Pasteur Elementary has reached a meaningful milestone: both Friends of Pasteur School Detroit and Marcy Feldman, the organization’s co-founder, were each recognized with a Spirit of Detroit Award by the Detroit City Council. This rare double honor celebrates nearly three decades of unwavering commitment to Detroit students, families, and educators.

Founded almost 30 years ago, Friends of Pasteur grew from a simple mission of providing scholarships to alumni. Over the years, the organization has evolved with a deeply engaged board that continues to be the backbone of its work.

What started with small acts of service has grown into an expansive network of programs that strengthen both the academic and personal lives of students.

Friends of Pasteur has:

These contributions have always been a collective effort—driven by board members, volunteers, alumni, and community partners who share a belief that when a school thrives, the neighborhood around it thrives too.

The Spirit of Detroit Award honors individuals and organizations making a profound difference in the city, and Friends of Pasteur embodies that spirit through consistency, compassion, and creativity. While Marcy Feldman helped establish the foundation nearly three decades ago, the work today continues because of the many hands and hearts committed to the mission.

As the organization steps into a new chapter of leadership, the call to the community remains strong: alumni, neighbors, and supporters—your involvement helps keep our schools shining.

Congratulations to Friends of Pasteur School Detroit and to Marcy Feldman for this well-deserved recognition. Your impact has touched generations, and your legacy continues to grow.

Pasteur Elementary School in Detroit has taken another meaningful step toward creating a more welcoming and productive learning environment for its students. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of Friends of Pasteur School Detroit, brand-new window shades were installed throughout the building, bringing immediate improvements in comfort, safety, and energy efficiency.

For years, the old classroom shades had become worn, uneven, or completely non-functional. Teachers often struggled with harsh sunlight that caused glare on screens, overheated rooms on warm days, and distractions during instruction. The new shades solve all of that.

The freshly installed window coverings—visible in the transformed classroom pictured above—provide:

• Better temperature control: Blocking excessive heat and keeping classrooms cooler and more consistent throughout the day.
• Reduced glare: Allowing students to see their screens and whiteboards clearly, without the constant need to rearrange seating.
• Increased safety and privacy: Helping maintain appropriate visibility while keeping outside distractions to a minimum.
• A cleaner, updated look: Instantly elevating the atmosphere of each classroom and making the space more inviting for students and teachers alike.

This project was fully funded and coordinated by Friends of Pasteur School Detroit, a volunteer-led organization committed to enriching the educational experience of every child at Pasteur.

“This is one of those upgrades that seems small from the outside but makes a huge difference day-to-day,” said a member of the Friends of Pasteur leadership team. “Our goal is to support both students and teachers, and sometimes that means investing in the physical environment so learning can truly happen.”

Friends of Pasteur School Detroit continues to collaborate closely with school leadership to identify needs and deliver solutions that directly benefit the students.

With the new shades now in place, classrooms at Pasteur Elementary are brighter, calmer, and ready for a strong school year.

If you’ve spent time in one of Pasteur’s classrooms lately, you’ve likely noticed the same thing: our window shades are… well, let’s just say they’ve seen better days.

Some hang crooked. Others are torn or permanently stuck halfway down. A few barely filter the sun at all. And while our teachers and students make the best of every day, the climate in our classrooms is really quite bad. On hot or even warm weather days, the sun pours in and heats the space. In the winter, precious warmth escapes through uncovered panes. And on any sunny day, the glare makes it impossible for students to see the lessons on the White boards. The photos speak for themselves.

But change is on the horizon.

Thanks to the Friends of Pasteur, a school-wide transformation will unfold when school starts in the Fall — one that will brighten classrooms, improve energy efficiency, and create a more comfortable learning environment for every child at Pasteur.

This massive improvement will impact:

• Every classroom.
• Every window.

The upcoming installation of energy-efficient solar shades will make a dramatic difference. These modern shades do more than control light—they help regulate temperature throughout the year:

• Block excess heat in the summer to keep classrooms cooler and more comfortable.
• Retain heat in the winter to reduce drafts and energy loss.
• Reduce energy costs and improve the overall learning environment for students and staff alike.

And yes—this upgrade is possible thanks to you—our generous community of donors, alumni, and Friends of Pasteur who believe our children deserve to learn in spaces that support their potential year-round.

Stay tuned. The big reveal is coming soon—and it’s going to change the way Pasteur looks, feels, and functions from the inside out.