Brianna's Bulletin: December 2025

Hi, ya'll,

The year 2025 is coming to a close—and while folks are sharing their music journeys through their favorite streaming app—I’ve been reflecting on the work we’ve done, the storms we’ve weathered, and the paths we’ve forged over the last year.

We started the year by deepening how we show up for students, families, and educators across Durham. We welcomed local nonprofit Crayons2Calculators onto the team, expanding the way we support educators with the tools they need for students to learn and thrive. We excitedly supported over 20 DPS seniors in their next step through our scholarship program and trained 47 FAFSA navigators who have helped 99 families complete this important step of the college journey. And through our grantmaking cohort, we are seeing more educators and students step into leadership, securing resources to drive change in their schools.

Throughout the year, we’ve stayed closely attuned to what our schools and community needed most, stretching our imagination for what’s possible for our public schools. When DPS faced a bus driver shortage, we responded by putting out an urgent call to the Durham community to help cover the cost of bus driver licensing. And wow, did you all respond—we helped get 20 drivers trained and on the road!

This year, of course, has not been without its challenges. In July, we got real with you on our financial strain period — a reality that nonprofits everywhere have been facing. Though we had to use some internal austerity measures to deliver the rich programming for our public schools, we persisted — with your support and confidence.

Through it all, the Durham community has continued to model what care, collaboration, and advocacy look like in practice. As we head into the new year—when district budgets are shaped, priorities are honed, and decisions are made that will impact students for years to come—your continued support matters more than ever. We still need you to help make great things happen: to protect what our schools need now and to build what’s possible next.

Thank you for being part of this work and for believing in what’s possible when we show up together. I hope you and yours have a joy-filled holiday season.

‘Til More,

Brianna Kennedy

Interim Executive Director, DPS Foundation