District Grants

• Life Careers students travel 2–3 times a week to Wal-Mart & Sam’s Club for real-world shopping experiences, and district buildings to host their “pop-up” coffee bars.
• HHS Traction takes the van to Columbia each summer.
• Sports teams use it for games and matches when group sizes fit.
• FFA traveled to Sedalia.
• Band used it for a trip to Columbia.
• DECA took it to Branson.
• PLTW classes traveled to Kansas City for hands-on learning experiences.
• Staff use it for professional development and conferences in the region.

A District Grant presented in the summer of 2026 enabled the purchase of tricycles for the expanded preschool program at Harrisonville Early Childhood Center.

According to Harrisonville Early Childhood Center Principal Beth Love,  "The new tricycles provided our preschool students with the opportunity to engage in active play, and develop essential gross motor skills, coordination, and balance. Riding tricycles encourages teamwork and communication as children navigate the space together, fostering social skills that are crucial for their growth."

The school now has a classroom set (20) tricycles in three different sizes. Additionally, Harrisonville High School art students painted a tricycle track and parking spaces on the school’s playground.

In December 2020, the Foundation awarded one of our largest District Grants — nearly $15,000 — to place document cameras in every Harrisonville Schools classroom.

These devices connect to teachers’ laptops and projectors, allowing them to display books, handouts, science experiments, student writing, and more for the whole class to see.

When our schools returned to in-person learning in the fall of 2020 after COVID closures, these cameras met an urgent need. Students could no longer crowd together for experiments, storytime, or peer sharing — but teachers could still bring learning up close for everyone through the document cameras.

The document cameras remain an essential tool used in classrooms every single day.

A January 2025 District Grant secured funding for a project at Harrisonville Middle School to help enhance safety and grow school pride. New vinyl window coverings for the cafeteria windows keep those on the outside from seeing into the school. The design features district logos and matches with vinyl covering which was added to the front entrance earlier in the school year.

A Foundation-funded district grant was a slam dunk in building excitement for reading at Harrisonville Elementary School in the spring of 2024. Students took part in the March Madness Reading Challenge, which involved reading new literature, selecting their favorites and observing the “winning” books advance on a large-scale bracket for all to see in the main hallway.

The grant funded multiple copies of books by four authors. First graders read books by Mo Willems; second graders enjoyed Kevin Henkes’ & Dr. Seuss’ books; and third graders read books by Patricia Palacco. Teachers and students read books in class, and students voted on their favorite book during each stage of “bracket play.”

“The students loved the idea of being able to vote for their favorite books and follow along as we moved from the sweet 16 to the elite 8 and the final 4. Students who love the sport of basketball were able to tie their love of the March Madness tournament into a love of reading. I could tell each day that students were excited to listen to the next book and be able to compare it to the past book for their vote. Students were invested in this tournament style of reading,” said third grade teacher Taylor Brown.

And the commitment to reading went beyond the challenge as students’ motivation to read increased. “Some students have even been bringing books in from home to read at recess. Yes, you read that right. They wanted to read even at recess or after work is done! The love of reading has really grown!” said first grade teacher Morgan Cooper.

The challenge helped build relationships in classrooms as well. “Teachers talked about how much they loved how the books brought up different topics they could dive deeper into with their students. The books allowed for natural discussion to occur, which was great!” said Mrs. Brown.

The challenge even inspired at least one future teacher. Third grader Hailey Brown said, "I liked reading a new book every day, and when I become a teacher, I want to pick an author and do this same activity."

2023-24 HES principal Tricia Falke felt the entire initiative had a positive impact. “We all thought it would be fun to display a love for reading schoolwide by posting the bracket on the giant bulletin board in the front hallway. Kids stopped by often to look at which books made it to the next round. Our librarian, Mrs. Lalman has also seen an increase in students checking out books from the authors that were chosen!”

The challenge continues each year in March.

In 2016, the Foundation awarded a series of District Grants that brought Garden Bars to McEowen Elementary School, Harrisonville Elementary School, and Harrisonville Early Childhood Center.

These self-serve produce stations encouraged students to try new fruits and vegetables, choose what they liked, and build healthy eating habits at a young age.

Today — nearly nine years later — those Garden Bars are still in use and continue to make a difference in students’ daily routines.