As the students of the Brookings-Harbor High School Knowledge Bowl team gathered for after-school practice on Wednesday, Feb. 21, they were surprised by a group of guests from the Brookings-Harbor Education Foundation, Inc.
BHEF President Alisa Green and fellow BHEF board members Brandon Hodges, Val Cowan, Nancy Chew, and K’La Kennedy — accompanied by Brookings-Harbor School District Superintendent Sean Gallagher — visited the team to deliver a $2,000 check to help with travel expenses for their upcoming trip to the NAQT Small Schools National Championship Tournament in Chicago, May 3-5.
The undefeated Bruin Knowledge Bowl team qualified for both the Overall High School National Championship (Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-26) and the Small Schools National Championship (Chicago, Illinois, May 3-5) during a statewide regional meet hosted at Brookings-Harbor High School on Jan. 26. The team is excited to attend the Small Schools National Championship, representing Oregon, for the first time this year and has been fundraising for the trip with the help of donation jars at local businesses, community donations, and by selling 50-50 tickets. The students also have a chili cook-off and car washes in the works if needed to reach their fundraising goals.
The school district covered the costs of the competition registration and hotel stay for the trip, and the BHEF donation will pay for a good deal of the roundtrip airfares needed, according to team co-advisor Lei’La’ Bryant. The team is still fundraising to cover the rest of the travel costs to cover some dining and cultural experiences while visiting the “Windy City.”
The $2,000 grant from Brookings-Harbor Education Foundation, was just it's latest to support classroom, activity and schoolwide programs in the Brookings-Harbor School District this year.
In 2018-19, BHEF also awarded mini-grants to the high school’s Youth Transition Program to assist with senior project costs; provided prizes for the Azalea Middle School Geography Bee and the 2019 Oregon Battle of the Books; and awarded funds to the BHHS marching band to purchase flags to start a Color Guard program. BHEF started in 2005 to assist in funding for educational opportunities for local kids via non-profits, including the school district.
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Learn more about NAQT Nationals
Learn more about Brookings-Harbor Education Foundation, Inc.
Photo 1: From left to right, Team Co-Advisor Lei’La’ Bryant, Natalie Garcia, Isabella Freitas, Abby Marks, Aynika Nelson, Nevaeh Meyer, Cecilia Hilton, BHEF Board Member Brandon Hodges, BHSD17C Superintendent Sean Gallagher, BHEF Board President Alisa Green, BHEF Board Member K’La Kennedy, BHEF Board Member Nancy Chew, Ethan Hooper (also a BHEF student rep), and BHEF Board Member Val Cowan. Not pictured: Knowledge Bowl Co-Advisor Lisa Piscitello, Nathaniel Barnard, Maxim Drager, Spencer Miller, Kelvon’te Dawsey, and Danika Leaver; and BHEF Board Members Gayle Goldstone, Patty McVay, and BHEF student rep Charlie Nolte.
Photo 2: Team photo by Judith Durkin
