Donate to KFI and KIS Scholarships and Projects

Making More Possible

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KFI is a registered 501(c)3; EIN 20-3848565.  Donations from the US and Canada are eligible for tax exemption.
Fund a Need

Fund a Need is a “where needed” fund which enables KFI to support projects, programs and scholarships:

  • for needs beyond established temporarily restricted funds
  • the resources to top off current temporarily restricted funds
  • funds for new initiatives
  • administrative expenses

Fund a Need is unrestricted, with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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KIS Center for Environment and Humanity
The town of Kodaikanal and the fragile ecosystem of the surrounding hills face an environmental crisis due to unsustainable development activities, population pressures, mass tourism, and climate change. It is the school’s belief that “community engagement remains a central part of the school’s mission and vision. We achieve our maximum relevance as an academic institution when we allow our students to experience learning through meaningful interaction with our community and environment. We strongly believe that, as an international school located in a unique and bio-diverse “sky-island,” our efforts are ultimately measured by how we act in our locality.”

Funds raised for this program will support key initiatives in waste management, conservation, restoration, and environmental education at KIS and in the Kodaikanal community.

The Kodaikanal International School Center for Environment and Humanity fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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KIS South East Asian Regional (SEAR) Scholarship

The SEAR Scholarship is presented annually to two deserving students from the Southeast Asian region, initially being granted to students of Burmese origin entering Grade 11 at KIS. These students are recognized for their exceptional personal character, outstanding academic achievements, and unwavering determination to overcome challenges. The scholarship seeks individuals who not only strive for personal success but also demonstrate a profound commitment to making a positive impact on their communities.

This scholarship has been initiated by KIS Alumna Ms. Maureen Aung-Thwin (’66) in loving memory of her mother, Margaret Aung-Thwin, a dedicated educator and former KIS faculty member. It embodies the spirit of perseverance, academic excellence, and commitment to community values that Mrs. Aung-Thwin exemplified throughout her life.  Margaret Aung-Thwin’s legacy as an educator and translator is deeply ingrained in the SEAR Scholarship. Her multifaceted career spanned various countries and cultures, reflecting a life dedicated to education and cultural exchange. She was the first of fourteen children born to John F. Hodgson and Naw Thet Po, and she pursued her education with a BA and B.Ed from Judson College in Rangoon and an M.A. from SUNY Cortland. A Fulbright Exchange Scholar, she taught in various international settings, including schools in Rangoon, Kodaikanal, and Cornell University, and led adult education programs for the Miccosukee Native American community in Florida. Her significant contribution to Burmese literature, particularly through her translation of Ma Ma Lay’s “Not Out of Hate,” highlights her dedication to bridging cultural divides through education.

This scholarship is not merely a financial grant; it is an invitation to join a community that values educational excellence, cultural understanding, and a commitment to improving the world. It is a tribute to the enduring impact of a remarkable educator and a testament to the power of education to change lives.

 

 

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KIS Alice Edwin English Prize

Initiated by alumni from KIS, the Alice Edwin English Prize, in honor of former English teacher Alice Edwin, will be awarded annually to the top student in the English department.  It is not a cash prize, but the student will be awarded a certificate of excellence.  The donations will be used to fund specific needs that benefit the English department at KIS.  This may include funding speakers on campus, sponsoring teachers or students’ trips to seminars and conferences, purchasing teaching resources and other activities to support the student and faculty programs in the English department. The Alice Edwin English Prize fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.  

 

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KIS Martin Engelbrecht Economics Prize

Initiated by alumni from KIS, the Martin Engelbrecht Economics Prize, in honor of former Economics teacher Martin Engelbrecht, will be awarded annually to the top student in the Economics department.  It is not a cash prize, but the student will be awarded a certificate of excellence.  The donations will be used to fund specific needs that benefit the Economics department at KIS.  This may include funding speakers on campus, sponsoring teachers or students’ trips to seminars and conferences, purchasing teaching resources and other activities to support the student and faculty programs in the Economics department. The Martin Engelbrecht Economics Prize fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.  

 

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KIS Scholarship Fund
Initiated by Kodai Woodstock International, the Kodaikanal International School Scholarship Fund, formerly the KFI Global Citizen Scholarship Fund, was established during Kodaikanal International School’s (KIS) centennial year celebrations and has grown over the years to allow families in financial difficulty or from diverse backgrounds to send their children to KIS, providing them with an opportunity to receive a world-class education.  To be eligible for a scholarship, candidates must demonstrate both financial need as well as academic excellence.  Scholarship students will receive a free or a generously subsidized education for two or more of their high school years at KIS.

The Kodaikanal International School Scholarship Fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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KIS Design and Innovation Fund
An education from Kodaikanal International School (KIS) remains an environment of continuous learning through hands-on experiences. KIS believes students should be encouraged to explor, discover, invent and build through critical thinking, expert mentorship and collaborative spaces. This funding will help provide student s with the opportunity to bring their ideas to life in a variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Maths (STEAM) forums and competitions.

The Kodaikanal International School Design and Innovation Fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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KIS Experts-In-Residence Program
Kodaikanal International School (KIS) will welcome experts from a variety of fields and vocations (arts, literature, science, sports, music) to work directly with its students and staff, expanding their knowledge, enriching their learning, and connecting all to real-world disciplines and practices. This program will specifically fund experts and industry professionals for a semester at KIS.

The Kodaikanal International School Experts-In-Residence Program is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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Russell De Valois Scholarship
The Kodaikanal International School Class of 1943 established the Russell De Valois Scholarship in memory of their classmate. Russell graduated from KIS in 1943 and went on to earn his Ph.D. in Physiological Psychology from the University of Michigan. He joined the faculty at Indiana University in Bloomington where his work on color vision became widely known and led to his election to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the USA’s highest scientific honors. In 1968 Russell joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, where he continued his research on color vision and also began studying the perception of spatial information and how it is analyzed and encoded in the brain. Russell died on 20 September 2003 as a result of a car accident that occurred during his return to California from the 60th reunion of his KIS graduation. Russell (76) lapsed into a coma and died ten days later in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife, Karen, was also injured in the accident and recovered fully. The Russell De Valois Scholarship is offered every other year to a student entering grade 11 for the duration of his/her study at KIS to graduation at the end of grade 12. Criteria established to award the scholarship to the most deserving candidate include:

  • preference is given to applicants with a family income that is not sufficient to cover all education related expenses at KIS
  • excel academically and have an outstanding character
  • contribute to public service, artistic and/or athletic life of the school
  • show a will to succeed, determination and perseverance in the face of challenges
  • exhibit leadership qualities
  • participate in volunteer, community, and school-related activities
  • show critical thinking ability
  • must be an Indian citizen
  • eligibility is independent of gender and religion

The award may cover costs up to full KIS tuition and boarding charges at the rate charged by KIS for not more than two years per scholarship recipient. The Russell De Valois Scholarship fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodaikanal International School.

 

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Keith DeJong Music Award and Scholarship
The name Keith DeJong is synonymous with music. While in Kodai as a student, Keith excelled in the music program at Kodai School and graduated with his class in 1949. Kodai School provided a strong foundation for his professional career and welcomed his return in 1957, along with his wife Marcine and their first of four children. Keith taught music lessons to many students over the years. He directed the Band, Choir, and many ensembles. Keith’s beautiful tenor voice could stand alone in a solo, or blended with others, rewarding all within listening distance, and Marcine was known by all Sunday School kids as a pianist with gusto. Keith and Marcine were role models to the community, and their love of music continues through the legacy they left for Kodai School, making the following possible:

  • Two outstanding KIS grade 12 music students are awarded the DeJong Music Award of $750 (each) annually at Awards Assembly. They are selected by the KIS Music Department.
  • The DeJong Music Scholarship fund has been established at KIS for music students of any grade level who need financial assistance for music field trips sponsored by KIS and/or for an additional instrument lesson if not included in the basic school fees. This $1,500 scholarship is awarded annually to the school’s music department.

Not only does the DeJong family legacy live on through music, but Keith and Marcine gifted Kodai School with many more DeJongs! All four children and many grandchildren are KIS graduates: Garry ’74, Bruce ’77, Dorothy ’78, Jim ’80, Terah ’01, Hans ’04, Ketsa ’06, Leif ’09 and Andry ’11. Garry and Bruce also served on the staff at KIS at various times. Independently, each one has shared their musical talents and gifts with the school. The Keith DeJong Music Award and Scholarship fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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Sandra Schoeninger Fitness Center
Corey Stixrud ’86, Parent, and Principal of KIS, wrote the following: “Every alumni group that comes back to visit Kodai speaks of the many teachers they had that touched and shaped young lives, and it’s true that one of the strengths that KIS has possessed through the years is an abundance of caring and committed educators. A prime example of this love and commitment is Ms Sandy Schoeninger. ‘Auntie Sandy’ taught Physical Education (PE) at Kodai School/KIS from 1966 through 2001: that’s 35 years! I personally remember her teaching me to dance in grade 4 in the old gym (now Alumni Hall), as well as sitting in her loft in her Airlee Apartment for Teen Dimensions on numerous occasions. Indeed, Ms Schoeninger taught generations of Kodai kids (primarily girls) the fundamental aspects of sports, fitness, teamwork, and lifelong learning, and so, so much more. Her contribution to our school over the years is beyond measure, and we’d like to honor Sandy as we begin planning and designing the Sandra Schoeninger Fitness Center on Highclerc Campus … so that future generations of KIS students will continue to associate fitness and well-being with Ms Schoeninger!”

The Sandra Schoeninger Fitness Center fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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Social and Environment Experience Department Priorities - Class of 1974 Legacy Project
The Social & Environment Experience Department Priorities – Class of 1974 Legacy Project, formerly the Maj StormoGipson Poondi Project fund, was established in recognition of a cherished classmate who left the world too soon, her love of the outdoors, and her commitment to global sustainability efforts to protect the environment for the next generations.

The Social & Environment Experience Department Priorities – Class of 1974 Legacy Project fund is temporarily restricted (donations must be used for this fund only) with oversight provided by Kodai Friends International.

 

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