In a world where financial barriers often limit access to educational opportunities, the MVTHS Foundation is stepping up to level the playing field.
This visionary foundation revolutionizes how students pursue their academic goals and empowers a generation to reach their fullest potential by providing crucial support and funding.
“The MVTHS Foundation was formed in 2005 by a group of community members who were concerned about the future of MV,” according to the MVTHS Foundation press statement.
The Foundation aimed to eliminate financial concerns that hindered available opportunities for students.
“The Foundation supports programs that are not sufficiently funded by revenue resources or tax dollars,” according to the Foundation statement.
Past grants granted by the MVTHS Foundation include graphing calculators for Advanced Algebra courses, video camera stabilizer equipment for the AV Club anthropology kits for Flesh & Bone science classes, Mrs. Raquel Bliffen’s classroom library, and “Aiming For Success” assessment materials for Mr. David Mateyka’s band classes.
“The Foundation has been vital in sustaining the graphing calculators available for our students. Thank you to the Foundation for ensuring our students have the tools necessary to succeed,” said Mrs. Nikki Prost, Math Department Chair.
“This grant has given the students in Flesh & Bone the opportunity to assess and interact with anatomically correct bones of the human skeleton,” stated Mr. Ryan Holden, Science teacher.
“For a forensic class of this nature, the hands-on experience is invaluable to the student progression in critical thinking and problem-solving and will provide students with the opportunity to recreate real-world crime scene scenarios,” continued Mr. Holden.
“For most people, music is subjective. While that remains true in the classroom for the students’ opinions of what we play, ultimately objectivity be the goal of music classroom assessments,” commented Mr. David Mateyka, music teacher.
“Our new assessment system, “AIM for Success,” made possible through a grant, allows subjectivity to stay out of students’ grades by providing a clear outline of objective goals in the band room,” Mr. Mateyka added.
The Foundation wants to help the Technology Department with ViewSonic interactive classroom screens this year.
“ViewSonic screens will expand the teaching and learning capabilities in those classrooms, giving students a new way of learning,” according to the Foundation statement.
The ViewSonic Boards have more features than a Smartboard.
“Students can use the touchscreen features to interact with classroom activities from the screen and their devices. This creates more opportunities for students to collaborate,” according to the Foundation statement.
Every year, teachers and staff are offered an opportunity to apply to receive a grant from the Foundation.
“Each Spring, staff members are invited to apply for individual teacher grants. This teacher grant process opens in January, and the applications are due in March. The Board meets in April to review the applicants and award the grants,” stated Mrs. Sarah Watts, Foundation Board member.
“Each year the number of applicants and the amount of money allocated varies. The recipients are notified in April so that the materials can be purchased before the beginning of the next school year,” Mrs. Watts continued.
The Foundation provides many grants throughout the school year, these grants help make some of MV teachers’ and students’ educational dreams come true.
“Since the creation of the Foundation in 2005, the Foundation has made contributions to MVTHS in the total of $578,406,” Mrs. Watts noted.
The MVTHS Foundation’s continuing commitment is to help fund MV students’ educational resources and establish an endowment for the future.
