Leadership 3 students write successful grant application for Fall Festival, class supplies
Melinda McBay, Campbell Boney, Mr. Cody Martin, Madeleine Davis, and Chloe Ayo (left to right) accept recognition for The Simply Smart Grant.
As Fall Festival was nearing, the BHS leadership classes realized they needed more tables and chairs to accommodate the number of booths present at the festival.
The funds made from Fall Festival are combined to give back to both students and staff. The money is used to buy clothing for students in need and to make baskets for the staff.
Leadership classes knew they needed to acquire money to fund this equipment, so when the opportunity presented itself to request The Simply Smart Grant, the Leadership 3 class took it upon themselves to apply.
“[Principal] Mrs. [Debbie] Sayers sent out an email and then put flyers in the mailroom about the grant and who could apply for it,” Leadership teacher Mr. Cody Martin said.
The Simply Smart Grant is a $1,500 grant offered by Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union Foundation for Education and is available to Johnson City and other counties including Blount, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Roane, Sevier, and Sullivan.
The application process consists of answering questions relating to the use of the money and the reasoning as to why the school should receive the grant. The Leadership 3 class – specifically Chloe Ayo, Madeleine Davis, Campbell Boney, and Melinda McBay – collaborated to complete the application.
After answering the questions on the grant, they organized those responses into an essay. Mr. Martin reviewed their application, and then he submitted it to the organization.
Despite this being Leadership’s first grant application, they received a grant of $1,499. The money will go to Fall Festival supplies as well as updated habitude books for leadership classes.
“This is the first time we’ve done it, and it’s really cool that we got to do it because we’re doing a joint class this year with Leadership 3 and Leadership 1 which usually doesn’t happen,” Ayo said. “It was an opportunity for Leadership 3 to form a pathway for Leadership 1 just because we got the money to extend the Fall Festival and get the actual books we need for the following leadership classes.”