Thank You to Everyone Who Supported Royal Bash

Thanks to YOU, we exceeded our goals. We raised $280,000 total for Hopkins schools and $70,000 for Outdoor Opportunities.
We cannot fully express our gratitude to everyone who supported us in person and virtually!

If you still have an auction item to pick up, please email jacqui.barnard@hopkinsschools.org to arrange pick up. Items are available for pick up Mon-Thurs, 9 am- 3 pm, at Eisenhower Community Center (map), Room 243. If you need to arrange a time outside of these hours, please let us know and we will help however we can.

There are still spots available in the Great Gatherings! If you did not get a chance to sign up, you still can! Great Gatherings are fun, unique parties held throughout the year, hosted by Hopkins community members

You can still support our fundraiser and the special project below.

DONATE to HEF

Learn more about special project

OUR SPECIAL PROJECT

Each year, we partner with Hopkins Public Schools on a project that will have a districtwide impact. This year, our Outdoor Opportunities special project will inspire Hopkins students to develop outdoor and leadership skills, build community, and experience joy and connection to the natural world with activities like camping, hiking, canoeing, and more.

Funds raised at the Royal Bash for the Outdoor Opportunities project will make the class trips listed below possible for students in the District, help the outdoor program acquire more gear, and fund a scholarship for future trips. We hope these initial trips and the Outdoor Opportunities fund will help inspire our schools to create new outdoor traditions for years to come.

Elementary: Fifth grade trips to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
Middle School: Eighth grade trips to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi.
High School: Camping trip for 120 students.
Outdoor Gear: Expand the High School inventory of camping, hiking, and outdoor gear, to help make it possible for all kids to have outdoor learning experiences, regardless of income.
Outdoor Opportunities Fund: Any additional funds raised will be placed in a fund to make future outdoor trips accessible to our low-income families and to support outdoor learning projects at our schools going forward.

DONATE to special project

““Through this project, our Hopkins students will have hands-on and experiential learning experiences that cannot be replicated within the walls of a traditional classroom. Outdoor learning brings academic concepts to life,” says Schroeder. “It encourages creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and connectedness with their local and global environment. Studies consistently show that time spent in nature promotes better mental health by lowering anxiety, boosting mood, and improving focus—key factors for academic and personal success. The Outdoor Opportunities special project will help immerse our Hopkins students in the natural wonders of Minnesota, authentically expose them to life-changing outdoor physical activities, and in turn, foster their holistic development, giving them memories that will last a lifetime and a desire to advocate similar experiences for our future Hopkins families.””

— Karl Schroeder, Hopkins High School teacher and leader of outdoor adventures course