The Maize Education Foundation has been awarding Student Enrichment Grants for nine years. Travis Bloom, the executive director of the Maize Education Foundation, has been apart of the Foundation since 2018.

“The past two semesters, we have received an average of 24 applications per semester,” Bloom said. “Since 2018, we have increased our communications efforts with school counselors, teachers, and administrators to make sure they are all familiar with the opportunity.”

The foundation has been connecting with PTO and Booster Clubs to help inform parents about the opportunities for students. Students in grades 7-12 are invited to visit the website at www.maizeeducationfoundation.org to learn more about the Student Enrichment Grant program.

Junior Jeannine Lopez, one of the applicants that received a grant, encourages students to apply. Lopez used her grant to participate in the Gonzaga debate institute for five weeks.

“It’s really quick, you fill out basic information and why you want it,” Lopez said. “They ask you why you need the grant compared to other people and how you can use it to benefit your own school.”

The Foundation awards approximately $5,000 and an average of 10 grants each semester. In the fall 2019 semester, the Maize Education Foundation received 25 applications and 24 in the spring.

“We encourage students to be very complete and thorough in their responses to the application questions,” Bloom said. “This helps them to convey their passion and dedication to the activity they are proposing, which helps our Board of Directors get a better sense of the student’s drive and passion when they are reviewing the applications.”