Board members of the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools approved a grant of $20,000 to support the district’s Department of Diversity Enhancement.

By Ronni Newton

The Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools has been supporting education in the district with grants to teachers for more than two decades, but has now taken another step in support of equity and anti-racism through a donation to the district’s Department of Diversity Enhancement.

The Foundation announced in a news release Monday that last week the Board of Directors voted unanimously to award a $20,000 grant to the Department of Diversity enhancement “to fund curricula that best supports equity and anti-racism education in West Hartford Public Schools.”

Beginning with the grant process for 2021, the Foundation has also committed to emphasize funding programs that target racial justice and efforts to end discrimination.

Going forward, the Foundation will also recognize a graduating senior from both Conard and Hall high schools with an annual commendation, recognizing “work for racial justice, inclusion, and anti-discrimination.”

“We recognize and value the power and importance of education as a tool to eradicate racism and injustice in society,” Foundation Board President Carol Lorenzo said in a statement. “To those students and educators who march for justice and speak out for change – your actions are making a difference and you have inspired us to do more.”

“I was so excited and overcome with tremendous hope for how much this generous grant funding will help us to reimagine education and create more equitable and just schools,” said Roszena Haskins, the director of Diversity Advancement for the West Hartford Public Schools when she learned of the grant.

Since its founding in 1997, the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants to support teachers and educational programming. Grants have included “dollars to diversify school library collections and provide programs focused on teaching racial diversity, justice, and cultural competency to students,” the Foundation said.

For more information, or to donate to the Foundation, click here.

The Foundation’s Facebook page has posted activities to engage supporters, including Teacher Tuesday, Throwback Thursday, and Foundation Fun Friday. The Foundation is also on Twitter @FoundationWHPS.

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