Pisgah Forest Elementary School serves more than 400 students in grades PreK–5 in Transylvania County, with a mission to nurture the whole child — building strong academic foundations alongside the character, leadership, and resilience students need to thrive. More than 60% of PFE’s students come from economically disadvantaged households, and the school serves the largest population of Spanish-speaking families in the area, making equitable access to quality learning experiences both a priority and a responsibility.

Lake Toxaway Charities is proud to support a range of hands-on learning initiatives at Pisgah Forest Elementary. Grant funding will advance five interconnected projects: a 3rd grade science unit using owl pellet dissection to explore food webs and animal anatomy; the Sonday System, a structured, research-based reading intervention program for students performing below grade level; a Student Leadership Team initiative equipping 5th graders with tools to document school life and develop communication and teamwork skills; schoolwide art supplies ensuring every student from PreK through 5th grade has access to creative expression; and science equipment — including human body system models and microscopes — that brings hands-on, inquiry-based learning to life across grade levels.

Together, these investments reflect PFE’s commitment to meeting every child where they are and giving them the tools to go further — in school and beyond.