About WBMAF.WBMAF is dedicated to providing financial and educational support for Grand Haven Area Public School students who are pursuing visual arts education.
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Established in 2019Westra Bye Memorial Art Foundation was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in April 2019. WBMAF was founded in memory of Donna Westra and Robin Bye, two talented and dedicated Grand Haven Area Public School art teachers.
Our MissionWBMAF's mission is to provide educational and financial support for GHAPS visual art students.
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Our VisionWBMAF supports visual arts education through an annual college scholarship program, an annual art supply stipend awarded to a graduating senior, and a variety of programs for current k-12 students. These programs include assisting students experiencing financial need by subisdizing art class fees and offsetting costs associated with artwork preparation for college admission portfoilios and art exhibitions. WBMAF continues to actively fundraise and expand programs. Please visit our Support Programs page for details.
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WBMAF History:
Westra Bye Memorial Art Foundation grew out of a fund that was created 40 years ago by Karl Rowe and Donna Westra, talented West Michigan artists and GHHS art teachers. The fund originally supported an extracurricular art club. Students and teachers alike raised money to pay for materials and field trips that were not offered by the high school. That fund, as it was passed down to other art staff members over the years, grew from art sales, prize money, and community donations, mostly from grateful parents whose children blossomed in the art program at Grand Haven High School. As the original art club was no longer in existence, the money was dedicated to GHHS student related art costs and was awarded and distributed on an as-needed financial basis. These distributions ranged from framing student work for art competitions, helping to get student portfolios together for reviews, and paying the materials fees now being charged for art classes. During the school year 2017/2018, the Grand Haven Art Department worked to increase the fund through donations and sales with the goal of creating adequate start-up capital to establish WBMAF. 
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Getting Started: In June 2018, thirteen community members including current GHAPS art teachers, retired GHAPS art teachers, Grand Haven gallery owners/artists, and Robin Bye's family came together to discuss creating a nonprofit organization which would provide lasting support for visual arts education in Grand Haven. As a tightly-knit K-12 Art Department, it was fitting to honor Robin Bye and Donna Westra. Robin Bye, a long time Grand Haven elementary and middle school art teacher, beloved by his students, joined the high school staff as the athletic director not long before he sadly passed away. Donna Westra, equally beloved, followed him less than a year later. The group of community members working on the project evolved into a board of directors and soon governing documents were submitted to the State of Michigan. In December 2018, Westra Bye Memorial Art Foundation was recognized by the State of Michigan, and in April 2019, WBMAF received designation by the IRS as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. WBMAF made its first contributions by May 2019 to subsidize art class fees for students experiencing financial hardship and to provide an art materials stipend to a graduating senior. Then in 2020, WBMAF distributed their first college scholarship. WBMAF continues to maintain these and other visual arts education support programs. Currently WBMAF is actively growing their programs including an endowed scholarship fund.
WBMAF's Progress to Date (April 2019-Summer 2021):
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