Money will be used to increase the school’s vocational and academic programs
January 19, 2012
Kroger donated $10,000 to Booker T. Washington High School. Pictured are, left to right, Kroger Store Manager Jeff Bailey, HISD Board Member Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Washington Principal LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin, Kroger Public Relations Manager Kristal Howard and Rep. Sylvester Turner.
Booker T. Washington High School got a financial boost on Wednesday, Jan. 18, when Kroger handed over a $10,000 check to help revive the school's academic and vocational programs.
The recent donation brings the total amount raised for Washington High School to $135,000. The flood of financial support comes after a November community meeting that called attention to the school's challenges. During the meeting, State Representative Sylvester Turner and school officials formed a task force and asked community members, businesses, churches, students, and alumni for help.
The money raised will be used to increase tutoring, buy desks and supplies, and boost academic and vocational programs, which have dwindled in recent years.
"I am so proud of the City of Houston," said Turner during a check presentation ceremony at the Kroger store located at 1352 West 43rd Street. "I am so proud of the business community. If you ask and let them know what the needs are, the people in this city are simply phenomenal."
Washington's popular magnet program, The High School for the Engineering Professions (HSEP), continues to thrive. Several awards for engineering innovation have earned HSEP a national reputation as a top program. But Washington High School overall has experienced a drop in enrollment in recent years.
Currently, 880 students are enrolled at the school, and officials hope to boost enrollment to at least 1,000 students by the end of the 2012-2013 school year. Washington High School Principal LaShonda Bilbo-Ervin is also determined to improve the school's academic rating, and create thriving student engineering and auto mechanic programs.
Bilbo-Ervin said she hopes improved and expanded programs and new supplies will bring more students to the school.
"We are very grateful for Kroger's partnership," Bilbo-Ervin said. "We appreciate our neighbors for stepping up and supporting our children."
Washington High School is one of the city's oldest campuses. The school opened in 1893 in Houston's Fourth Ward as Colored High and was renamed for Booker T. Washington in 1928.
