Grant writing skills can be almost as useful to learn in school these days as reading and writing, and certainly are invaluable for the arithmetic of classroom and community programs. Funding is available from multiple foundations, government agencies and private businesses for those who can write an effective grant application. They need to tell their story, tell how the grant will make life better in their community, and tell it with conviction.
The competition for grants can be intense, which is why it’s impressive to see Wrangell high school students learn the skills — and succeed.
Lisa Brooks teaches high school students about grant writing and junior Rylee Chelette and sophomore Mia Wiederspohn are using what they’ve learned to fill out the forms, write the essays and make their pitch — they have submitted seven different grant applications this school year. Their hard work had already garnered four grants as of last week, including one to help set up an indoor garden at the school.
Wiederspohn said grant writing teaches them valuable life skills like communication, research and patience. Chelette added, “I also feel like it gives us good communication skills with other people because, even if you’re not good at that, you have to do it.”
Bob Davis, assistant principal at the high school, said the process has taught students how to interact with teachers differently. “One of the things I’ve noticed is that they have to go and collect information, so they’re talking to adults on a whole other level.”
Not only are the students taking their conversations with adults to a higher level, they’re learning important grant writing skills while helping students and their community. They, and their teachers, deserve recognition for the work. What better way to do that than to write about it.
Wrangell Sentinel
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