Léa Ringeval, Reporter
Do you remember your favorite elementary school library book? What about that great field trip you took in middle school? Chances are they were funded by Partners in Education (PIE).
PIE is a local non-profit charity that has been raising money for Vashon schools for 30 years. It funds projects, field trips, supplies and other items that teachers request which are not covered by the regular school budget.
Recently, PIE announced a new grant program called the Robin Appleford Enrichment Fund. This fund is named after Robin Appleford, an island resident who left a generous donation to PIE in her will. This new grant will be available year-round, unlike other PIE grants that are only available in the autumn.
The idea behind the grant is simple: use the money in a way that honors Appleford and her interests. Appleford was a very active woman, involving herself in Washington state politics as well as teaching in the Vashon Island School District. She was passionate about young people and encouraged students to become interested in their government and community.
Contrary to the other PIE grants, where the request comes from teachers, Vashon students are encouraged to apply for the Appleford grant in support of an idea or project to enrich their learning experience at school. The hope is that by applying for a grant, the process also develops students’ leaderships skills.
“Clearly, high school students can do lots of incredible, minimal things right now,” John Stanton, a member of the organization, said. “You are very close to [being a] fully fledged adult at this point, and it’s really a question about how you are [going to] engage in the world, so this Appleford Grant is one way that you can start engaging in the adult world if you want.”
While fundraisers for other PIE grants occur annually, the Appleford fund is a one-time grant and will diminish over time.
The application process for the grant is very simple.
Students go to the Vashon PIE website, to a section in there called “Grants” where they can find “Robin Appleford Enrichment Fund.”There’s an online form there they can fill in. “We know that students have probably never written for a grant before and never made [a] request for money to an organisation before, so that’s [a] really low-bar entry.” Stanton said.
There is no letter of justification, only a few simple questions to help PIE understand how much money the student is asking for and how their project would tie into at least one area of focus. These areas include civics, community (such as government, voting and social justice) and the environment (such as nature protection, ecology and animal welfare).
The PIE board is composed of more than a dozen people, all of whom are volunteers. When an Appleford Fund application comes in, the team assesses the requests based on five categories:
Innovation and creativity, educational value, need, impact and presentation. If the project or idea fits well within these categories, then the funding could be available within 30 days.
As a hypothetical example, the VHS Broadcast team needs cameras and other equipment to expand their broadcasting capabilities. Publishing videos online relates to communication and community engagement, and can promote students’ ability to reach an important audience. The project would get accepted by the board because it fits within the Appleford criteria.
The PIE board is looking for involved students with innovative ideas to make the school and community better. But how can making a request for a grant change young people and prepare them for their adult life?
PIE board member John Stanton believes in the grant’s potential.
“As an adult … I sort of imagine young people two different ways; I imagine you as you are … and I also imagine you as you may be in the future,” Stanton said.
“In some sense, when we are asking the students to come forth and do something for Appleford, it is not necessarily that the thing they are asking for is so important or so well-articulated, he said.
“We really want you to get used to the idea of engaging in the world in one of these ways, [by being] civically responsible, or because you care about animals, or about the climate. And then … when we talk to you again some day in ten years, you are gonna be really sophisticated and really effective … because you’ve got to start somewhere.”
Stanton encourages highly motivated students to apply for the grant at any time.
“It’s like kids having training wheels …. In a sense this is the training wheel grant,” Stanton said. “You’ve got to care. You’ve got a project, and then it has to be easy for you to start. And then, when [you talk to me] from your office, in ten years … you will have grown in a bell curve. That’s the idea.”