Community

Every year, unsung heroes work in our schools as parent leaders, representatives of organizations or causes, or work directly with students. This is an opportunity to celebrate and honor them. Every nominee will be recognized and a few will be selected as champions who have gone above and beyond in their work to ensure that every student has the best foundation to succeed. Nominees will be reviewed by a committee comprised of the ACS Foundation Board of Directors, community members, and ACS staff. Champions will be awarded at the Celebration of City Schools’ Champions event in November 2012. 
Meet Mark Ackerman 2011 Champion

 
 
Examples of Eligible Nominees:
Parents
Nonprofit organizations or religious groups
Grassroots organizations
Civic Groups
Businesses
Volunteers
School based support staff (examples: counselors, social workers, special students services, teacher's assistants, cafeteria workers)
 
Download the application.

 

Engaging the community in understanding the value and importance of quality public education is an integral part of the Asheville City Schools Foundation's mission. Each year, we seek concerned individuals who are willing to lead the Asheville City Schools Foundation by making a three-year commitment to become a member of our board of directors.  

In 2009, we launched our Go Public! Campaign to ask individuals and businesses to choose, champion, and support the cause of public education in our community. Our schools educate nearly 4000 students, many of whom live in poverty. Our public schools are the best chance at eliminating chronic poverty in our community. We invite you to Go Public! today by making a contribution to support excellent and equitable education for all the children in our community.

The Asheville Learning Links (ALL) Vista Program

Since 2007, the Asheville Learning Links AmeriCorps VISTA Program has provided thousands of hours of volunteer service to local nonprofits and organizations to enhance the linkages between the nonprofit community and our schools. Highlights of this program are:

The City of Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA) established in 2007 in partnership with the Mayor's Office and Asheville City Schools Foundation VISTA volunteer alumna, Erica Germer. This program provides leadership opportunities, internships, and college scholarships for students who will be the first in their family to go to college.

The In Real Life (IRL) afterschool program at Asheville Middle School serving Asheville Middle and the Randolph Learning Center was inspired by Mayor Bellamy and brought to fruition by the Asheville City Schools Foundation. This project relied heavily upon the good work of VISTA volunteers Jillian Buckley, Hanna Woody, and Skyler Goff to orchestrate a Listening Project, replicate an after-school model, and launch a pilot program serving 170 students 5 days a week.

Both of these projects were generously funded by many community partners including the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.