Throughout the pandemic, the Heart of the School Fund focused efforts on supporting schools’ COVID-friendly projects and site enhancements. A great example of this is the Front Campus Project at Western High School, which serves young women in grades 9-12. The Front Campus Project is focused on upgrading Western’s front greenspace with sustainable plantings, outdoor hands-on classes focused on environmental studies and welcoming, healthful spaces for student gatherings. The Heart of the School Fund grant was used to support the first stage of Western’s Front Campus project in which students updated the school’s green space on its 177th anniversary in fall 2021 by planting 1,000 daffodils to symbolize Western’s shining future.

Read what one student had to say about the experience: “Today we are planting different kinds of plants in honor of ‘Greeniversary’ for Western’s 177th birthday. It’s actually really special because this is the first opportunity we could do something like this in my four years here. It was just one of those memories I can hang onto.” - Jordan Lawrence, 12th grade

Check out WBAL-TV's coverage of Western's 'greeniversary' to celebrate the school's 177th anniversary:



Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here.