Kalamazoo Communities In Schools administers a limited number of small grants and scholarships. Grants are given to encourage and support projects that directly involve students or provide professional development and training opportunities for staff involved in a project's implementation. Most of our scholarships are awarded to graduating seniors of the Kalamazoo Public Schools. For more information and for applications for grants and scholarships, please download the Grants and Scholarships Guide. (There are two versions available - for a PDF, click here. For a Microsoft Word form that enables you to type responses directly into the application, click here).
Grants
- Mini-Grants for Educators award up to $750 to KPS staff members to fund projects that encourage creative and meaningful learning experiences for students. Projects must directly and actively involve students and address effective, alternative means of instruction.
- Clara Harbeck Grant for Principals. The family of former KPS administrator and teacher Clara Harbeck established the grant to honor her commitment to children and staff in KPS. The grant is open to any KPS principal or building team that includes a principal and must be used for projects that directly involve students and address needs related to school improvement, academic achievement, classroom management, curriculum enhancement or community and parent involvement.
- Richard N. Percy Memorial Fund. Established in 1997 in memory of Richard N. Percy, superintendent of KPS from 1960 to 1969, the $500 grant is designed to support professional development opportunites for KPS teachers and administrators.
- Jack Hamilton Memorial Fund. The Jack Hamilton Memorial Fund for the performing arts encourages the delivery of quality performing arts programs involving music, drama, literature, and art for KPS elementary students.
Scholarships
- The Nathaniel McCaslin Early Incentive Scholarship. Established in 1994 by the family and friends of Nathaniel McCaslin upon his retirement from Western Michigan University the awards are given annually to two African-American eighth grade students to encourage success in school. Students receive the awards of at least $500 each upon graduation from a Kalamazoo Public High School and enrollment at an accredited two or four-year college.
- Judy Johnson Memorial Fund. The fund was established in 1997 by Judy's friends and colleagues to honor her memory and her work as a teacher, coach, director and Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Instruction. It provides financial assistance for secondary school students pursuing summer educational opportunities in a regular KPS summer school course.
- Timothy John Cain Memorial Fund for summer enrichment. The Timothy John Can Memorial Fund was established in 1995 by Howard and Ruby Cain, parents of the late Timothy John Cain, a former student of Milwood Elementary school who graduated from Loy Norrix High School in 1976.
For more information on about applying for the scholarships below, please contact the Kalamazoo Community Foundation.
- Brady and Patrick Gallagher Memorial Scholarship: awarded to a Loy Norrix graduating senior who has demonstrated ability in the creative arts and who has financial need.
- KPEF/KCISF Scholarship: awarded to a KPS student planning to pursue a degree in education. The scholarship is renewable annually through four years of undergraduate study.
- Duane Roberts Scholarship: awarded to a KPS minority student who has demonstrated a commitment to criminal justice and demonstrates financial need.
- Melissa Wroblewski Memorial Scholarship: awarded to graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School with ability and interest in the visual arts.
- Loy Norrix Memorial Scholarship: awarded to nominated KPS students with a 4.0 GPA.
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