The Pat Swanson Education Endowment Fund supports the A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools. Pat Swanson has lived in Aurora all her life and is a West Aurora Alumni, Class of 1961. She and her husband Bert have four daughters, 10 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. She went to college later in life and graduated when her third daughter graduated from college in 1992. It was then she began her teaching career at Freeman School. She received her Masters in Teaching in 2004 as well as a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Her true passion was teaching, inspiring every student to believe in their potential, achieve their goals, and, most importantly, build their self-esteem. While teaching Kindergarten, Mrs. Swanson’s all-inclusive teaching style left a lasting impact on countless five and six-year-olds.
She is also the author of 15 Red Hot Minutes, a parent and teacher guide to building self-esteem and confidence in reading and phonics. Her book was used in multiple classrooms and preschools on both sides of the river. In 2002, she was the recipient of the Wal-Mart Illinois State Teacher of the Year award.
Even after retiring in 2015, Mrs. Swanson remained committed to her philosophy that every student deserves to learn at their own pace and gain the confidence to succeed. She founded the My Genius after-school program, which helped middle school students develop their reading skills while not only focusing on intellectual ability, but creativity, and specialized talents as well. The program ran for four years.
The Pat Swanson Education Endowment was created to honor Mrs. Swanson, who devoted her life to education and the growth of young learners. This endowment will support West Aurora teachers through the A+ Foundation for West Aurora Schools Fund-A-Need program.
