Originally published March 7, 2018 by the NBA/Portland Trail Blazers and March 21, 2018 by KTVZ.com NewsChannel 21.
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 19 rural and urban cities across Oregon and S.W. Washington, including two elementary schools in Central Oregon.
The donations support a wide variety of academic, arts, diversity, technology and physical fitness programs and equipment. The amount of each grant was based on the scope and costs associated with the project or program seeking funds.
“I serve on the board of the Trail Blazers Foundation, and I can tell you that education is important to both of our organizations,” said Wells Fargo Regional President Tracy Curtis of Portland. “We truly believe that if we don’t support our local schools and education, our future is at risk. This grant program is one of the many ways we help our local communities.”
Portland Trail Blazers Foundation
Juniper Elementary School in Bend received $4,400 to purchase materials to teach students computer science skills, coding, and movie-making techniques.
Rosland Elementary in La Pine received $500 to purchase books and other materials to enable the kindergarten classes to study how chickens hatch.
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 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.”
Other recipients include:
- Burlingame Creek School (Gresham, Ore.) – Support for a work/life skills program based on running an espresso cart business.
- Chenowith Elementary (The Dalles, Ore.) – Provide hands-on earth science activities for 5th graders in the classroom and on field trips.
- Jackson Elementary (Medford, Ore.) – Offer robotics and technology literacy to expose students to new career opportunities.
- Lincoln Elementary School (Vancouver, Wash.) – Enlist Playworks to teach staff at the school positive, interactive playground games to build a positive culture of play and inclusivity.
- McLoughlin Middle School (Medford, Ore.) – Scholarships and sports equipment to provide access to sport for students at school.
- North Bend Senior High School (North Bend, Ore.) – Improve the condition of the softball and baseball fields.
- North Lake School (Silver Lake, Wash.) – Install all-weather top coating of the new track & field space.
- North Salem High School (Salem, Ore.) – Replace aging equipment in the weight room that is unsafe or unhealthy.
- Pilot Rock Elementary (Pilot Rock, Ore.) – Provide Chromebooks to integrate technology into the math and language arts journey and to expand social studies and health class.
- Salish Ponds Elementary (Fairview, Ore.) – Deliver an after-school STEAM program for girls.
- Sitton Elementary School (Portland, Ore.) – Teach students and families gardening skills at an on-site garden to address food insecurity and promote self-sufficiency.
- Stephens Middle School (Salem, Ore.) – Replace broken volleyball court for all students to enjoy the game.
- Tucker Maxon School (Portland, Ore.) – Produce recording devices for children who are deaf at the school to help develop their spoken language skills.
- Warm Springs K8 Academy (Warm Springs, Ore.) – Bring Playworks to school to more effectively engage children in safe and positive play.
- Washington State School for the Blind (Vancouver, Wash.) – Provide fitness equipment that offers a non-threatening, success-oriented environment that teaches lifetime fitness skills for visually impaired youth.
- Wilson River School (Tillamook, Ore.) – Create ceramics studio for the alternative education community.
In the past three years, the grant program has awarded $275,000 in funds to 49 schools in the region.
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