Our Community Foundation Awards First Second-Semester Teaching Innovator Grant

Our Community Foundation has announced the first of fifteen second-semester Teaching Innovator grant recipients. Washington High School received a $250 grant to support Hatchet Gold, an innovative mentorship program designed to pair incoming freshmen with peer mentors. WHS Principal Brian Holland accepted the award and was named a 2024 Foundation Teaching Innovator.

Holland states that gold is not only a school color but also an acronym for the program’s purpose: Grow, Opportunities, Lead, and Discover. The teaching staff will select the student mentors. These students will help the freshman successfully transition from junior high to high school.

According to Holland, seven teachers have volunteered to become teacher leaders. These teachers will guide the mentors and offer help as necessary. Hatchet GOLD will help incoming freshmen meet challenges and excel in the new and challenging high school culture.

The Foundation conducted the competitive grant program during November and December, inviting Daviess County educators to apply for resources for the second semester of 2024-25 projects. Funding was provided by the Foundation’s Administrative Fund.

“This program makes a strategic investment in the education of Daviess County youth,” says Travis Schaffer, Foundation Board President. “The funding empowers educators to be innovators and create dynamic learning environments that meet the diverse needs of students, so our Daviess County youth are better prepared for success in our ever-changing world.”