GHS Academic Basis has accomplished numerous wonders for the college – La Mesa Courier

By CONNIE AND LYNN BAER

In 2008, a dynamic group of oldsters, workers, alumni, and group members dedicated themselves to bettering Grossmont Excessive College by means of the GHS Academic Basis, a nonprofit 501©3 entity.

The aim of the Basis is to boost the general instructional expertise of the scholars by elevating funds to assist the wants of the college. The Basis encourages dad and mom, college students, and alumni to “Take your reminiscences…Depart your footprints.” Appropriately, footprints are the Basis emblem. Fourteen years later, the impression of the muse is discovered all through the campus.

Instructor mini-grants

Regardless of the bounds COVID positioned on the tutorial expertise, numerous departments have benefitted from the mini-grants the previous two years to fund particular tasks that enrich and facilitate pupil studying.

Basis President Amy Conrad shares, “Final yr, the Basis established a scholarship for examine overseas college journeys to assist college students and workers. The scholarship for at-need college students might be utilized to a choir tour, a Spanish journey, or any departmental tour or journey. Final yr’s recipient was a pupil who joined the choir on their journey to Europe.”

Different current mini-grants have included t-shirts for the humanities, media, and leisure pathway college students to design and print their logos; a bus for a San Diego Zoo subject journey for Marissa Alvarado’s AP environmental science analysis tasks; drones for Mr. Lee’s chemistry class; new supplies for the baseball subject and dugout, and extra.

Scholarships

By way of their rising San Diego Basis Endowment Fund, the Basis has been instrumental in funding pupil scholarships. Nevertheless, prior to now few years, the variety of alumni and retirees who’ve donated to particular scholarships has grown tremendously. A lot of the scholarship recipients are chosen by means of a spring software course of which is overseen by the Basis.

2022 GHS Basis annual scholarship recipients

Shawn Ferguson Tutorial Enchancment $1,000

Tasnim Saleh Tutorial Enchancment $500

Joshua Kelly Performing Arts $1,000

Savannah Reynolds Alumni $1,000

Sara Lopez Athletic Problem $1,000

Molly Schell Neighborhood service $1,000

Second Class of 1975 $1,000 Science Scholarship

2022 Howland McNelia

Class of 1975 alumnus Pleasure Stovall shares, “We began this scholarship as a result of Coronavirus stopped our plans for celebrating our forty fifth class reunion, however we wished to do one thing to commemorate it. After asking our classmates to a contribute to a category scholarship, we acquired an amazing response. We selected science for the scholarship as a consequence of being a part of STEM, which is essential, and there wasn’t a present Basis scholarship for it.”

Second Audrey Seidel Backstage Go $500 Scholarship

2022 Tessa Snyder

In honor of Grossmont’s historic theatre arts program, a bunch of former Grossmont thespians partnered with the Tony Award–successful Outdated Globe Theatre to sponsor a Grossmont theatre arts pupil for an in-depth look behind the scenes {of professional} theatre. This system honors former Grossmont trainer Audrey Seidel Becker, to whom GHS’s Black Field is devoted.

In keeping with Amity Ecker, “This yr’s recipient junior Tessa Snyder has labored in tech theatre at GHS for 3 years, together with stage managing, grasp carpenter, lighting design, and serving to to facilitate and lead the technical theatre program at GHS. Tessa was excited to be taught extra final summer season on the Outdated Globe, significantly within the fields of lighting and set design.”

Second Jerry L. Lewis Artwork $1000 Scholarship

2022 Liliana Warder

Jerry L. Lewis taught artwork at Grossmont Excessive College for 30 years, 28 of which he served because the artwork division chairperson. An artist himself, Jerry’s want to assist an impressive artwork pupil is his option to promote the humanities and reward a deserving senior who greatest exemplifies a dedication to persevering with a path within the arts past their highschool schooling.

In keeping with Artwork and 3D Design Instructor Gwenne Pagarigan, “This yr’s recipient Liliana Warder has been a dedicated pupil in 3D Design for 4 years. Every bit she creates has her type integrated into it at the same time as she experiments with various kinds of clay and scale of sculpture.”

Up to now 14 years, the impression of the GHS Academic Basis has grown tremendously; its non-profit standing has been the impetus for donations impacting the whole Foothiller group. Nevertheless, with out the continued assist of Grossmont’s dad and mom, workers, retirees, and workers, none of this may have been attainable. We thank them and welcome further donations and concepts for extra scholarships. For extra details about changing into part of this vibrant group, e-mail: [email protected]

Dan Barnes proudly states, “As principal of Grossmont Excessive College, it’s all the time thrilling to see a group come collectively to assist a college. Our GHS Academic Basis and our alumni definitely have been that assist for all of our college students and workers. It’s a privilege to work with this superb group of individuals as we proceed to construct on years of traditions and success at Grossmont Excessive College.”

GHS Museum closed till spring 2024

We welcome donations of memorabilia and monetary donations to assist us create the brand new, new museum. Go to our web site at foothillermuseum.com to be taught extra about GHS, previous and current and to learn our newsletters. Contacts: (619) 668-6140 and [email protected]

Upcoming reunion

Class of 1962’s sixtieth Reunion: Flinn Springs Park in El Cajon on Saturday, Oct 8. Contact Cheryl at [email protected]

— Connie and Lynn Baer write on behalf of the Grossmont Excessive College Museum.