Trail Blazers ‘Take It to the Court for Education’

Programs from 14 schools representing 13 cities and 11 counties across Oregon and Southwest Washington are receiving $100,000 in direct support from the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo through the fifth annual “Take It to the Court for Education” program.  will benefit hundreds of students from historically-underserved communities in rural and urban areas.

Grant checks were distributed during a reception on March 23 at Moda Center, prior to the Portland Trail Blazers battling the Detroit Pistons. The donations will support a wide variety of academic, arts, athletic and community programs.

The 14 grants range from $2,000 to $10,000. They will support the following programs in these schools and locations:

• Burns High School (Burns) – New books and an interactive touchscreen for the school library
• Clatskanie Middle/High School (Clatskanie) – Hygiene supplies such as toothpaste, shampoo, soap and feminine products for students
• Echo Shaw Elementary School (Cornelius) – Costumes for the after-school Traditional Mexican Ballet Folklorico Dance Club for third through sixth-graders
• Fir Grove Children’s Center (Vancouver, WA) – Books that demonstrate character development, problem solving, physical education and cooking for students with behavioral needs
• Gervais Elementary School (Gervais) – Supplies for after-school programming including LEGO Robotic Club and High-Altitude Balloon Club
• Gilchrist School (Gilchrist) –Field trips to college campuses, supplies and community events for the seventh through 12th-grade AVID program
• Joseph Gale Elementary (Forest Grove) – Adelante Chicas afterschool programming
• Lent K-8 School (Portland) – Scholarships for students to participate in Chess for Success competitions throughout Oregon
• Madras Elementary School (Madras) – Installation of new basketball court with eight hoops
• Mid Valley Elementary School (Hood River) – Weatherproof outdoor surface for year-round use for class activities and after-school programs
• Nixya’awii Community School (Pendleton) – College tour for 12 high school students of 15-plus schools in Oregon• Rainer Junior/Senior High Schools (Rainer) – New musical instruments, supplies and music books for students
• Scott School (Portland) – Reading Results program for up to 25 students in first through third grades who need additional assistance with reading
• Siuslaw High School (Florence) – Health Occupations Career Technical Education Program and the opportunity for nearly 40 students to attend the State Leadership Conference

Over the past five years, the Trail Blazers Foundation and Wells Fargo have presented $495,000 in grants to 88 schools in this region through the “Take It to the Court for Education” program.