Education Foundation providing new opportunities

The Clovis Municipal Schools’ Education Foundation is at it again, helping teachers help students with activities above and beyond what is covered through regular planning and funding.

Recently dropping in at the Painting Lab at Clovis Community College (CCC), the view of our high school art students and their teachers totally immersed in their work was indeed impressive. Following upon the success of the most recent “Young Masters Juried Art Exhibition,” the CMS Education Foundation, partnering with CCC, organized a print workshop at the college for our CHS, Choices, and CHS Freshman Academy art students.

Santa Fe artist, Patricia Pearce, conducted the Printmaking and Book Arts workshop. Pearce, who also teaches at Santa Fe Community College, demonstrated not only the skills and techniques involved with printmaking, she also had a most engaging and encouraging manner with our students, drawing out interesting conversations and remarkably creative designs.

This printmaking workshop was an excellent opportunity for students to experience artistic techniques that are often a concentration area in a Fine Arts degree. Thanks, as well, to Carolyn Lindsey, CCC art instructor, for her invaluable input in facilitating this opportunity.

This, however, is not all the CMS Education Foundation is up to. In the words of Jan Cox, executive director of the Education Foundation, “The Foundation will be surprising several teachers and schools very soon by awarding them with (a total of) $25,000 in grants for innovative programs at their schools. They will be surprised with a giant check, drummers, cheers, and congratulations from the Foundation Board.”

This is always a fun event, and recipients are kept “top secret” until they learn of their awards amidst the fanfare; so…shhhh…mum’s the word.

The Education Foundation has also expanded their offerings to include mini-grants for classroom teachers for up to $100 for special classroom needs. These will be awarded in the fall and spring each school year. Applications for all grants can be found on our school website: http://www.clovis-schools.org/Foundation/Index.html

Also currently underway are nominations for the CHS Hall of Honor, open until Dec. 5 to annually recognize outstanding CHS alumni. It is so important to acknowledge those Clovis grads who have excelled in their fields; not only to honor their accomplishments in their own right, but as a model for our current students, to which they can aspire.

The Foundation also awards two $5,000 academic scholarships to CHS seniors every year, helping them along their path to higher education. Applications for these are also available on our school website at http://www.clovis-schools.org/Foundation/scholarship-info.html. The deadline for submission is April 1.

Especially at this time of year, we are reminded of the great opportunities afforded to us through the Foundation, and we, as a district, are very grateful for the efforts, participation, and dedication of our community members who serve to make these experiences possible.

Margaret Mead noted, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Cindy Kleyn-Kennedy is the Instructional Technology Coordinator for the Clovis Municipal Schools and can be reached at [email protected]