By Kiran Foster, Online Sports Editor
// Every semester, the Acalanes Parent Club (APC) receives multiple applicants for their grant program. Recipients use these grants for specific necessities in and around school, materials to better the Acalanes campus, or ideas to improve student life.
The APC funded three grants this past semester for the Physical Education (PE) department, Leadership class, and the administration office.
While APC does not always give money to their applicants, they can forward an application to Lafayette Partners In Education (LPIE). Over the years, LPIE has approved many grants not granted by the APC.
“We had nine grant applicants this past semester, but four of them fit LPIE’s mission better. [LPIE] granted money to those four applications, and two of the applications didn’t fit [LPIE’s missions], but the remaining three did,” Head of APC Grants Program Catherine Habas said.
The PE department received the first grant to put up new signage in the weight room.
“[The signage] will do a couple of things. First of all, putting up a sign that says ‘ACA Strong’ or something to signify that that’s our workspace,” weightlifting teacher Chris Clark said.
The grant is not for new weight room equipment, but rather to improve the weight room’s aesthetic and increase student morale in the weight room. Students will likely not see the signage until next year.
“As we start to do some work throughout the summer and we start to get some of our fall sports back into the weight room…all of [the signage] will be completed by the time we get started,” Clark said.
The Leadership program’s grant focuses more on new materials that will help the class. Their grant is for a Cricut Machine for the class to use.
“The Cricut Machine is an automated paper cutter machine that can cut varied materials like vinyl, paper, [and] felt. It allows us to make unique designs on the computer and make that into something physical like stickers and art,” future Acalanes Associated Student Body (ASB) President and junior Nate Dunn said.
The machine will help Leadership students create better posters and signs for upcoming events. The class will not use the machine until the 2022-2023 school year.
“I expect that this will be fully utilized in the next school year. It does take time to get trained with using it. It’ll probably be used a lot with homecoming and other school events next year,” Dunn said.
The recipient of the third grant is not one organization or department, but rather the whole school. The application is for the purchase of artificial greenery that will be on display at school events, dances, and other school events.
The artificial greenery will be a cost-efficient way to spruce up the campus and a welcome addition to the school.
“It would be brought out for events like prom, or Dons Day, or Parents’ Night, in order to increase the beautification of campus…It’s also a way to make the campus look good without having to spend a lot of money,” Habas said.
Overall, students are enthusiastic about the grants and look forward to their implementation.
“I think it’s really great that the APC is doing this. I think that [the grants] will add to the school and make it a more enjoyable place for students to be regardless of whether or not they realize it,” future Acalanes ASB Treasurer and junior Lily Hanzel said.