ENTOURAGE NEXT GENERATION GRANT

Wilton Manors, FL

“We are a Title 1 school, with over 70% of our students receiving free lunch. Our goal as PTA is to give each of our 600 students a free softcover yearbook.”

Holly Springs, MS

“We are in desperate need of a new camera. The camera will be used for yearbook purposes and to keep our social media and school website current.”

Jefferson, LA

“Thank you so much for approving our proposal and providing the Tam-O-Shanter Yearbook Staff from Riverdale High School with the Next Generation Grant. This financial support will no doubt elevate the quality and impact of my students’ publication, which will be cherished not only by my students but also by the entire school and local community for years to come.

Most of the funds from this grant will be allocated to investing in state-of-the-art photography resources that will empower my student journalists to immortalize the diverse and vibrant moments of not just this school year but future school years as well. At present, my staff of twenty dedicated journalists must share just three Canon Rebels with kit lenses and only one telephoto lens, which puts a great strain on the program as they must juggle which school functions to cover and to what degree of quality. With funds from the Next Generation Grant, we will invest in another Canon camera kit that includes an additional 75-300 mm telephoto lens to empower our journalists to more easily immortalize the vibrant, emotional, and celebrated moments that Riverdale High School community members so cherish.

In addition to a new camera kit, a portion of the funds from this grant will be used to offset the cost of staff yearbooks. Riverdale High is a Title I school where 91% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch based on their family’s economic hardship. With the rising costs of the publication coupled with the inflation rate, access to the book is cost-prohibitive to some students. I believe no student should be without their yearbook, but especially not the members of the team who dedicate countless hours to its production. This grant will allow me to give yearbook staff members the book below the cost of production so they can cherish their hard work forever. “

Chinle, AZ

“Our school is a Title I school, and we recently got our Athletic program back; we expect a lot more student activities, and that includes the yearbook. We have had many yearbooks published since 2006 because of funding.”

Grants Pass, OR

“Each year, we have multiple students, for one reason or another, who are unable to buy a yearbook. This grant will go a long way towards paying the cost of books that students can't afford. We will be able to both pay for books and discount the price for others without significantly impacting the small stipend provided by our district!”

Las Vegas, NV

“With the grant, we would fund the yearbook class with backdrops, a new camera, and tools to improve our yearbook. The cameras we have are over ten years old. We are asking to be able to improve and update our program. The school pays for the yearbook from activity fees, and items used for the program are paid for by the advisor (such as SD cards, backdrop stand, and batteries for the cameras we have).”

Jackson, AL

“We plan to utilize the awarded funds to purchase a lens for our yearbook staff camera and to purchase software (preferably Adobe Photoshop) to help us with editing our photos. The remaining funds will be utilized to lower the cost of yearbooks to get them in the hands of as many students as possible. Our students work tirelessly to create wonderful memories for our students in a form they can keep from year to year, and it is discouraging when students say they would like to have them but can't afford to purchase them. We are hopeful that lowering the costs of these wonderful books will allow more parents to be able to purchase them for their children.”

Stafford Springs, CT

“We intend to allocate it towards funding yearbooks and organizing Fifth Grade Fun Night to celebrate this significant milestone. Our school, classified as Title 1, faces tighter financial constraints this year, echoing the challenges many families are experiencing. In a time where tough choices prevail and fundraising is a luxury, these children, who have sacrificed field days, trips, dances, and endured mask-wearing during remote learning, genuinely deserve a remarkable send-off experience. Despite the hardships, their resilience shines through. Recognizing their efforts becomes a meaningful way to honor their dedication and positive spirit. Yearbooks are moments frozen in time. They tell a story for each child, teacher, and school that cannot be fully put into words. This yearbook will be a beautiful reminder of each of these children’s stories.”

Erwin, NC

“With this Next Generation Grant, we intend to purchase a new camera specifically for the Journalism Department to be used solely for Yearbook design and gathering of THS moments. Or the purchase and extension of photo signage wraps within our Commons Area, which all students and staff pass through daily. This signage would be designed to highlight, connect, and revamp the outward appearance and cultural connections of the school, utilizing Journalism student photos as the stock for these wraps. Due to the lack of solidifying cultural identity at THS, we are striving to update our spaces in a way that will instill pride in the students and staff as they join our Hawks' Nest each year. “

Brownsville, TX

“ We are a Title I school with approximately 500 students. One of our biggest challenges at our campus is having the proper equipment to complete our school yearbook. Our campus does not have designated cameras for students to check out during school events. For the past two years, we have had to use two staff members' personal cameras to take good photos of all events happening on our campus. This makes it very difficult since we cannot attend every event. With this grant, we can purchase a camera and SD card to issue to students. This is going to help us tremendously. We plan to allow students to check out this camera to take to any school event. They will be able to help take great photos for our yearbook.”

Napa, CA

“VOHS is a Title I continuation high school serving students who have under-performed and are at risk of not graduating. Students are able to reach their full potential through interaction with teachers, students, and staff while producing the yearbook. Our students are adorable, eager to please, energetic, hard-working, imaginative, intelligent, and sweet. In the face of adversity, they still manage to laugh, smile, and try their hardest to be normal. At Valley Oak, students don't have sports, dances, and other high schools. They need more than what public funds provide to give them a sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, with the closures of many businesses around town, we cannot get the funds needed for the yearbooks this year. They've already worked hard on this year's yearbook, and this Next Generation Grant will help us get the yearbooks.”