MAKO Medical has donated $10,000 to the Vance County Public School Foundation to support a grant program for funding in 2022-23. But the North Carolina-based medical lab has taken it one step further and issued a challenge to the community: They will match dollar-for-dollar all future donations from area businesses and individuals up to $10,000.
The grant is called Learning that Extends Actual Performance – or LEAP, for short.
Teachers in Vance County Public Schools can submit project applications beginning Mar. 25. A committee will evaluate the applications and award the grants to recipients at the August teacher Convocation, according to a press statement from VCS Director of Communication and Marketing Aarika Sandlin.
Josh Arant, MAKO Medical’s chief operating officer, said helping classroom teachers is a great way to invest in the community.
“The past two years have been hard on students, teachers and their families,” Arant said in a press statement. “We want to help support our educators and inspire innovation in Vance County. I hope other individuals and companies will join us.”
Five educators received grants in 2021 to support projects aimed at enriching students’ classroom experience, Sandlin stated.
VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett praised MAKO for its generosity. “We are so grateful for the financial support and the confidence that MAKO has in the work we are doing in Vance County Schools,” Bennett said.
“Every dollar donated will support the experiences and engaging opportunities our teachers will design and share with our students. MAKO has again demonstrated their amazing support for this community,” she continued.
The foundation will provide an additional $10,000, bringing the total – so far – to $20,000 to fund the grants for next year.
Donations as part of the MAKO Match challenge – with “MAKO Match” in the memo line – can be sent to the following address:
Vance County Schools Public School Foundation
P.O. Box 2956
Henderson, NC 27536