Whitney High School East/West teachers Bill Jacobs and Matt Rice were excited last year to receive an athletics grant from California Casualty that allowed them to purchase uniforms and equipment for their school’s softball team.
Public high schools across the nation can score up to $3,000 for their sports departments with a California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant. California Casualty, provider of the NEA® Auto & Home Insurance Program, is providing $100,000 to offset budget cuts that have affected high school athletics. Applications must be received by January 15, 2016 for 2015-16 consideration.
Thanks to the California Casualty Athletics Grant, Whitney High School East/West in Hamden last school year was able to purchase uniforms and equipment for special education students playing on a school softball team. Physical education teacher Matt Rice said the grant allowed his students to “participate in activities that they otherwise wouldn’t have any way to access.”
Last school year, 87 high schools in 29 states received grants totaling $100,200. Since its inception, more than $400,000 has been awarded to hundreds of public high schools across the U.S. that have used the funds to purchase safer football helmets, update tattered and torn uniforms or replace deteriorated wrestling and gymnastics mats.
Applicants must be a current member (or referred by a member) of the National Education Association (NEA) or one of the NEA state affiliates, as well as be an active employee of the public high school for which funding is sought. Award recipients will be notified in April 2016, with presentations in May 2016.
“We want to help guarantee that student-athletes get a chance to compete and learn,” said Doug Goldberg, senior vice president.
California Casualty has served educators since 1951 and has been providing the NEA® Auto & Home Insurance program since 2000. The company gives back through numerous Community Impact Initiatives:
- The $2,500 Academic Award – given annually to an educator to help buy school supplies or provide for school programs facing cuts
- The $7,500 School Lounge Makeover® – to create a more soothing and relaxing area for educators to recharge during the school day
- The NEA Foundation/California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence: given to educators to honor and promote excellence in education and to elevate professionalism. Winners receive $650 for their schools, five finalists receive a $10,000 cash award and one finalist is named the nation’s top educator and is awarded an additional $25,000.
