The students of Gillespie High School (GHS) received a $16,077.15 gift from The Partnership for Educational Excellence under the education foundation’s new block grant program.
Previously The Partnership has annually offered individual classroom mini-grants of up to $500 each to teachers in every Community Unit School District 7 (CUSD7) school.
“This year, however, we felt a different approach would maximize the use of our limited resources,” says John Fassero, Jr., president and a founding member of The Partnership. “In collaboration with the three CUSD7 principals, The Partnership decided to try a three-year experiment. Each year, only one of the schools in the district will receive all the funds budgeted for mini-grants. The principals selected GHS to be the first to receive this block grant.”
After consulting with GHS teachers and gathering their “wish lists”, Principal Shane Owsley presented a list of possible projects. The Partnership’s all-volunteer board of 12 directors reviewed the list and selected projects/items that matched the foundation’s criteria for putting academic resources directly into the hands of students. The price tag for the approved and selected items came to $16,077.15.
“It never ceases to amaze me what The Partnership and their many donors come up with to assist our students,” says Owsley. “The money donated to the high school this year will allow our teachers to provide learning activities that they would otherwise not have been able to provide. The funds will be spread throughout the curriculum so that each and every student will benefit in some way. CUSD7 strives to provide a top-notch education for all students; The Partnership helps make this happen.
“Gillespie High School could not be happier with our continued relationship with The Partnership,” he adds. “We hope to continue to work with their organization for years to come.”
GHS subject areas receiving funding include the library/media center; art, English, tech, and science departments; physical education; and the newly formed drama club. Among the items funded are novel sets, compound microscopes, a Promethean board, paint brushes, soccer equipment, and a camera for the yearbook staff.
The Partnership is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit education foundation. Since its founding in 1992, The Partnership has awarded more than $580,000 in classroom grants and nearly $240,000 in academic tuition scholarships to GHS graduates pursuing post-secondary education in a wide range of accredited colleges and technical schools.