teachers and addresses basic needs and wants for the kids. Every Christmas they make sure kids get something special, we were there as some Hawthorne Elementary students opened their presents. They provide field trips and experiences for kids, from a day at the Zoo to packing the Washington Pavilion with first- and second-graders for a performance of Winnie the Pooh.
As part of the effort to broaden horizons, Promising Futures arranges visits for 8th graders to college campuses and technical schools. The goal: let students see themselves on a college campus.
For high schoolers, there is the College and Career Access Partnership that is changing lives.
“This is a nerve-wracking piece for me because it is a very expensive program. But we’ve hired our first four advisors who are working full-time at Jefferson High School, and they are helping kids navigate their path to the future. It’s helping kids with college access, technical school access, careers in the military,” Hildebrand said.
Sioux Falls School District Superintendent Jamie Nold says that the process is going to let students see what their future could hold.
“Whether somebody’s future is to go to college or if it is to go to technical school, military, or straight into the workforce, it’s great for them. We just don’t want anybody to miss what they could potentially have as a career option because they didn’t know,” Nold said.
If they can raise enough money, Hildebrand hopes to expand the program to all four public high schools in the city. With some humility, Hildebrand will tell you Promising Futures is not just his foundation,
“All of the ideas that we have funded have come from the principals or their teachers and staff in their schools. I’m not an educator, I don’t pretend to know, I have some capacity to raise money in my community, and so that’s my role, so if a principal tells me this is one of their needs, I’m not there to challenge them, I’m there to support them, and that’s how we function, said Hildebrand.
According to Hildebrand, Promising Futures would not be doing the good work it is doing without the support of generous people.
“It’s far beyond what I ever expected. I thought we would have this cute little foundation and do some good things. And you know, supporting 21 schools is a big lift, but the community has risen to the occasion,” Hildebrand said.
The name Promising Futures says it all. It is all about exposing kids who may have challenges through no fault of their own to the many possibilities available to them.
For the first time, Promising Futures is expanding outside of Sioux Falls. The non-profit will begin programs in 3 Rapid City schools next school year.
