In recognition of Larry Beehler’s 31 years of service on the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees, anonymous donors have established a naming rights partnership with the P-H-M Education Foundation to name the newly constructed ticket center at TCU Freed Field.

The ticket center is part of the facility updates that took place over the summer at Penn High School’s football field. P-H-M’s Board of School Trustees voted to approve  the naming at their meeting (Monday, August 14, 2017) to name it the Larry Beehler Ticket Center.

Mr. Beehler is a graduate and class valedictorian of then Madison Township High School (Wakarusa), which is now Madison Elementary School, one of P-H-M’s 11 elementary schools. Larry and his wife of 55 years, Judy, are lifelong residents of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation. In July of 1986, he was elected to the Board as the Madison Township representative and is currently serving his 31st year as a Board Member. During his time on the Board, Mr. Beehler served in leadership roles as Board Secretary for three years, Board Vice President for nine years, and Board President for six years. He has also served as P-H-M’s representative on several different Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) boards, including as Board Policy Liaison and Legislative Liaison. He is also an active member of the National Schools Boards Association (NSBA).

“Working with Larry Beehler is such a privilege,” said Board President Gary Fox. “He has profound knowledge not just of Indiana law, education policies and best practices, but also of the school district’s history. He tirelessly serves the children and families of P-H-M; and although there is no one more humble, there is also no one more deserving of this honor than Larry Beehler.”
 

During his time on the Board, Mr. Beehler’s roles have ranged from also serving on District Strategic Planning Committees to Smaller Learning Communities Achievement Design Committee for Penn High School. Mr. Beehler was nominated and received the Penn High School Distinguished Staff Award in 2010 sponsored by the Penn High School Alumni Association.

“Larry has dedicated thousands of hours of his personal time serving on several P-H-M school committees, always looking out for what’s best for the students of P-H-M,” said Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker. “Our students have no greater champion than Larry Beehler! I’m thrilled that others in community also feel this way and we’ve found a way to honor Larry as the champion that he is!”

Aware of the P-H-M Education Foundation’s ongoing naming rights campaign, anonymous donors contacted the P-H-M Education Foundation wishing to contribute to the Foundation’s endowment. Wanting to also find a way to honor Mr. Beehler’s three decades of civil service and dedication to P-H-M, the naming rights partnership for the new ticket center was suggested. Per the agreement, the donors have donated $25,000 to the P-H-M Education Foundation endowment.

When a donor partners with PHMEF on the naming rights fundraising initiative, 80 percent of the donation goes into the Foundation’s endowment. This in turn provides alternative and additional funding for various co-curricular and extracurricular programs. The remaining 20 percent directly funds professional development initiatives for P-H-M teachers. Continuing education and training of educators is a major priority for P-H-M School District. The key to providing an excellent education is having excellent teachers. P-H-M teachers are excellent at what they do because of their passion, but also because of the ongoing professional development the District provides.

“The mission of the Education Foundation is to develop alternative sources of income to support education initiatives in the School Corporation by strengthening partnerships between the community and the District,” said PHMEF Executive Director Mari Linn Wise. “PHMEF enthusiastically does whatever we can to support education throughout the District through awarding innovative teaching grants, scholarships to students, staff development and other corporation-wide initiatives.”

See the list below for a timeline of P-H-M Education Foundation’s other naming rights partners:

• In August 2014, P-H-M Education Foundation recognized two local families for their longtime support, in-kind donations and financial contributions to P-H-M educational programs:
  • The music rooms at all P-H-M's elementary schools were named after Jim and Julie Schwartz (represents $50,000 worth of donations over 10 years)
  • The Band Room at Penn High School was named after the Doshi family (represents $15,000 worth of donations over 10 years)
     
• Lionshead Specialty Tire and Wheel Penn High School Soccer Field
  Board approved September 2014
  $25,000 payable over 5 years
   
• Dar and Dot Wiekamp Penn High School Tennis Courts
  Board approved September 2014
  $25,000 payable over 5 years
   
• May Oberfell Lorber Penn High School Softball Field
  Board approved October 2014
  $25,000 payable over 5 years
   
• TCU Freed Field (Penn High School’s football stadium)
  Board approved June 22, 2015
  $400,000 payable over 12 years
  *This agreement was a continuation of a long standing partnership. TCU’s commitment represents more than the renaming of the high school football field. TCU is collaborating with P-H-M educators to develop financial literacy programs, scholarships, functions and activities.
   
• The Zolman Tire Concession Stand (north Concession stand at TCU Freed Field)
  Board approved January 11, 2016
  $25,000 payable over 5 years with 12-year naming rights
   
• Jordan Automotive Group Baseball Field at Penn High School
  Board approved January 25, 2016
  $25,000 payable over 5 years with 12-year naming rights
   
• Tradewinds Restaurant Concession Stand (second floor concession stand, near the entrance to the pool and across the main gymnasium at Penn High School)
  Board approved March 28, 2016
  $25,000 payable over 5 years with 12-year naming rights
   
• Saint Joseph Health System Tennis Courts at Prairie Vista (the tennis courts at Prairie Vista Elementary School)
  Board approved Monday, July 25, 2016
  $10,000 payable within 30 days with 12-year naming rights
   
• Larry Beehler Ticket Center (at Penn High School’s TCU Freed Field)
  Board approved August 14, 2017
  $25,000 paid in full with 12-year naming rights