Grants bring new programs to JPS school

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -The Junior League of Jackson and the Community Foundation made a surprise visit to Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex (Power APAC Elementary) to announce the winners of this year’s Education Foundation Trust Mini-Grants.

Power APAC teachers were awarded four grants, totaling $22,667.07. These grants, in addition to several others from JPS teachers, were selected from a field of grant proposals, vying for their share of this funding opportunity. Grants range in amount from $448 to $9,897.83 to fund 22 classroom, team, or school-wide projects. The total amount of grants funded for the 2019-20 school year is $103,544.84.

Students were also in attendance at today’s unveiling. Power APAC Elementary Prinicipal Cody Shumaker told 3 On Your Side it was important to let the students know they are also a part of this and for them to find out what they can expect on their campus.

“We have an artist in residence that does west West African dance, that will come and work with our students’ grades 4-12,” Shumaker said. “We also got a grant called Gizmos and Gadgets, which will bring robotics to our students, and we have two other grants; one for a STEAM makers space and then we also have one that is technology-based to try and meet our students as 21st-century learners.”

The Junior League of Jackson and the Community Foundation of Mississippi’s Education Foundation Trust have provided JPS educators with funding to support a variety of enrichments, unique learning experiences and motivational projects that cannot be funded by normal budgeting processes.

“It was just such a touching and emotional day to be able to visit and see the students who are actually going to benefit from the grants and from the uniform pants, and see how happy and engaged and excited they were about learning,” said Lakesha Greer-Issac, president of Junior League. “It just meant the world to us to be able to fellowship with them.”

In addition to the grants, Junior League also donated just over 1,000 uniform pants to the school.