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.