Business and community leaders from Vincent, Harpersville, and Westover were all in attendance at a luncheon to kickoff the Vincent Middle High School Spring Into Action Fundraising Campaign.  The school is attempting to raise about $250,000 over the next five years to fulfill a wish list of needs developed by teachers and staff that will help the school fulfill its mission of providing rigorous, relevant, and student-centered education that will equip all students with the essential skills necessary to succeed after graduation.

“We need your help in order to make that happen,” Principal Michelle Edwards told those in attendance.  “And we want you to know that we have a five-year plan.  We have a purpose for every dollar that we raise and ultimately it is all to benefit our students.”

Some of those needs include replacing the 20-year-old band uniforms, implementing a Sports Medicine lab and a STEM lab, building an indoor practice facility, and making upgrades to the Library Media Center and the sound equipment.  The school would also like to purchase rechargeable calculators, broadcasting equipment, photo/video editing software, digital cameras and darkroom accessories, music production, a military badge machine for JROTC, and Agriscience equipment.

Those who attended the event were able to witness GRIT conference, student-led conference with either a parent or a school faculty member, that were being conducted in the library media center. Students were unfazed by the added spectators of their conferences, welcoming the visitors to listen and watch as they presented digital portfolios detailing their academic progress and future goals and objectives.

Attendees also got to hear from seventh-grade student Maliyah Curry, eighth-grade student Caleah Dates, and twelfth-grade student  Hannah Daughdrill, who all spoke during the luncheon. Daughdrill shared how her fellow students and her teachers have all helped and encouraged her during her high school career.  Daughdrill will graduate as the class Salutatorian, despite working two jobs, enduring painful shoulder surgery that impacted her ability to play volleyball her junior year, and the loss of her volleyball coach to cancer this year.

“Shelby County Schools has the mission of making every student a graduate and every graduate prepared,” Daughdrill said. “Vincent Middle High School has definitely prepared me for my future after graduation.”

Vincent Mayor Ray McAllister and City Council member Bridgette Jordan-Smith kicked off the fundraising effort with a $1,000 donation from the city.

“I wanted to show that we very much believe in this effort,” McAllister said. “We can all come together and make this happen.”