Hill Middle School Receives $3,000 Grant

It’s no secret that teens want to stay up on the latest fashion trends, but a group of students at Robert T. Hill Middle School are using fashion as a tool to boost school pride and develop career skills. The school’s student government club, part of the Thriving Minds after-school program, was recently awarded a $3,000 grant from MetroTex Association of Realtors (MetroTex) to purchase a silk screening machine and other materials to create t-shirts for the entire student body. The project was one of only four that received funding this year through the organization’s annual grant competition, say MetroTex representatives. The group received proposals from more than 25 schools across the North Texas region.

“These students were chosen because the idea behind what they want to do is special,” says Rene Barrera, a director with MetroTex. “What you want to do will empower you and other children in the school,” he added as he addressed the student government representatives during a check presentation at the school on May 20.
 

MetroTex looked to fund projects that would benefit the entire student body, not just individual students or groups, say representatives of the organization. They also gave preference to proposals that would leverage support from other sources in the community.

Once the equipment and materials are purchased, the student government will develop various t-shirt designs that will be reproduced for the school says Jasmine, a sixth grader involved with the project.

“There wasn’t enough stuff to benefit kids at the school,” Jasmine says. “We want to make these shirts to show how much we love our school, and to make other students feel good about the school.”

Students will also use the equipment as a way of developing vocational skills, and train other students in the art of screen printing.

In addition to Jasmine, the student government includes sixth graders Nicole, Zitalli, Stephanie and Aaliyah, as well as eighth graders Stephanie and Itzel.