During a Board of Directors meeting held on Mar. 12, the Education Foundation Inc. of Caldwell County announced the recipients of its latest round of Community Education Grants, which are intended to foster innovation in educational projects. The Foundation allocated grant funds to six deserving initiatives within the learning environments of Davenport A+ School, Lower Creek Elementary, South Caldwell High School, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy, Gamewell Elementary, and Kings Creek School.

The selected projects encompass various topics, from playground enhancements and makerspaces to science exploration.

Congratulations to the following recipients on their winning grant proposals:

• Carly Schwartz, Davenport A+ Elementary, “Updating a Cultural Exchange”
• Danielle Hood, Lower Creek Elementary, “Playground Project”
• Amber Biecker, South Caldwell High School, “CLUE Onstage”
• Ethan Ostwalt, Caldwell Applied Sciences Academy, “Visualizing Mathematics in the 21^st Century”
• Natelie McLean, Gamewell Elementary, “Science Exploration”
• Kirsten James, Kings Creek School, “Viking Makerspaces”

Community Education Grants are awarded in the spring and fall to provide opportunities for educators and staff throughout the school year to enhance the quality of public education, instill public confidence in the school environment, and enrich the educational journey of students.

In addition to these grants, the Board also recognized recipients of the “What are you Reading” grants, sponsored by Blue Ridge Energy. These grants are earmarked for school media coordinators with outstanding projects promoting literacy and reading initiatives. The 2024 “What are you Reading” grants were presented to Rebecca Tester of Gamewell Elementary and Anna Reynolds of Granite Falls Middle School.

Having disbursed nearly $6 million in grants and scholarships, the Education Foundation Inc. of Caldwell County is the sole non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to advancing public education in Caldwell County.

“Through its unwavering commitment, the Foundation continues to positively impact the educational landscape of students, staff, and schools in Caldwell County,” said Pat Triplett, Executive Director.