Westerra CU Awards Grants to 54 Local Schools

Denver, CO – January 10, 2022 – Westerra Credit Union has awarded 54 grants to extremely deserving school programs and worthwhile causes. Since its inception in 2010, Westerra has made supporting schools a cherished tradition — aiding teachers and students in their pursuit of academic success and personal growth.

Once again, and due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on schools, Westerra made the important decision to award multiple waves of school support. The Westerra Credit Union School Grant Program strives to enhance students’ learning experiences by providing monetary awards for items like art supplies, sports fees and equipment, after school programs, classroom materials or other programs teachers and schools determine most beneficial. More present than ever was the need for safe classroom space or ‘cozy corners’ for students experiencing anxiety or depression. Many of the Westerra grants this year provide funds to assist teachers in providing this type of outlet to help students improve their mental health. 

“Our goal was to examine each application with great attention to detail. We want to support programs that will create the greatest amount of good for our kids, communities and schools. We think about what a child really needs and select the recipients based on the most impact the funds will have,” said Andrea McDermott, Community Relations Manager for Westerra Credit Union.

Westerra began the grant program over a decade ago and has proudly given over $500,000 to more than 1000 Denver metro area school programs. 

“We are extremely proud of the causes we’ve supported and the way we’ve tailored the program to grow with an ever-changing world. Providing ongoing funding is a simple way our credit union has been able to meet students’ needs during unforeseeable challenges. The grant program is an important portion of our brand and giving back to schools will always be at our core,” Andrea McDermott, Community Relations Manager said.

Westerra Credit Union Fall 2021 Grant Recipients:

27J Schools

• Brighton High School - Classroom garden and gardening enrichment for students 

• Henderson Elementary - Art supplies for art therapy sessions 

• Prairie View Middle School - Materials for Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) students 

• Prairie View High School - Indoor gardening materials for ProStart students who earn college credit, meet graduation requirements and often go on to join the professional culinary workforce 

Denver Public Schools

• Asbury Elementary - Laptop replacement chargers for otherwise inoperable equipment 

• Beach Court Elementary - Music and art materials used in arts after-school enrichment program 

• College View Elementary - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion materials to support the arts and music program 

• Denver Public Schools Garden of Youth - Supplies for students to plant, maintain and harvest produce over the summer at eight school sites 

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College Middle School - Indoor garden to show students the benefits of sustainable farming 

• Eagleton Elementary - Parents/student math night where students receive bags based on the Math Work Place (game) that each grade level plays with students 

• Kepner Beacon Middle School - Cozy Corner safe classroom space for students experiencing anxiety or depression 

• The Manning School - Vocabulary.com to impact students' vocabulary acquisition and overall excitement for vocabulary 

• McMeen Elementary - Cozy Corners/Safe Spaces for all classrooms 

• Oakland Elementary - Cozy Corners/Safe Spaces for all classrooms 

• West High School - Supplies to create action figures that help students relate to their racial heritage and identity 

Douglas County Schools

• Chaparral High School - Anatomical models of the human head, kidney, and lungs year after year to enhance learning and dissections in the classroom 

• Iron Horse Elementary - Take Space/Cozy Corners/Safe Places in classrooms for students with anxiety or depression

• Mesa Middle School - Cozy Corners/Safe Spaces for classrooms 

• Northridge Elementary School - Cozy Corner safe classroom space for students experiencing anxiety or depression 

• Rock Canyon High School - MinIon sequencer kit to facilitate current research project, as well as future sequencing projects within biotechnology program 

• Sedalia Elementary - Learning Ally speech-to-text app that provides students with text at the student’s grade level 

• Summit View Elementary - Equipment for Fun Fitness Friday — all classes go outside and are active for the first 30 minutes of every Friday 

Jeffco Schools

• Brady Exploration School - Plants and planting supplies for school greenhouse and garden for students to learn how to grow, propagate, care for, and sell houseplants and garden plants 

• Deer Creek Middle School - Creation of a coffee cart business for the Significant Needs program to incentivize students to support kindness, community and positive actions for others and/or the school 

• Dakota Ridge High School - Modernizing and upgrading library collection to reach today's student readers 

• Devinny Elementary - Cozy Corner safe classroom space for students experiencing anxiety or depression 

• Drake Middle School - Replacement violin bows for otherwise unplayable instruments 

• Campbell Elementary - Books to support Social Emotional Learning curriculum and diversity to better represent student population 

• Connections Learning Center - School supplies to students experiencing truancy, expulsion, repeated suspensions — and for those in Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) 

• Elk Creek Elementary - Replenishing recess activity bins 

• Fletcher Miller Special School - Public Address (PA) system for students with special needs, including those with hearing loss 

• Foster Dual Language PK-8 - Recess equipment for students 

• Golden High School - Machine and paper to create stickers and decals designed by students — they will print and cut their own designs, and accept clients from other school groups, clubs, classes and organizations 

• Green Mountain High School - Assist students who are working in AMPED (Algebra, Manufacturing, Entrepreneurship and Production) to apply algebra skills while running the school’s Printing and Gear Shop 

• Hackberry Hill Elementary - Cozy Corner safe classroom space for students experiencing anxiety or depression 

• Jefferson Academy - Supplies for Human Anatomy and Physiology classes 

• Jefferson County Public Schools - Therapeutic special services supplies to teach social learning, social language, social problem solving and communication 

• Jefferson County Public Schools - Testing platforms for students with a suspected disability of Autism Spectrum Disorders and language disorders 

• Jefferson County Public Schools Student Engagement Office - Snacks for students who are struggling with chronic absenteeism or who are at-risk of, or have dropped out of, school 

• Lakewood High School - School supplies for students in the 9th grade ACE program 

• Lawrence Elementary - Take-home books gifted to low-income students 

• Little Elementary - Spark program to increase physical movement curriculum for positive breaks 

• McLain Community High School - Heat press for school business program that runs the spirit store and provides merchandise for all students and staff, helping students learn how to run a business from the ground up 

• Montessori Peaks Academy - After-school programs to sponsor underprivileged students who are unable to afford to attend their desired enrichment activities due to financial difficulties 

• Moore Middle School - Supports the Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club, created for students to have a place where they feel safe and where they belong 

• Oberon Middle School - Helps fund a variety of Proactive Community Building Circles hosted by teachers 

• Peck Elementary - Cozy Corner safe classroom space for students experiencing anxiety or depression 

• South Lakewood Elementary - Community garden where students will be able to learn in an outdoor classroom, and will apply STEAM learning with science, technology, engineering, arts and math 

• Summit Ridge Middle School - Team building activities to improve relationships between teachers and students 

• Stott Elementary - "Take Home Book Bags" for every student in kindergarten through second grade 

• Stott Elementary - Materials and technology for Tinker (STEM) Lab 

• Welchester Elementary - Story Champs Program to strengthen academic language through storytelling 

• Wheat Ridge High School - Emergency buckets for every classroom with essential items for students in a lock-down situation 

• Wheat Ridge High School - Materials for Special Education team speech/language therapy

About Westerra Credit Union

Denver-based Westerra Credit Union holds over $1.9 billion in assets and serves 125,000 members throughout the Denver metro area. Founded in Denver 1934 by eight schoolteachers, Westerra’s Purpose is to “teach one another to prosper.”  Member-owned and committed to the communities they serve, today they carry that purpose forward to help individuals, families, and businesses as they navigate the new normal caused by the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, visit http://www.WesterraCU.com.