ISSUES FACING THE BLUE & GOLD
CHALLENGES FACING THE BLUE AND GOLD IN 2022
EXPANDING OUR SCHOLARSHIP OFFERINGS
Problem (or Challenge):
There may not be enough EHS graduates interested in vocational-technical fields to fill the needs of industry and the community. There are only 66 seniors at EHS graduating in Spring, 2022.
Proposed solution:
1> Assess the needs of industry and the community each year by conducting a survey of the HR managers in the greater Elkin Community to determine the number needed in each job category.
2>Grant scholarships to EHS grads first who want to go into these fields.
3>If there are not enough EHS grads to meet the needs of industry, then look to others in the greater Elkin community interested in those fields. I don’t think this wider net would necessitate a change to our by-laws since our bylaws have a fairly broad definition of alumni which includes alumni by proxy – proxy by close kindship to EHS alumni and/or by residence in the larger Elkin community. Elkin sits astride Surry and Wilkes Counties, and part of Elkin is actually in Wilkes County. Elkin is also just across the river from Jonesville and Yadkin County. Several people consider themselves residents of Elkin even though they may have gone to school at East Wilkes or elsewhere.
*For example, if there were a strong need for HVAC technicians, and no EHS grad wanted to go into that field, but someone living in or near the greater Elkin township (whether an EHS grad or not) wished to pursue a career in that field, we would consider that person as a candidate. We would also attempt to arrange an internship or apprenticeship for that student, which could lead to a job and, in turn, would make it more likely for that person to remain in the Elkin community.
THE NEW EHS ALUMNI OFFICE AND RAISING FUNDS FOR RENOVATIONS ON THE CURRENT GYM
You may know that EHS recently established an Alumni Office. One of the immediate purposes of the office is to raise funds for renovations on the existing gym. Surry County has agreed to pay for the construction of a new gym, but the old gym will be retained. However, the current gym needs some renovations to bring it up to code and modern standards.
*Superintendent Cox says that she does not want the Alumni Office to compete with Blue and Gold Alumni Scholarship, and she fully supports our alumni scholarship. However, the Alumni Office will inevitably compete for funding from the alumni to some degree.
*Superintendent Cox has asked me to help with fundraising for the gym renovations. Since I have had some success in getting funding from foundations, she has asked me to help with grant-writing and raising funds from alumni donations as well.
*Since we have sufficient funds from the benefactor’s endowment, alumni donations, and corporate/foundation donations to finance our scholarships through 2022, perhaps we could suspend solicitation from the alumni in 2022 to allow grads, if they choose, to give to the gym project (which will cost somewhere between $1/2 to $1 million).
*In February of this year, we should be getting our “Public” designation from IRS which will open numerous doors to grants that are now closed to us. We can concentrate on building up our endowment with grant money, rather than seeking funds from alumni for the time being.
*We could resume soliciting funds from alumni in 2023.
*Your comments on these proposals would be appreciated.