Valiant Cross Academy wins $25k grant
Valiant Cross Academy has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Contest.
The national contest began with 2,000 entries in the form of a grant and was narrowed down to the top 200 submissions by a committee selected by State Farm. The second phase of the contest was a voting platform. For 10 days the nation was asked to vote for their favorite cause and at the end of the voting phase, the 40 organizations earning the highest number of votes were designated the winners of the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Grant. Valiant Cross was the only nonprofit selected for the finals from Montgomery, according to a release from the school.
At the end of the voting period, Valiant Cross finished at the top securing the $25,000 prize. The money will be used to provide technology upgrades for the classrooms.
“We are completely in shock by the outpouring of support for Valiant Cross Academy by the city of Montgomery, the state of Alabama as well as the nation,” said Kimberly Baker, director of development. “We are a new program and this community has taken us under their wings to help us prosper and thrive. Not a day goes by that we do not stop and reflect on that.”
This is the second national grant that the school has won in just a few months. They recently won the USA TODAY/Gannett A Community Thrives Contest over the summer, securing a $50,000 grant for improvements to their new high school.
“I am humbled and very appreciative of the love that the community has shown to Valiant Cross Academy. Said Anthony Brock, Head of School “We have an incredible team of teachers and staff that are determined to make a difference in the lives of these young men, and we couldn’t be more proud to have our community part of that team.”
About the school
Valiant Cross Academy is an all-male school with Christian principles located in the heart of downtown Montgomery on Dexter Avenue. Brothers Anthony and Frederick Brock, both educators, said they were frustrated by the alarming number of African-American students who were not college ready. They were committed to create a school that addressed some of the issues that face young African-American males.
The school’s academic program has smaller class sizes, longer days, double the math and triple the literacy time. The school first opened in 2015 with 30 young men, and now is a middle school with full 6th, 7th and 8th grades with a waiting list. For more information on Valiant Cross, visit www.valiantcross.org.
This article was originally published by the Montgomery Advertiser:
Staff reports. “Valiant Cross Academy wins $25K grant” Montgomery Advertiser Web. 19 Dec. 2017.