The highlight of any foundation is the donation of grants that have the power to improve lives. Recently, the Principals’ Fund for Student Needs made three much needed grants to schools in the Greater High Point area on the same day!
First stop was High Point Central Quiz Bowl team. They had raised over $7000 to help the team and two teachers travel to Dallas to take part in the national quiz bowl this month. Sadly, it still wasn’t enough.
The students, and their teacher, applied to the Principals’ Fund for the remainder and we were only too happy to step in and get them on the road to Dallas and hopefully, National Champions.
Principal of High Point Central, Dr. Bryan Johnson said: “The High Point Community Foundation does so much for the High Point community. The Principals’ Fund is one of the best ways the High Point Community Foundation directly impacts students in High Point Schools. Remarkable is the only way to describe the feeling when receiving a grant from the High Point Community Principals’ fund. Knowing there is a resource to assist our students is amazing.
“The Quiz Bowl Team at HPC will be able to attend the national competition in Texas as a result of receiving the grant this year. Thank you High Point Community Foundation and the ladies and gentlemen that work with the Principals’ Fund.”
Next on our agenda was the Pruette SCALE Academy. This is a unique school in High Point that helps students that have difficulties learning in a traditional school environment.
The Principal, Mr Stone was proud to tell us that three students will be graduating this year but unfortunately could not afford the traditional cap, gown, certificate and other paraphernalia that many schools take for granted during their graduation ceremonies.
Pruette SCALE Academy, Principal Joseph Stone receives a Principals’ Fund for Student Needs grant.
Mr Stone said: “With these funds our goal is to erase obstacles and give our graduating seniors the opportunity to participate in a momentous ceremony that will change their lives forever.”
The last stop on our tour was Southwest Elementary. The Principal, Dr. Brian Muller, recently visited the LEGO Room at High Point University, where he was impressed by the use of LEGO materials and technology in teaching pupils valuable STEM subjects.
Dr. Muller said: “One of the most special and significant benefits of this grant from the High Point Community Foundation is that every child in our school will have an ongoing opportunity to be engaged in the STEM experience.”
“It is fascinating to see students learning through hands-on activities that incorporate the concepts of collaboration, problem-solving, and design through the use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
“I had the chance to be a part of a classroom where students were working with STEM materials. It quickly became clear to me that our students were not only interested in the challenge, but they also began to think beyond what was in front of them and created their own learning through experimentation.”
Southwest Elementary Principal Dr Brian Muller receives a Principals’ Fund for Student Needs grant from Board member Doris Davis.
Each student throughout the year will have the opportunity to use the LEGO room over 30 times. It will not be used by a select group of students but rather the entire student body to help in their STEM education.
Southwest Elementary even hopes to develop a robotics team once the LEGO room is fully operational.
Don’t forget to check back for updates from High Point Central, SCALES, Southwest Elementary and the other schools that have received a Principals’ Fund grant.
If you are a Principal at a public school in the greater High Point area and would like to apply for a Principals’ Fund for Student Needs grant, click here.
