Portland Schools Win $110,000 In Grants

From Wells Fargo: There are new reasons to smile as the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo awarded $110,000 in grants benefiting hundreds of high risk and low- and moderate-income students at 24 schools in across Oregon and S.W. Washington, including five in Portland.

The donations support a wide variety of academic, arts, diversity, technology and physical fitness programs and equipment in 19 rural and urban cities. The 24 grants ranged from $500 to $9,500, based on the scope and costs associated with the project or program seeking funds.

The five grants in Portland totaled $18,200. They were:

• $1,000 to Cedar Park Middle School to purchase culturally-relevant books for the after-school Unity Club program. The club is a safe space for all students -- especially LGBTQ+ students, students of color, and their allies -- to create an inclusive and supportive environment.
• $4,000 to Harrison Park School to provide financial support for school functions, including a multi-cultural fair, field trips and behavior incentives for students.
• $3,700 to Lincoln Park Elementary to pay for a week-long artist residency. The artist will work with the youths to create a colorful mural that reflects the diversity of the student population.
• $2,000 to Madison High School to provide transportation for future first-generation college students to visit campuses outside the Portland area.
• $7,500 to Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center/Rosemary Anderson High School to support a nutritional lunch and breakfast program, create training programs and support student-operated social enterprise/apprenticeship projects for food manufacturing and STEM careers.

Through their fourth annual "Take It To the Court for Education" program, the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo distributed the grants during a special reception last Saturday, March 17, at the Moda Center arena in Portland.

Teachers, school staff, administrators, parents and community members had submitted more than 300 applications in pursuit of grants for their local schools. A committee of community leaders managed the review process to determine this year's winners.

"This is the culmination of an important partnership that has allowed the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo to channel much-needed dollars directly into schools and classrooms," said Trail Blazers and Rose Quarter President & CEO Chris McGowan. "As we've seen every year of the program, 'Take It To The Court for Education' continues to provide funding for important initiatives at schools throughout our region."

"I volunteer as the board chair of the Trail Blazers Foundation. I can tell you that both of our organizations view quality education as a crucial building block of a healthy community," said Wells Fargo Region Bank President Tracy Curtis of Portland.

"We truly believe that if we don't support our local schools and education, our future is at risk," added Wells Fargo Region Bank President Cindy Johnson of McMinnville. "This grant program is one of the many ways we help our local communities and youth succeed."

In the past four years, the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo have presented $385,000 in grants to 73 deserving schools in this region through the "Take It To the Court For Education" program.

The 19 other grant recipients this year were:

• Astoria Middle School (Astoria): Update and repair hoops and backboards for the gyms.
• Juniper Elementary School (Bend): Purchase materials to teach students computer science skills, coding and movie-making techniques.
• Crater Academy of Health and Public Services (Central Point): Purchase audible e-readers, compatible audio books and accessories for special education students.
• Condon Grade School (Condon): Purchase laptops and printers for Fifth through Eighth Grade classrooms.
• Latham Elementary (Cottage Grove): Purchase a classroom package of lessons with a read-aloud library to support students' social-emotional learning.
• Elgin High School (Elgin): Replace the gym bleachers, which will be used for school and community events.
• Gervais Middle School (Gervais): Purchase portable bleachers for the gym to use during school assemblies and athletic events.
• Hollydale Elementary School (Gresham): Purchase books written in Spanish, Russian and other first languages spoken by students. The books will be used in a reading program involving parents and other adult volunteers to promote dual literacy.
• Armand Larive Middle School (Hermiston): Purchase technology and equipment for the Visual Arts/Journalism program.
• Rosland Elementary (La Pine): Purchase books and other materials to enable the kindergarten classes to study how chickens hatch.
• Medford Opportunity School (Medford): Purchase materials to teach students computer programming, robotics and creative learning.
• Monument School (Monument): Pay for a week-long residency of theatre educators, which will result in a student production attended by members of the community.
• Mosier Community School (Mosier): Replace the unsafe lighting and curtains at the school's theatre so it can be used again for student performances, school assemblies, paid performers and community events.
• North Bend Middle School (North Bend): Purchase a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum for Seventh Grade students.
• Four Rivers Community School (Ontario): Pay to provide athletic opportunities for students, including skill-building camps, sports equipment, coaching stipends for organized team sports, and transportation.
• Two Rivers-Dos Río Elementary (Springfield): Purchase curriculum that addresses social-emotional learning, bullying prevention and child protection.
• Crestline Elementary School (Vancouver): Sponsor a Girls Inc. Girls Group for Fifth Grade students. The after-school program will teach self-sufficiency and include athletics, academics and field trips.
• Lord High School, MacLaren (Woodburn): Provide vocation, education and training programs for youths in custody of the Oregon Youth Authority.
• Nellie Muir Elementary (Woodburn): Purchase PE equipment, including volleyballs, basketball hoops, jump ropes, yoga mats and heart rate monitors.

Top image by beeboys on Shutterstock.com, image in the text via Wells Fargo