Warren County Educational Endowment Awards $82,643 to Warren County Public Schools

The Warren County Educational Endowment (WCEE) has awarded fifteen (15) grants for 2025 totaling $82,643 to the Warren County Public Schools system.

WCEE President Dr. Nancy Lee stated, “The Endowment was founded to be a catalyst for improving the education and learning environment in Warren County Public Schools. Through our grants program, we provide seed money for creative learning ideas developed by Warren County teachers and staff. Since 1996, we have awarded 239 grants totaling $902,171, including the latest grants awarded for the 2025-2026 school year.”

The Endowment approved funding through the 2025 grant cycle for the following programs/projects:

Adaptive Schools Foundation Seminar – Hope Petty, Eileen Knesh and Meredith Miller/WCPS Central Office/Instructional Resource Team – $14,420 – The project goal is to build and sustain a collaborative professional culture across the school system that directly supports continuous improvement in student learning. The Adaptive Schools Foundation seminar will help educators learn practical tools and strategies to build high-functioning groups, engage in productive dialogue, and lead teams with purpose. The seminar goes beyond the idea of professional learning communities by showing the how – how to work together, how to facilitate effectively, and how to keep groups focused, energized and responsive to student needs.
Building Community and Excellence through the Ron Clark House System – Jennifer Knox/EWM – $13,770 – The goal of this project is to implement the Ron Clark Academy House System at E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School as a transformative model to strengthen school culture, elevate expectations for student learning, and provide engaging opportunities that directly impact student success. This initiative will foster belonging, increase student motivation and build a positive climate where all students and staff thrive. School leadership staff would also participate in the Ron Clark Experience, ensuring high-quality implementation and sustainable leadership capacity.

Downtown Front Royal Activity Day – Faith Falkenstein/WCPS Elementary Gifted and Talented Enrichment – $1,674 – The goal of this project is to provide an immersive, school-day field experience for gifted and high-achieving fourth grade students. The spring 2026 activity will serve as the culminating experience for the students’ year-long study of Front Royal’s historic buildings and local heritage. Through hands-on activities with partners such as the Warren Heritage Society, an inquiry-based scavenger hunt, and STEM challenges, the project will transform downtown into a living classroom, fostering critical thinking, community pride, and providing an authentic, place-based connection to the students’ curriculum.

Truax’s Troops Coffee Cart Expansion – Shari Truax/WCHS Special Education – $2,870.50 – The goal of this project is to upgrade and expand the current coffee cart business, providing students with autism and other special needs the opportunity to develop essential life, social and vocational skills through real-world experience. By operating a school-based coffee cart and bakery at Warren County High School, students gain independence, workplace readiness and meaningful inclusion within the school community. Students will rotate through structured roles such as barista, baker, cashier, and delivery assistant, practicing communication, time management, money handling, teamwork and customer service.

Establishing an Esports Program at Skyline High School – Daniel Clark/SHS – $10,000 – The goal is to create an inclusive, competitive and educational environment where Skyline High School students can engage in organized esports while developing essential 21^st century skills. By establishing structured teams, providing access to modern gaming technology and integrating academic and career connections, the program will foster school spirit, teamwork, digital literacy and pathways to STEAM career and collegiate opportunities. The funds will go toward purchasing consoles and desktop gaming PCs and enabling competitive play through the Virginia High School League while supporting academic success and STEAM career exploration.

Esports Program – Matthew Turner/WCHS – $3,010 – The goal of this project is to create an unofficial esports program at Warren County High School for intra-school and inter-school competition, inclusivity and collegiate opportunities. The creation of the esports program will expand on the school’s existing video game club, which last year was invited to Shenandoah University’s first-ever interscholastic game competition. The grant funds will be used to purchase gaming consoles and controllers.

The Mighty Pen (and Tablet) – Dee Pheister/SHS – $1,899 – This goal of this project is to provide a professional-grade graphic design program using pen tablets at Skyline High School. The pen tablets will give enrolled students access to the industry-standard tools necessary to enhance their digital drawing skills, build industry-relevant portfolios and prepare for post-secondary education or creative careers.

The Mighty Pen (and Tablet) – Dee Pheister/WCHS – $1,899 – The goal of this project is to provide a professional-grade graphic design program using pen tablets at Warren County High School. The pen tablets will give enrolled students access to the industry-standard tools necessary to enhance their digital drawing skills, build industry-relevant portfolios and prepare for post-secondary education or creative careers.

Aperture of Opportunity – Dee Pheister/WCHS – $5,245.90 – This project will allow for the purchase of new digital cameras to enhance student learning across multiple disciplines at Warren County High School including photography, journalism, yearbook and digital marketing classes. Current equipment is outdated and unable to support the creative and technical skills required in today’s visual-driven world. In the school’s photography class, students will use the new cameras to explore both technical and artistic aspects of image-making. Access to updated cameras will allow students to gain hands-on experience in pursuing professional-level photography, improve their ability to document school events and develop marketable skills for future careers or higher education opportunities.
Cricut Maker 4 for Business and Marketing Classes and Wildcats’ Corner – Heidi Rutz/WCHS – $706.06 – This project will allow students to create promotional materials and merchandise and generate revenue for Warren County High School’s DECA initiatives through product sales in Wildcats’ Corner, the school store. The funds will be used to purchase a professional-grade digital cutting machine for the business and marketing classes and to supplement Wildcats’ Corner, an award-winning student-run school-based enterprise. The school store currently orders all projects through a local vendor. The purchase of the Cricut Maker 4 will allow students to create some custom merchandise themselves and increase the store’s profits.

Enhancing STEM Learning Through Science Probeware – Paula Levesque/SHS – $3,376.37 – The goal of this project is to enhance hands-on, inquiry-based STEM education using probeware, digital tools such as temperature, pH, motion and dissolved oxygen sensors, that allows students to collect and analyze real-time data. These tools transform traditional labs into interactive, technology-rich experiences, better preparing students for college and career pathways in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The funding will be used to purchase probeware kits for use across Skyline High School’s biology, chemistry, earth science and physics classes.
Makerspace Madness – Sally Meredith/SMS – $3,328.47 – This project’s goal is to create a dedicated makerspace in the library at Skyline Middle School to serve the diverse student population. In this inclusive, hands-on learning environment, students will be able to explore science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics through collaborative, project-based learning. Many students lack access to the tools, resources and enrichment opportunities that foster experiential learning and technical skills. The makerspace will address this opportunity gap by providing equipment such as 3D printers, a die-cut machine, building and crafting supplies, along with guidance from trained educators.
Active Engagement Resource Library – Geneiveve James/SMS – $4,000 – The goal for establishing a resource library at Skyline Middle School is to provide teachers with physical materials to facilitate active, hands-on learning in all subject areas, thereby increasing student engagement. Teachers will have access to a curated collection of resources such as cameras, microphones, art supplies, buzzers and more. By providing a centralized, no-cost way to access these tools, the library encourages instructional risk-taking. It will serve as a hub for professional development, allowing teachers to explore Thresources independently and collaborate with an instructional coach to integrate new, hands-on strategies seamlessly into their curriculum.
Breakout EDU – Stephanie Scriva/SMS – $2,443 – The goal of this project is to provide an educational, game-based learning platform for students that harnesses the excitement of escape rooms and infuses them with academic content for the classroom. The addition of Breakout EDU at Skyline Middle School will benefit teachers looking for a fun and engaging way to immerse their students in cooperative learning and problem solving. Educators will implement a series of Breakout EDU games aligned to grade-level standards and learning objectives in core subject areas such as math, science, English language arts and social studies. The funds will be used to purchase the physical kits and a subscription for the school to access downloadable content material and games.
HawkBot Robotics STEM After School Program – JamiLyn Pastore/SMS – $14,000 – The goal of this project is to engage Skyline Middle School students in the school’s STEM robotics program by bringing LEO Spike Prime and VEX IQ robotics into the students’ after-school curriculum. The funds will be used to purchase LEGO Spike Prime kits, team challenges and registrations, as well as VEX IQ kits and coordinating game board and challenge kits, which would provide hands-on instruction for 50+ students each year. Students will work collaboratively to build robots, learn to solve problems, and actively engage in the scientific process and engineering and design process.

The Warren County Educational Endowment is a catalyst for improving the education and learning environment in Warren County Public Schools. Sometimes it takes private support of public efforts to incubate an idea or a new approach that helps students compete in a global marketplace, instills passion for life-long learning, and sparks a vision to strive for success. Programs funded by the WCEE are sponsored by the county school system and are consistent with its mission and direction. They are intended to initiate sustained improvement in the fundamental capability of the school system and enhance the attractiveness of the community through the promotion of educational excellence.

Persons interested in supporting the WCEE can contact the Endowment or make an online donation by CLICKING HERE .