Heart of the School Grantee Spotlights

In January 2025, The Belair-Edison School applied for and was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to support its spring production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. Over 60 students in grades 4–8 auditioned for roles, with more than 40 participating as cast members, stage crew, or hosts. The grant helped provide costumes, scenery, professional audio equipment, and show licensing—resources that transformed the musical into an unforgettable experience for students and families alike. Reflecting on the power of musical theater, Director Larin Walker shared: “Musical theater has a profound impact on a scholar's development, fostering growth that extends far beyond the stage. By combining music, movement, and storytelling, it nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and strengthens communication skills. Scholars learn the value of discipline and teamwork as they collaborate toward a shared artistic vision, while also developing empathy by stepping into the lives and emotions of diverse characters. Ultimately, participation in musical theater empowers young people to discover their voices, express themselves authentically, and carry vital skills—such as leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving—into every area of their lives. “Directing Beauty and the Beast Jr. brought me much delight…the experience was a blast,” Walker added.” Music Director Rosemarie Iglopas-Tabungar reflected on the impact of the production on student growth and community spirit: “Serving as one of the musical directors for our school’s production was one of my most rewarding experiences as an educator! From the very beginning, I was inspired by the enthusiasm of the students, many of whom were stepping into musical theater for the first time. Watching them grow in confidence—whether they were singing solos, harmonizing in the ensemble, or learning how to project their voices—was truly fulfilling. Beyond the music itself, what made this experience so positive was the sense of community it built. I saw shy students blossom, natural leaders emerge, and friendships deepen. Parents and teachers also rallied behind the cast and crew, which created a wonderful support system and school spirit.” Elementary Music and Acting Director Briona Williams echoed this sentiment: “Guiding little voices and big imaginations through Beauty and the Beast Jr. reminded me that every child holds a bit of magic worth bringing to the stage.” The production also carried a unique cultural touch. Thanks to the grant, directors incorporated Afro-centric design elements into costumes, giving beloved characters a visually stunning and meaningful representation. Cast t-shirts were also created as keepsakes, ensuring students, staff, and volunteers carried a memento of their hard work. “The students not only performed beautifully, but they also owned the stage with confidence and joy,” Iglopas-Tabungar said. “It gave our scholars memories they will carry for a lifetime.” The Beauty and the Beast Jr. spring musical was an overwhelming success—one that highlighted not just the artistic talents of Belair Edison scholars, but also the transformative role the arts play in building confidence, resilience, and community. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here .

In spring 2024, Mount Royal Elementary/Middle School was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to expand its instrumental music offerings for middle school students. The funding allowed the school to purchase instruments, percussion equipment and a classroom mixing board—supporting the growth of new ensembles. Their middle school music program is designed to cultivate a vibrant band culture within the school. Through this work, students have opportunities to perform in ensembles, learn about arranging, take instruments home to practice, and experiment with sound engineering. The addition of new equipment has helped engage students who might not have seen themselves in a traditional band or orchestra. “This equipment has sparked a lot more excitement, especially for kids who don't see themselves playing in an orchestra or band,” says Music Director Rachel Winder. “These are young producers, young songwriters, young sound engineers. I have one kid who comes just to play with the mixing board. He loves to tweak the channels and adjust the feedback. He even labeled all the channels just to start to get some order to things. So, I think the students are really excited about the equipment, and know they can grow with it.” Winder adds that students explore a wide range of genres and styles: “We focus on classical repertoire, but also a mix of pop and jazz-influenced pieces. One of the most exciting parts of the program happens after school, which is our modern music band. That’s where kids get to be part of the rhythm section, share their voices, and help choose the repertoire. It’s a wide range of high-level musical learning.” The student response has been overwhelmingly positive. “They’ve never had this kind of sound system in the classroom, or seen some of these instruments before,” Winder explains. “But now they come in excited.” This past school year Mt. Royal partnered with Arts for Learning Maryland, which serves as the school’s Community Schools Lead Agency. With their support, the school has expanded its arts offerings, adding more field trips, workshops, and artist residencies for students, staff, and families. “Miss Winder brought so much passion and energy that the program really took off,” says Cheryl Grayson, Director of Community Programs at Arts for Learning Maryland. And the momentum keeps building. Winder now has more students interested in participating in the after-school program. “We’re getting to the point where I need a waitlist,” she says. “There are just so many kids signing up.”  The program has also opened the door for field trips and collaborations. Through Mount Royal’s partnership with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, students were able to attend a live concert. Winder is planning future workshops with the Baltimore School for the Arts and has built connections with other local schools to explore additional experiences. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here .

With a vision for a dedicated visual arts space, Digital Harbor High School applied for and was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant in March 2024 to transform an existing space into an inspiring arts classroom where students could more fully realize their artistic potential and engage in the creative process. Reflecting on the need for this award, Principal Mavis Jackson shared, “At Digital Harbor High School, we are excited to expand our arts program and introduce a new graduation pathway in the visual arts. As part of this growth, we recognized the need for a dedicated space that fosters creative learning. To meet this need, we transformed an existing classroom into a dynamic, hands-on environment. Our goal was to create a space where students could work comfortably with modern furniture and equipment. With the support of the Heart of the Schools award, we have successfully developed an inspiring space where students can engage fully in their artistic endeavors and thrive.” Providing students with a comfortable space to lay out their materials and concentrate on their creative process has created a more engaging and productive environment. And student artists are thriving. “The response from both students and staff has been overwhelmingly positive,” Principal Jackson adds. “Students have shared that the new layout, furniture, and upgraded tools help them stay focused, collaborate more effectively, and explore new artistic techniques.” Reflecting on the new space, 11th grade art students shared: “The new tables in the art room make it way easier to spread out and focus on my projects. It finally feels like a real studio." -Khiya “A comfortable and organized art room makes it easier for me to stay focused.” -London “There’s space to plan, sketch, and build without feeling cramped. It feels more like we’re being taken seriously as artists." -Kahmaiyah We look forward to seeing how this classroom will continue to shape future artists at Digital Harbor High School for years to come! Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here .

With support from the Heart of the School Fund, Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School, a July 2024 grant recipient, utilized funding to strengthen school-wide literacy interventions and celebrate student progress.  In the 2024-2025 school year, Franklin Square implemented literacy interventions for students in grades 1-8, focusing on both foundational phonics skills and reading fluency. The initiative provides structured, small-group instruction designed to close reading gaps and build student confidence. Teachers are empowered to test new strategies with their students, measure progress, and then refine practice based on what they learned, all supported by a coach. This project replicates the district’s Continuous Improvement model at a school-wide level, using data-driven cycles to refine and enhance instruction, developed through a grant from the Gates Foundation, raised and managed by the Fund for Educational Excellence. The initiative is fostering increased teacher investment. With the support of coaching and modeling, educators are embracing the new interventions, and early results are promising. Principal Nick D’Ambrosio notes, “When we see teachers truly engaging with the materials, embracing coaching, and modeling best practices, we see real student success. Their openness to this work is what drives the most meaningful growth in our classrooms.” The grant not only funded literacy materials but also helped create incentives for students who have shown measurable progress. As Principal D’Ambrosio noted, “Seeing our students’ joy, excitement, and confidence when they see their names on the big posters showing their growth from the beginning of the year to mid-year—that has been incredible.” Franklin Square hosted a mid-year pizza party, funded through this grant, as a way to highlight students’ achievements and motivate them to keep striving. Project lead Allison Greco emphasized the importance of acknowledging these milestones, stating, “We have to celebrate our wins. Our kids are growing, and they’re growing at really significant rates--many are surpassing stretch growth expectations, more than what’s typically expected of them. That’s worth celebrating.” Teachers have noted a significant shift in student confidence, particularly among those who were once hesitant to participate. "At the beginning of the year, many students wouldn’t read out loud,” says Allison. “Now, we have first through eighth graders eagerly reading directions, volunteering to read in class, and showing excitement about literacy.” As Franklin Square continues to refine and expand its literacy efforts, the school remains committed to ensuring every student has the tools and confidence to succeed. We look forward to hearing about their progress! Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here .

Thanks to a Heart of the School Fund grant, Arundel Elementary hosted a Back-to-School Block Party on ahead of the start of school year 2024-25. The event featured meals, games, music and an opportunity to learn about and pick up resources from community partners, including school supplies and food access. Students and their families met their child’s teacher and each child received two uniform shirts. Below, Principal Machado talks about project and the positive impact it had on her school's students and community: "Our school community is grateful for the grant from the Heart of the Schools, a program of the Fund for Educational Excellence. It was amazing to see so many families join us as we kicked off the new school year with resources, food, and fun! Families received uniforms, sneakers, bookbags, school supplies and met school staff. The Back-to-School Block Party was a success because we have a hard-working school team and dependable partners. We had one goal and that was to remove any barriers that would stop students from attending on the first day of school. Families left feeling cared for and ready!" Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here . Check out some photos from the event: