Lexington County School District One Educational Foundation

THE MISSION OF THE LEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION IS TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS AND ENRICH THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY BY RAISING AND MANAGING FUNDS.

HELPING HANDS GRANTS OF 87,768 WERE MADE TO SUPPORT STUDENT FAMILIES AT ALL 30 SCHOOLS WHO WERE STRUGGLING DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC OR OTHER CRISIS SITUATIONS THAT RESULTED IN FINANCIAL NEED AND NEED-BASED GRANT.

THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARDED 33,000 IN "BUCKS FOR BOOKS" GRANTS TO LEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE TO SUPPORT EARLY LITERACY EFFORTS AND ASSIST WITH THE SC "READ TO SUCCEED" INITIATIVE. ACCORDINGLY, THE GRANT WAS DIVIDED AMONG 17 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, 8 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, 5 HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE LEXINGTON TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN OUR DISTRICT AND WILL HELP ENSURE THAT SC STUDENTS GRADUATE ON TIME WITH THE LITERACY SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE. INNOVATION GRANTS FOR FOR K-8 SCHOOLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 - GRANTS OF UP TO 5,000 EACH WITH A REQUIRED 10% MATCH WERE AWARDED TO ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS ONE OR MORE OF THE DISTRICT'S PATHWAYS TOWARD COLLEGE, CAREER AND CITIZENSHIP PREPAREDNESS IN INNOVATIVE WAYS. IN 2021-2022, FUNDS PROVIDED GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND DISCUSSION, 3D PRINTERS TO FACILITATE A 9 WEEK CAD/3D DESIGN AND PRINTING COURSE, AND EQUIPMENT FOR AN OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, AMONG OTHER PROJECTS. THE FOUNDATION AWARDED 13,582 IN INNOVATION GRANTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2022. ROBOTICS TEAM GRANTS WERE PROVIDED TO A NUMBER OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO FUND THE CREATION AND COMPETION FEES OF ROBOTICS TEAMS. THESE GRANTS SUPPORT EDUCATION THROUGH PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY S.T.E.M. LEARNING TO REAL LIFE SITUATIONS AND COMPETITIONS WITH OTHER SCHOOLS. THE GRANT PROVIDED FOR A TOTAL OF 10,000 TO BE DISBURSED AMONG PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. MICHELIN GOLDEN APPLE TEACHER GRANTS PROVIDE GRANTS UP TO 250 EACH TO TEACHERS TO FUND CLASSROOM NEEDS THAT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE OTHERWISE THAT ENHANCE CREATIVITY AND LEARNING. EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS FUNDED INCLUDED LITERACY THROUGH PROJECT BASED LEARNING, CLASS BOOK CLUBS, SPECIALIZED READING SPACE AND S.T.E.M. THROUGH PLAY. THE FOUNDATION AWARDED 5,039 IN MICHELIN GOLDEN APPLE TEACHER GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE TO LEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS TOTALING 26,021 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED 14,025 IN CARING HEARTS GRANTS AND 5,698 IN ESOL GRANTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 TOTALED 62,505. THESE REPRESENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF 45,337, SUPPLIES OF 7,148, PURCHASED SERVICES OF 7,672 AND OTHER OBJECTS OF 2,348.

FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS EACH HAVE SEPARATE APPLICATIONS AND CRITERIA, BUT ALL FUND EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES FOR THE RECIPIENTS THAT MAY COVER HIGHER EDUCATION EXPENSES LIKE TUITION, ROOM, BOARD, OR BOOKS. CHECKS ARE WRITTEN TO STUDENT'S CHOICE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY AND TO THE STUDENT, SO THAT THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION MUST CREDIT THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD TO THE STUDENT'S COLLEGE EXPENSES. SCHOLARSHIPS OF 14,540 WERE AWARDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. DORM ROOM GRANTS ARE AWARDED ANNUALLY TO LEXINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE AND THE HIGH SCHOOLS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED POVERTY-STRICKEN SENIORS WHO ARE PURSUING COLLEGE AND NEED ASSISTANCE WITH THE PURCHASE OF TYPICAL COLLEGE EXPENSES FOR THEIR DORM ROOMS. STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE AN APPLICATION, INCLUDING DETAILS OF THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION, AND BE SELECTED BY A GRANT COMMITTEE TO RECEIVE A GRANT THAT CAN PURCHASE ITEMS LIKE SHEET SETS, COMFORTER, TOWELS, PILLOW, DESK LAMP, AND OTHER NEEDED ITEMS TO HELP ENSURE SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE PURSUITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. 10 DORM ROOM GRANTS OF 300, TOTALING 3,000, WERE AWARDED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022. LASTLY, THE FOUNDATION AWARDED 17 ACADEMIC SUPPLEMENT GRANTS TOTALING 8,250 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022.

LEAP ASSISTANCE - FUNDS USED FROM THE LEXINGTON EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ARE DESIGNATED TO A LEAP CRISIS FUND THAT OFFERS FINANCIAL AND/OR IN-KIND SERVICES TO LEXINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE PERMANENT FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, PERMANENT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES (NOT TO INCLUDE SUBSTITUTES), AND LEXINGTON ONE STUDENTS TO ASSIST THEM DURING A CRISIS SUCH AS A SERIOUS ILLNESS, NATURAL DISASTER OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. THE CRISIS MUST HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS. SERVICES APPROVED AND PAID FOR THROUGH THESE RESTRICTED FUNDS COULD INCLUDE MEDICAL BILLS, UTILITIES, FOOD, CLOTHING AND OTHER EXPENSES ON THE APPROVED LIST. LEAP PAYS FUNDS DIRECTLY TO THE PLACE OF BUSINESS (I.E., DIRECTLY TO THE HOSPITAL FOR COVERING A PATIENT'S MEDICAL BILLS) AND WILL NOT AWARD CASH TO AN APPROVED INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENT. FOR THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR, LEAP FUNDS EXCLUDE ANY PAYMENTS FOR HOUSING INSURANCE, VEHICLE PURCHASES/VEHICLE INSURANCE, AND SECURITY DEPOSITS. ALSO, WORKER'S COMPENSATION RECIPIENTS ARE INELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION, HEALTH FUND GRANTS PURCHASED 3 VISION SCREENERS AND PROVIDED NEED-BASED INTERNATIONAL TEACHER GRANTS.