CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF EDUCATING BUFFALO YOUTH: Elmwood Village Charter Schools Commemorates 20th Anniversary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 17, 2025
Media Contact: Cheyenne Ketter – Franklin
Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator
(716) 424-0555 ext. 2322
cketter-franklin@elmwoodvillageschool.org
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF EDUCATING BUFFALO YOUTH:
Elmwood Village Charter Schools Commemorates 20th Anniversary
(Buffalo, NY) – Elmwood Village Charter School (EVCS) is pleased to announce the commemoration of the organization’s 20th anniversary of educating Buffalo area students to be capable, contributing, and connected members of their communities.
“I’m so gratified that EVCS has achieved this milestone, and that we’ve had the opportunity to offer our students a great academic experience in an environment of belonging, caring and fun for twenty years,” said Liz Evans, co-founder of EVCS and current Director of Operations. “My own child benefitted from an EVCS education, and is now a contributing member of the Buffalo community, with a vision of their worth, their capability, and a commitment to their community.”
The school first opened its doors on Elmwood Avenue in 2006, with 125 students in grades K–4. It has now grown in twenty years into a two campus school serving nearly 900 students annually.
“As we mark this milestone year, we’re thrilled to celebrate with special events all year long — honoring our history, our students, and the amazing community that makes EVCS what it is today,” Anne Weschler, school co-founder and current Director of Curriculum stated.
EVCS will engage in a number of special activities, events, and more throughout the 2025-2026 school year to celebrate the occasion.
These include:
- Debut of a temporary 20th anniversary logo, designed by Buffalo-based artist Julian Montague. This logo will be used throughout the 2025-2026 school year on merchandise available for purchase, branding, signage, and other materials.
- A special edition of the schools’ yearbook cover contests. Students will be encouraged to submit designs for the cover of the yearbook, all centered around the number 20 and how they can creatively implement or represent it on a yearbook cover. The cover design will be chosen based on student and staff votes.
- The return of An Evening with EVCS in March 2026, a signature formal fundraiser that hasn’t been hosted since 2019. This event will feature cocktails, raffles, and programming centered around the 20th anniversary.
- Additional celebrations, events, and activities to be announced later in the school year.
Members of the media who may want to interview staff, students, school leaders, or alumni about the 20th anniversary or the founding of EVCS can contact Cheyenne Ketter – Franklin, Communications and Community Engagement Coordinator, by emailing cketter-franklin@elmwoodvillageschool.org.
###
About Elmwood Village Charter Schools
Elmwood Village Charter Schools is a vibrant school community in the city of Buffalo that teaches nearly 900 students by addressing their academic and social-emotional needs. EVCS began as one parent’s vision of a small community school that would address the individual learning needs of its students.
EVCS provides a stimulating and engaging learning environment that recognizes student capability, fosters their connectedness to their immediate and broader communities, and offers them ways to contribute to school life. EVCS believes that all students can and will learn at high levels when provided with the right learning conditions.
Learn more at www.evcsbuffalo.org.
Non-Discrimination Statement
A charter school shall not discriminate against or limit the admission of any student on any unlawful basis, including on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, disability, intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, race, creed, gender, religion or ancestry. A school may not require any action by a student or family (such as an admissions test, interview, essay, attendance at an information session, etc.) in order for an applicant to either receive or submit an application for admission to that school.
