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 Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole programming implemented by Principal Rice at Hazelwood Elementary Middle School as part of their whole child approach to learning. The Heart and Sole and Girls on the Run programming serves girls in grades 3 – 8 and has provided core lessons that help to focus on the social and emotional needs of their young scholars. Through these programs, participants develop healthy nutritional habits while learning the importance of setting goals, self-love, self-respect, resiliency, accountability, teamwork and helping those within their community.

When asked how programs like these are important to their students Tanier Webb, the community coordinator and coach, replied: “Programs such as Girls on the Run are extremely vital. These programs provide a structured path with intentional curriculums that focus on the whole child and great outcomes for scholars.”

Read what Coach Webb had to say about the afterschool programming:

"The program helped to provide a safe space that nurtured young ladies, allowing each scholar to be themselves, and feel safe with acknowledging and speaking about current and past adverse childhood life events. A sisterhood has been created among the young scholars that had the opportunity to participate in programming."

The Heart of the School Fund provides grant funding year-round for principal-identified school enhancement projects that support classroom instruction and student learning, staff professional development, and school site improvements. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here.