For the Reporter
Thanks to a grant from the Kent Schools Foundation students of iGrad will receive transportation assistance in the form of bus vouchers.
“Our commitment is to remove barriers that have been preventing the students from being successful in school,” Carol Cleveland, iGrad principal, said.
KSD Board Director Russ Hanscom, also a board member of the foundation, alerted Cleveland to the available grant funding for transportation. iGrad Assistant Principal Mary Anderson completed the application for the $500 award.
The foundation, established in 2012, provides grants to Kent School District schools and programs to support student achievement.
“A grant like this supports student access, equity, and our commitment to the missions of both the foundation and KSD,” Hanscom said. “Providing access to reliable transportation makes me immensely proud of the work we do.”
iGrad is an individualized graduation and degree program serving students ages 16-21 who have either dropped out of school or are at risk of dropping out.
It is the largest program of its kind in the state of Washington and the only one that also offers its students an opportunity to obtain a two-year college Associate’s degree through a partnership with Green River College.
“All of our students have a growth mindset, they are well aware that whatever they were doing did not get them the results they had hoped for,” Cleveland said. “They all have dreams and the cool thing is when they walk through the door it means they have made a decision to do things differently, to get different results.”
Transportation is a “crucial part of getting (students) here,” she added.
Elsewhere
Raymond Lau has been awarded the 2015 Osness Scholarship from the Greater Kent Historical Society. Lau will receive $950 toward his first year at the University of Washington as he pursues a degree in communications. Lau, a 2015 graduate of Kentridge High School, excelled in numerous Advanced Placement classes. He was vice president of the associated student body while also captaining the judo team. The Osness Scholarship is in memory of longtime Kent residents Ralph L. & Elinor J. Osness. …
Kent’s Morgan Folsom made the spring semester dean’s list at Linfield College (McMinnville, Ore.). Students must complete 12 graded credits with at least a 3.65 grade point average to make the dean’s list. … Kent’s Joshua Starkey recently earned his master’s degree in systems engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Mo. …
The following students from Kent made the spring semester honor at Eastern Washington University: Mustafa Abdirahman; Skye Allen; Rachel Brown; Vashtic Cassell; Arienna Chamberlain; Erika Enciso-Castillo; Erin Greene; M’Kenna Hayes; Laura Holman; Dahir Jigre; Abria Jones; Justin Martin; Jazmin Rico; Jenica Rogers; Jacquelyn Ryan; Amandeep Singh; Kaitlin Steckler; Steve Tang; Karl Whitlock; Ariel Wolfe; and Dylan Zylstra. …
David Shaw, band director at Kentwood High School, recently was elected to membership of the American School Band Directors’ Association Regional Conference. The ASBDA is a national organization composed of professionally-trained, experienced directors and teachers of school bands who purpose is to advance and improve music education of those students engaged in the study of band instruments. There were 69 band directors selected for membership this year in the U.S.
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