Program areas at Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation
Rva future centers are housed in the five comprehensive high Schools and staffed by dedicated professionals working to create, organize and implement career/college activities focused on student success beyond high school. Center directors work in partnership with the rps school counseling department and existing community partners. Rva future centers work with each student to help them develop a plan for post high school and then implement that plan. Students meet college and business recruiters, tour area colleges and businesses, receive scholarships, complete applications, and learn about the opportunities they have available after high school.
Rpsef provides direct support to Richmond Public Schools for student programming, school equipment such as software, musical instruments and pottery kilns, and school beautification projects. The Foundation supports both the Richmond Public Schools directly as well as through various other organizations providing services and support to the Richmond Public Schools. In this year, particular areas of focus were literacy, teacher recruitment, and the support of teachers and student impacted by the fox elementary school fire.
Covid-19 - in response to the covid-19 outbreak, Richmond Public Schools closed all Schools on march 15, 2020 and transitioned to a virtual learning format. Virtual learning was an especially significant challenge for the students and families of rps, many of whom did not have home computers or internet access needed for online school. The Foundation responded to this challenge by raising $775,000 for the purchase of chromebooks and internet hotspots. In addition, the Foundation raised funds to provide food for students and their families.
The Foundation also raises money and distributes scholarships to graduating rps seniors with outstanding academic, extracurricular, and community achievements. The goal of the Foundation's scholarships is to help bridge funding gaps for students who are not otherwise receiving significant financial assistance.