Hazelwood Receives $5,000 Grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

Hazelwood Elementary School recently received a grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina for $5,000.

CFWNC, located in Asheville, provides grant money for organizations in 18 western counties in North Carolina. One of the key roles of the Community Foundation is to match donor funds with promising projects across Western North Carolina.

“We are excited to receive this grant because it will allow us to continue the important work of implementing ‘The Leader in Me (TLIM),’” said Principal Susan Savage.

“The Leader in Me” program integrates “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey into school culture and curriculum. TLIM promotes leadership in students and supports students in becoming good citizens, focusing on their academic achievement, and developing the skills to succeed in the ever-changing 21st century.  In short, this model helps students reach their fullest potential.

During the program’s first year at Hazelwood Elementary, the school has accomplished many of the beginning components of TLIM.

The next major focus will be training a team of staff members for the “Lighthouse Team,” which will consist of nine staff members who will be responsible for creating a 3-year school-wide implementation plan that builds on what has already been accomplished. Some of the priorities of this team will be to mentor teachers, organize school activities, train new staff, and organize outreach to parents. The culture of leadership is growing strong and the grant funding will allow the school to continue this transformation.