Through the grants listed below, HEF has partnered with the District to prepare scholars for the world that awaits them beyond the schools’ doors. These grants focus on supporting community service opportunities, exploration of career and higher education options, and character development.
Learn more about the range of grants HEF provides across the entire curriculum.
| Title | Description | Year | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| LifeLabs | HEF's first grant: A three-year project (1995-98) at Hopkins High School that connected students with the world of work, and then morphed into something much bigger. Read more | 1995-1996 | HHS |
| LifeLabs Kickoff | Provided funding for a kickoff program for the LifeLabs project. Learn more about LifeLabs. | 1996-1997 | District-wide |
| Costa Rica Trip | Partially funded the choir and orchestra music and service trip to Costa Rica. | 1997-1998 | HHS |
| Future Teachers | Created pilot project to teach students to be effective tutors and student teachers, serving all Hopkins K-12 students. | 1998-1999 | HHS |
| Big Willow Wildflowers | Supported restoration of native wildflowers in Big Willow Park. | 1998-1999 | Gatewood |
| Anti-Violence Program | Funded CLIMB Theater anti-violence programming. | 1999-2000 | Alice Smith |
| Future Teachers | Expanded 1998-1999 pilot program to teach studentsto be effective tutors and student teachers, serving all Hopkins K-12 students. | 1999-2000 | HHS |
| Kids Voting | HEF awarded a grant to develop a program promoting the development of active, engaged and well-informed citizens by instructing kindergarten through 12th grade students in the election process. The program culminated on Election Day with students voting along with their parents at city polling sites. | 2000-2001 | District-wide |
| Youth Frontiers | Helped fund joint initiative between Hopkins Schools and Youth Frontiers focused on character development. Learn more. | 2000-2001 | Katherine Curren, Meadowbrook, & Tanglen Elementaries |
| Teaching Responsibility | Funded CLIMB Theaterresponsibility program. | 2000-2001 | Glen Lake |
| Skills Lab Responsibility Course | Skills Lab Responsibility Course | 2001-2002 | HHS |
| Kids Voting | HEF awarded a grant to continue the program promoting the development of active, engaged and well-informed citizens by instructing kindergarten through 12th grade students in the election process. The program culminated on Election Day with students voting along with their parents at city polling sites. | 2001-2002 | District-wide |
| Respect and Tolerance Residency | Provided funds for CLIMB Theater to spend a two-week residency on respect and tolerance. | 2001-2002 | Alice Smith |
| Small Business Model | Provided seed money for the HAP "Alternative Sense" business venture, their model small business. | 2001-2002 | HHS |
| Resiliency Educattion | Provided a matching grant for a week of resiliency education from the Climb Theater’s Teaching Company, benefiting the entire school. | 2002-2003 | Katherine Curren |
| Leadership Skills | rovided ongoing support for NJH’s advisory program, designed to build relationships, both between students and between student and teacher, and to provide a communication forum for topics that don’t fit easily into standard courses. | 2002-2003 | NJH |
| Donald Coppins Memorial Millennium Forest | Donald Coppins Memorial Millennium Forest Awarded funds to enhance the Millennium Forest which since its creation in 1998 has been very successful in creating a stronger school community in connection with nature. | 2002-2003 | Alice Smith |
| Ethics Through Art | Provided funds for the art department students to produce murals reflecting principals of ethical behavior. | 2002-2003 | WJH |
| Peer Insights Mentoring | Provided funding for programs to complement the Peer Insights class in the FACs department. Outside activities supported by this grant will help build bridges between students with and without disabilities, allowing both groups to learn from each other. | 2003-2004 | HHS |
| Peace Project | Provided funds for Project Peace, designed to foster peaceful attitudes for the students. The project includes the rebuilding and rededication of the Peace Garden and anti-bullying book discussion groups for students, staff and parents. | 2003-2004 | Gatewood |
| Peer Insights | Peer Insights builds bridges between Hopkins High School students with disabilities and those without disabilities. In addition to learning about each other’s differences and unique abilities, the students go on social outings to focus on teamwork and to foster skills of independence. | 2004-2005 | HHS |
| Freshman Academy | The North Junior High Freshman Academy written by Becky Melville and NJH Ninth Grade Teams addresses the unique needs of the transitional freshman year. Physically located in the junior high, ninth graders are working to earn high school credit. The $20,000 grant helped to create an environment to ease this challenging transition. Read more. | 2005-2006 | NJH |
| JumpStart for College | First-generation college students will have an opportunity to get a JumpStart for College through a summer 2007 workshop. Students will be exposed to post-secondary options and learn about the college search and application process. | 2005-2006 | HHS |
| Peer Insights | Peer Insights builds bridges between Hopkins High School students with disabilities and those without disabilities. In addition to learning about each other’s differences and unique abilities, the students go on social outings to focus on teamwork and to foster skills of independence. | 2005-2006 | HHS |
| Supplementary Skills Curriculum | Curriculum development to teach 16 good habits of the mind that engage students in higher level thinking and can be applied in all disciplines. Pilot will benefit students in the Alternative Learning Center with plans for school-wide implementation in 2007-08. | 2006-2007 | WJH |
| Underground Railroad Simulation | An equity-related student empowerment pilot focused on developing strong anti-racist student leadership for Dare to Be Real mentor leaders and for enhancing the educational experience of Advanced Placement U.S. History students at Hopkins High School. | 2006-2007 | HHS |
| Guidance Counselor Resource Grant | With this grant, Hopkins High School was able to add a fifth guidance counselor, reducing the student-counselor ratio to 420 to 1 from a previous 525 to 1. Read more. | 2006-2007 | HHS |
| Peer Insights | Helps students with and without disabilities to learn about one another, how to function in the community, how to interact with one another and how to make friends. The students go on social outings to focus on teamwork and to foster skills of independence. | 2006-2007 | HHS |
| College and Career Center Expansion | With more staff time, students are able to explore post-secondary options including colleges, technical schools, military options and jobs. | 2007-2008 | HHS |
| Opening Doors to Post-Secondary Education | Students with limited resources now have the opportunity to explore educational options available to them upon graduation. | 2007-2008 | HHS |
| AVID Middle School Curriculum | AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and strives to improve the performance of all junior high kids in the academic middle. The AVID program includes both an elective course and a building–wide approach with the goal of improving students’ academic skills, their ability to “do school” and become college-ready. | 2007-2008 | HHS, NJH, WJH |
| Technical Education: Web Design and Business Marketing | This project creates an opportunity for Hopkins High School students to design, create, and maintain an actual web-site for a spirit wear embroidery business. In addition, students will learn how to manage all aspects of a small business. Funds raised by the business will be returned to the students through Spirit Shop grants and sponsorships. | 2007-2008 | HHS |
| Expanding Pathways for All Students | This grant focuses on educating students and their parents on planning for high school coursework and post-secondary training or education. Well-defined graduation plans will be developed for sixth grade students as they begin their transition into middle school. | 2007-2008 | District-wide |
| Children's Literature to Support 'Steps to Respect" Curriculum | This grant funds children's literature to use along with the Steps to Respect & Second Steps Violence and Bullying Prevention Curriculum, a program HEF funded last year. | 2008-2009 | Tanglen |
| Transmitting Understanding via Active Expressions | This grant funds Active ExpressionsTM for use with the Sophomore Academy. | 2008-2009 | HHS |
| Learning by Gardening | NJH students learn to garden by participating in the entire growing cycle, from purchasing seeds, to planting flowers and vegetables in the McConnon greenhouse, to transplanting and caring for them in new raised beds in the courtyard. “School-grown” vegetables will be used in school lunches. | 2010-2011 | NJH |
| Making College a Reality for English Language Learners | This innovative parent involvement program works with families of English Language Learners to explain the college process and help families better prepare their students. Read more | 2011-2012 | HHS, NJH |
| Let's Talk! and Job Talk! | Curricula to teach critical work- and life-related skills to students with special needs. Read more | 2012-2013 | HHS, NJH, WJH |
| Green Gatehouse Structural Plan | HHS Earth Club designs 'green' parking attendant structure. Read more | 2013-2014 | HHS |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Full STEAM Ahead was a three-year initiative to support the arts and "soft skills" aspects of STEAM, reaching students throughout the District. Read more | 2014-2017 | District-wide |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2015 Special Appeal, year one of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Service projects for JH. Career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2014-2015 | District-wide |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2015 Special Appeal, year one of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Service projects for JH. Career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2014-2015 | NJH, WJH |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2015 Special Appeal, year one of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Service projects for JH. Career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2014-2015 | HHS |
| Kiva Microfinance: Making a Difference in the Third World | Students, collaborating in groups of three, will get the opportunity to invest in someone’s future. After first heavily researching entrepreneurs in developing Third World countries, each group will choose a small business to receive a $25 loan. Read more. | 2015-2016 | NJH, WJH |
| Community Vegetable Garden & Outdoor Classroom | Partnering with Glen Lake’s community, the school’s new living laboratory will focus on science, agriculture, and cooperation. Each grade level will plant six plots and use the garden in a different way. Read more. | 2015-2016 | Glen Lake |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2016 Special Appeal, year two of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Implementing a service curriculum for JH. Expanded career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2015-2016 | HHS |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2016 Special Appeal, year two of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Implementing a service curriculum for JH. Expanded career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2015-2016 | NJH, WJH |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2016 Special Appeal, year two of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Implementing a service curriculum for JH. Expanded career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2015-2016 | District-wide |
| Kiva U Club: Investing in the World -- Awesome Fund Grant | The new student-led Kiva U Club's goal is to involve more students at HHS, fundraise, and to loan at least $50 in each of the 27 countries represented by HHS students. Read more | 2016-2017 | HHS |
| Robotics Building Leadership | Principal Mark French has found a unique way to encourage leadership, responsibility, and conflict resolution by engaging his students’ interest in robots. Read more | 2016-2017 | Gatewood |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2017 Special Appeal, year three of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Supporting the grade nine Power of One service curriculum for JH. Expanded career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2016-2017 | NJH, WJH |
| Full STEAM Ahead | Bash 2017 Special Appeal, year three of a three-year initiative. This Special Appeal funded Stages Theater for K. Supporting the grade nine Power of One service curriculum for JH. Expanded career lectures for HHS. Read more | 2016-2017 | District-wide |
| Edquity: Preparing for College with Finances in Mind | Edquity is a software program for juniors and seniors in the AVID program - often the first of their family to go to college - to curate a list of feasible colleges based on GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and financial factors. Read more. | 2017-2018 | HHS |
| Powerful Young Women Pay It Forward | This Awesome Fund grant will help expand the scope of Girls United MN, run by girls for girls, on a mission to empower and inspire the next generation of women leaders. These 80 young women at Hopkins High School are promoting STEM career paths and positive body image, introducing professional women as inspiration, and discussing multiple social issues with their peers. Read more | 2017-2018 | HHS |
| Experiential Learning | This pilot at North Junior High invests in a new model for special education students, typically a group who learns best through active learning. Monthly outings will offer experiences outside the normal classroom and give the community a chance to get to know them.Read more. | 2019-2020 | NJH |
| La Oportunidad | La Oportunidad’s Young Professionals is a 15-session weekly afterschool curriculum focused on educating and empowering Latino/a young people. Taught through a cultural lens, it focuses on career opportunities, developing skills for higher education and/or the workplace, the practical aspects of applying to post-secondary ed and finding the funds to pay for it. Read more. | 2019-2020 | HHS |
| Girls Taking Action | A chapter of Girls Taking Action (GTA) has started at Hopkins High School with the exciting long-term goals of creating a nurturing and supportive community for our young women of color, of fostering a deeper connection between them and their school, and of empowering them to envision the many options in their future beyond high school. Learn more | 2019-2020 | HHS |
| Earth Day Outreach | On Earth Day, April 22, 2021, HEF’s Awesome Fund provided WJH’s Earth Club with the funds to mount a campaign of climate action and good health. Members of the club distributed stainless steel water bottles to encourage the healthy consumption of water, particularly while the school’s drinking fountains are turned off due to the pandemic. Learn more | 2020-2021 | WJH |
| Longboarding and Community Service | This spring, HEF will fund the construction of 20 shared longboards for current sixth graders, an exciting hands-on learning opportunity with returning assistance from Urban Boatbuilders of St. Paul. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Alice Smith |