The Southwestern College Philanthropy Board (SCPB), in cooperation with the Non-profit Leadership Class at Southwestern College, is pleased to announce it has awarded an $800 grant to Irving Elementary School in Winfield. These funds will support the Outdoor Learning Classroom at Irving. 

Irving Elementary administration expressed a need to help students learn skills to calm their minds, battle hunger by teaching them the skills to grow their own food, and enrich social-emotional learning by being in nature in a technology-based world.  This is how the idea of an outdoor classroom emerged.  SCPB members felt that, as a staff, they are focused on creating a place students can grow food and explore sensory equipment that will help develop sensory needs.  They are also working toward creating spaces where classes can create and produce learning projects such as art, theater, assemblies, and guest speakers. 

The SCPB awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process.

“We have chosen Irving Elementary school as our winner because of their dedication to helping the youth succeed,” says Brandon Murphy-Ward, a student in the Non-profit class.  “While we feel that all applications would use the grant in a way that would positively impact the Cowley County area, we feel that Irving Elementary stands out by not only providing education for the youth but also demonstrating long-term effects that would take place through their project.”

The SCPB was developed from the Students4Giving Campus Compact grant awarded in August of 2008. With this funding, Southwestern created the SCPB as well as the Non-profit Leadership class offered on the main campus to explore all aspects of the philanthropic process. The SCPB is committed to developing an opportunity for students to explore philanthropy, non-profit organizations, community partnerships and available grant resources. The SCPB and the class work together annually to distribute grant funding to community-based non-profit organizations.