Shady Grove Elementary donated $25,000 raised from the Spring Zing races in 2005 and 2006 to build a school in the Gare Arera district of Ethiopia.  The school, which is called Shady Grove Ethiopia, serves the approximately 240 children of the village.  It officially opened in September 2006.  Prior to the school being built, there was no school in the village. 

Shady Grove parent, Jon Hurdle, visited Ethiopia in January 2006 to meet the village people and see the school as it was being built.  He brought over 700 pencils with him on his trip that had been donated by the students at Shady Grove.  The children were thrilled with their pencils, which offered a promise of the hope and future being made possible by the new school.