2023-2024 Grantees

Advancing Linguistic Content and Learning for Dawes TWI Students (Willard): This funding will allow up to 6 Dawes TWI educators to attend an upcoming bilingual conference. Investing in professional development for these TWI educators will enable them to accelerate learning for native Spanish-speaking students in the TWI program. Educators who attend will expand their impact by sharing back within the school and PLCs.

Black Girl Magic Book Club (Chute, King Lab, Lincolnwood, Walker, and Willard): This grant allows the highly successful Black Girl Magic Book Club to continue at Willard, Lincolnwood, and Walker while expanding to King Lab. This grant also continues the middle school version of the Black Girl Magic Book Club at Chute. The program empowers District 65 educators to lead students in the work of humanizing Black women and allows students to build a positive racial identity while learning with and from one another.

Black SonRise (all schools): This program supports an out-of-school-time program run by Black men to support Black boys through literacy, STEM, and mentoring across the District.

Connecting Us Through Culture and Celebration (JEH): This grant supports the JEH early childhood center in offering three multicultural events for the families of their students during the 23-24 school year. As a school that is prohibited (because of funding) from having a fundraising PTA, these funds are needed to better connect families to schools in a preK space. They plan to provide multiple language options and accommodate children with sensory sensitivities.

District 65/ Foundation 65 Literacy Initiative Model: In partnership with District 65, NEIU, and ETHS, we are pleased to fund a fourth year of the Literacy Education Graduate Program Cohort. This program allows educators to obtain their reading teacher endorsement or their master's in literacy with a reading specialist licensure. We pledge to cover 50% of educators’ tuition for this program.

Healing and Empowerment Through the Arts (King Arts): This highly successful group therapy program for girls will run for a second time, allowing girls of color to engage in art therapy and collective work to support their learning and emotional well-being.

High Achieving Students of Color Math Program (Dawes): This grant supports struggling students in an after-school space to bring them up to grade level in math.

Kuumba Evanston (all schools): Kuumba Evanston serves rising 3rd-8th grade Black boys and girls in an elementary and middle school cohort. Youth will engage in summer sports and activities while also engaging in intentional literacy and STEM work. Camp Kuumba holds 8 pathways to success for its students: family support, mentorship, education, building healthy relationships, interest exploration, career discovery, financial literacy, and community service. The program expanded to school year time during 22-23 and added a girls’ component.

Lincoln Leaders Social Emotional Learning Initiative (Lincoln): This funding will support SEL (social emotional learning) for staff and educators within buildings. This grant is important in supporting the onboarding and restorative practices for staff and will help better set up a system of support for students.

Makers Exploration (Kingsley): This grant allows the Maker Space concept to reach the classroom level by piloting Maker activities in a K-5 setting at Kingsley.

Perspectives Family Author Series (all schools): This initiative, led by District 65 librarians, is reimagining the Authors’ Visit. Every K-2 student in the District will have a shared experience by having one author visit each K-2 school. Look for family engagement and community events to go with these visits. In future years, an author will visit grades 3-5 and 6-8.

Rebellious Read Alouds (Orrington): This book series will support students throughout Orrington in reading books that introduce mirrors and windows to their lived experiences.

The Child Within You Literary Carnival (all schools): This funding is for a second year of the successful literary carnival. The goal is for children of color to feel empowered through book readings, stories, and activities from leaders similar to themselves.

Willard TWI Family Workshop (Willard): This workshop series will be held in Spanish to support native Spanish-speaking families in engaging in their children's learning.