Xenia Community Schools Foundation Announces Classroom Grant Awards and Sponsorships for the 2022-2023 School Year

The Xenia Community Schools Foundation (XCSF) recently awarded $25,000.00 in grants to the Xenia Community Schools. The grants will fund projects that are innovative and provide enhancements to the standard school curriculum.

One group of awards focuses on science, including funds for a Chemistry Club project at Xenia High School geared towards science experiment instruction in the elementary schools. A variety of science and math-focused grants were approved for elementary schools including: the Boonshoft Kindergarten Traveling STEM Program at McKinley Elementary, McKinley Math Pentathlon and Hands on Math Learning at Cox. They are being sponsored, in full or in part, through the Dr. Jenene Washington-Stepter Science Grant. The Chemistry Club “ Teaching that Science is Fun!” project is receiving support both from the W.A. Hammond Drierite Co., LTD. and the Dr. Jenene Washington-Stepter Science Grant.

The Elementary S.T.E.A.M. Days grant will expose third, fourth and fifth grade students in all five buildings to STEM activities, combined with art, that encourage critical thinking. Third graders will explore topics related to nature through “Nature Nerds”, fourth graders will participate in “Lemonade Wars” and learn financial literacy through running a business. Fifth grade students will focus on flight and rocketry through the “Out of this World” program. The S.T.E.A.M. program is being sponsored by Joan Hammond, W.A. Hammond Drierite Co., LTD and Dr. Nodie Washington, sponsor of the Dr. Jenene Washington-Stepter Science Grant.

A variety of “Books are Scary Good“ books will be purchased for the elementary school libraries, sponsored, in part, by Barbara Stafford, Executive Director of the XCSF, and new genre books will be added to the Warner Middle School library collection. Xenia Preschool will add nonfiction informational texts to their library through the “ABC, True Facts for Me” grant.

McKinley Elementary's “One School, One Book” grant will receive sponsorship support from Stephanie Johnston, Parent Volunteer Coordinator/Parent Liaison at XCS.

The Muse Machine will once again perform at Xenia High School and Warner Middle School. Grant funds will be used for several interactive performances at each location. This will provide arts learning to connect students and teachers to artistic experiences.

The grants awarded by the Foundation would not be possible without the help of the community. The Foundation announced a new “Sponsor a Grant Program” five years ago. Individuals, organizations and businesses commit to providing funds to cover a portion of or an entire grant for a minimum of $500.00. Grants available for sponsorship have been selected by the XCSF Board of Directors from staff-submitted applications and an extensive application review and selection process conducted in conjunction with Xenia Community Schools.

The Xenia Community Schools Foundation awards grants to teachers and staff of the Xenia Community Schools. Any Xenia Community Schools’ staff or community member can apply to the Foundation to fund special projects in classrooms. Projects are geared towards enriching student learning. Some applications represent district-wide initiatives. All the grants for Xenia Community School students and teachers are beyond what regular school funding can provide.

Xenia Community Schools Foundation, formerly known as the Xenia Educational Endowment Fund, is an Ohio non-profit 501(C) (3) corporation. Gifts made to the XCSF qualify as tax deductible charitable contributions. The Board of Directors includes both local residents and staff of the Xenia Community Schools District. For information about the XCSF, visit the website (xcsfoundation.com), check them out on Facebook (Xenia Community Schools Foundation) or leave a message at the Chamber of Commerce at 937-372-3591.