School Engagement Grants
Faced with a changed landscape due to the pandemic, schools were creative finding ways to engage and support stu-dents during remote and hybrid learning via a range of exciting projects. Earth day kits, creating a new school song, and a parking lot BINGO and dance party were a few of the experiences granted to students through the annual Foundation for Vancouver Public Schools Engagement Grants.
“The Foundation for VPS allocated $60,000 in Engagement Grants to fund projects and programs to benefit students at every Vancouver school,” explains Nada Wheelock, Executive Director, Foundation for VPS. “Thank you to the generous individuals, businesses and organizations whose donations fund these opportunities which impacted more than 11,000 students this year. An even bigger thank you to VPS teachers and staff who go the extra mile to ensure that students have access to these life-enriching experiences.”
Since 1998, the Foundation for VPS has awarded more than one million dollars to fund innovative and exciting projects that enrich student learning.
The 2020-21 grant recipients include:
| Alki Middle School | Art “To Go” bags to send home for remote learning. |
| Anderson Elementary | “Bringing virtual OMSI field trips into the classroom”. |
| Chinook Elementary | Transforming the playground in a Pandemic – Paint and Games. |
| Discovery Middle School | Ripsticks & badminton equipment; animal specimens for dissection; calligraphy pen sets; sensory tools for classrooms |
| Eisenhower Elementary | Rhythm and Dance of Accra Performance by Alex Addy and Michael Akoto. |
| Felida Elementary | Healthy playground Games for Felida students – stencils for playground games. |
| Gaiser Middle School | Art kit supplements and Physical Ed enhancements to support hybrid learning. |
| Hazel Dell Elementary | De Los Ninos (Day of the Children) Celebration, family night parking lot BINGO and dance party. |
| Hough Elementary | Entemology Rules! Workshops presented by The Bug Chicks |
| Hudson’s Bay High School | Black History 101 Mobile Museum; Student engagement activities with booster clubs to collect food and hygiene supplies and send cards of encouragement to peers. |
| Jason Lee Middle School | Diversity and Maker space projects. |
| King Elementary | STEM Focus and Family Night. |
| Lake Shore Elementary | Sessions with award-winning singer-songwriter Ellen Whyte to write songs about the Lewis & Clark Corp of Discovery |
| Lieser Campus | Mindfulness courtyard garden and expansion of the culturally responsive SEL library. |
| Lincoln Elementary | Maker Space – student lead inquiry. |
| Marshall Elementary | Go To Mentor test kits, reading and writing k-5. |
| Minnehaha Elementary | Creation of a new school song with songwriter Steve Seskin. |
| Ogden Elementary | Blast off to Science |
| Roosevelt Elementary | Earth Day Family Engagement Kits |
| Sacajawea Elementary | Influential African Americans – a zoom classroom “field trip” with Ruby Bridges. |
| Skyview High School | Classroom VR technology. |
| Truman Elementary | Reading Around the School – Kindness matters. |
| Vancouver Flex Academy | Increased and updated supplemental class book sets for ELA. |
