On each high school campus, there are students who face extreme obstacles that could easily affect their performance at school, but somehow these students do not let challenges get in their way. Obstacles that students face include: growing up in foster care, homelessness, poverty, critical illness, death of parents, drug addiction, gang affiliation, becoming a teen parent, and much more. Each year, Foundation Directors read letters from school counselors and teachers about some extraordinary young people who have beat the odds.

The Students of Promise award is given to students in their junior year to reward them for persevering through tough times and to encourage them to keep up the good work. Upon graduating from high school, each Student of Promise is eligible to receive a $1,500 scholarship for a college or technical school.

Veronica Ochoa, a 2008 Clovis High recipient, had this to say about Students of Promise: “Today I purchased my cap and gown, as I will be graduating in less than two months with my Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from Fresno State. I started thinking about everyone who had a part in my journey to crossing the finish line and wanted to thank the Foundation for Clovis Schools for being a part of that journey. It truly means a lot to me that there are others out there who care about education and that your organization cared enough to recognize myself and others for our success in the face of adversity.”

This year’s recipients are:

Buchanan High School

Richard Fiore

Virginia Healon

Brie Janae Oliver

Jeff Saul

Clovis East High School

Meghan Christopherson

Karris Gentile

Clovis High School

Oscar Gutierrez

Kolby Jizmejian

Ashley Lucckesi

Blake Martin

Clovis North High School 

Ralph De La Mora

Stephanie Tran

Clovis West High School

India Alexander

Katrina Howard

Jalen Swank

Gateway High School

Martin Lorta

Aarin Starlin

Channel 24 News video

Student of Promise video

In the fall of 2009, NASA and the federal General Services Administration announced that with the phasing out of the Space Shuttle program, artifacts related to the program would be made available to public institutions for educational purposes. Clovis North social sciences teacher Cliff Nitschke immediately recognized a unique learning opportunity to generate interest in science and engineering in Central Valley students.

Following three-and-a-half years of effort, Nitschke’s dream of housing a part of the NASA Space Shuttle Program in Clovis Unified became a reality. Nitschke and CNEC have received the first of two deliveries of nearly $4 million worth of Space Shuttle artificates.

With funding from a grant from the Foundation for Clovis Schools, Nitschke was able to pay to have the donated artificats packed and shippped to CNEC. The artifacts will now be housed in a classroom where students can study their origins and use in the NASA program. Nitschke’s goal is to create a museum-like atmosphere to the classroom as a fitting way to display these unique pieces of Ameria’s history. In addition, the room will feature a space Research Center, complete with books, videos and multimedia presentations, all with information on space exploration and science.

Links

• http://kmph.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/20709873/nasa-artifacts-land-at-clovis-north-high-school
  
• http://www.cbs47.tv/mostpopular/story/Out-of-this-world/QMJ7xcoiakOBnABw04a33Q.cspx
• http://www.kcra.com/Fresno-school-gets-NASA-exhibit/-/11798090/18288464/-/9483ve/-/index.html

When new teachers set up their very first classroom, it can be very expensive. There are materials and supplies that a new teacher needs, which the school district is not able to provide. It is very common for our new teachers to spend dollars out of their own pockets which can be very difficult on a new teacher’s salary.

Every September, the Foundation for Clovis Schools sponsors the New Teacher’s Reception. Each new full-time teacher in the district receives a grant for $200; each new part-time teacher receives a grant equivilant to the % of their contract. This grant helps teachers with their start-up expenses. In addition to being a financial help, the grant acts as a welcome to Clovis Unified School District.

If you would like to help our new teachers get a great start to their teaching career, please consider sponsoring one or more grants for new teachers at $200 per teacher.

Just a few of the things on Dr. Young’s list included:

• Four schools honored with Bonner Character Education Awards;
• 27 California Interscholastic Federation Athletic Championship titles;
• Passage of a $298 million facility bond that will benefit every one of our schools;
• 14 schools honored as State Distinguished Schools;
• Two Title 1 Academic Achievement Award Schools;
• One National Blue Ribbon Award School;
• Two National Schools to Watch Awards, making us the only district in the nation with all five of our intermediate schools so honored;
• Winner of our 13th consecutive Meritorious Budget Award, granted by the International Association of School Business Officials.
• Performance Index (API) score increased from 875 to 880. This is one of, if not the, highest scores awarded a school district of comparable size in California.

Mr. Robert F. Lewis, Jr., a Clovis resident, was the grand prize winner of a 2,029 square foot home valued at $275,000 in the Granville Home of Hope drawing held Saturday, September 29.

This year, 3,028 tickets were sold at $100 each, which raised $302,800, $50,000 more than in 2001, for eight local community organizations who are beneficiaries of the Home of Hope fundraiser including the Foundation for Clovis Schools. Proceeds received by the Foundation will support the “Students of Promise” scholarship program which recognizes high school juniors who have dealt with challenges in their personal lives, but work hard to attend school and get their education. Other beneficiaries include: Community Food Bank, Poverello House, Hinds Hospice (Angel Babies), Assistance League, Renaissance Scholars (Fresno State), and the Foundations for Central and Sanger schools.

Darius Assemi of Granville Homes said, “This a testimony of the generosity of Central California and Fresno-area residents. We are grateful of their generosity and donations to the Granville Home of Hope.”

To see a complete list of winners, go to the Granville Home of Hope website at www.gvhomeofhope.com.

On each high school campus, there are students who face extreme obstacles that could easily affect their performance at school, but somehow these students do not let challenges get in their way. Obstacles that students face include: growing up in foster care, homelessness, poverty, critical illness, death of parents, drug addition, gang affiliation, becoming a teen parent, and more. Each year, Foundation Directors read letters from school counselors and teachers about some extraordinary young people who have beat the odds.

The Students of Promise award is given to students in their junior year to reward them for persevering through tough times and to encourage them to keep up the good work. Upon graduation from high school, each Student of Promise is eligible to receive a $2,000 scholarship for college or technical school.

This year’s recipients are:

Taylor Ball – Buchanan High School

Haylee Brossard – Clovis East High School

Daisha Fowlkes – Clovis North High School

Wendy Freeman – Clovis High School

Kerrigan L. Gunter-Mitchell – Clovis East High School

Dylan Ramsay Hannameyer – Clovis High School

Ma Her – Clovis North High School

David Majors – Clovis High School

Sydnee Montgomery – Gateway High School

Thomas Patty – Clovis West High School

Alyse Pugh – Buchanan High School

Raziel Ramirez – Buchanan High School

Jessica Summers – Clovis West High School

Elizabeth Tannehill – Clovis High School

Rachael Treisman – Buchanan High School

The 2013 Students of Promise Scholarship dinner will be held on Monday, March 18, 2013, 6:00-9:00PM at TorNino’s.

One of the signature programs that the Foundation supports annually is the “Classroom and School Grants” program. Grants awarded through this program provide innovative and creative educational experiences which help students succeed academically and personally.

According to Hugh Awtrey, Foundation Chairperson, “the Foundation received requests for projects totaling $530,309. It was evident that teachers and staff put a lot of thought and care into writing their applications. We regret that we could not provide funds for all 83 grants.”

Grant amounts awarded ranged from $342 to $10,000.

Listed below are the 2012 Funded Classroom Grants.

Buchanan High School – Electronic Balances & Rechargeable Batteries – $1,392

Buchanan High School – Physically Fit-Everyone Counts, Everyday – $8,085

Bud Rank Elementary – Computers for Computer Lab – $4,631

Clovis East High School – A Multi-Sensory Room for Special Needs Students – $4,067

Clovis East High School – Study is Hard Work – $3,023

Clovis East High School – Ag Center Computer Lab – $9,859

Clovis High School – INFORMATION CENTRAL! Counseling Center Information System – $3,154

Clovis North High School – AVID WICOR Support – $9,955

Clovis West High School – SmartMusic Software Expansion for the CW Area Instr. Music – $4,985

Community Day School – Brain Pop Interactive – $995

Copper Hills Elementary – Preschool Team Teaching & Inclusion Improvement – $4,340

Fancher Creek Elemetnary – Traditional Tales & Plays Reading Materials – $2,462

Garfield Elementary Sp. Ed. Ctr. – Sensory Communic. Materials for Clsrm. & Sensory Rm. – $1,807

Gettysburg Elementary – iPods in the Classroom – $1,097

Granite Ridge Intermediate – iPad Efficiency Project – $1,733

Liberty Elementary – Student Motivation & Behavior Intervention – $2,479

Liberty Elementary – CPS Pulse Student Response – $4,662

Miramonte Elementary – Student Running Shoe Lending Closet for XC & Track Athletes – $3,885

Oraze Elementary – Portable Promethean Interactive Board for Acad. Achievement & Inter. – $6,492

Red Bank Elementary – Reading/Language Arts/Math – $9,824

Reyburn Intermediate – Science World Magazine Subscription – $458

Special Education (District) – Equal Access for All – $9,894