by Sylene Argent
After receiving 640 submissions, and almost 1 million online votes in support of those projects from across the country, the Aviva Community Fund announced its 2018 winners on Tuesday, which will give away $1,000,000 in prizes to over 60 winners, coast-to-coast.
At an assembly Tuesday morning, the students at Essex District High School were excited to learn their school was successful in garnering a $100,000 grant through the Aviva Community Fund, which will help purchase a grandstand for the sports field. Currently, fans, parents, and grandparents have no place to sit when showing support to the student athletes who use the field. These supporters would bring lawn chairs or towels to sit upon.
The funding was obtained because of the community’s support in online voting. When EDHS Student Success Teacher, Lindsay Drozdz, spoke to an Aviva rep, she said she was told the company liked how Essex appeared to be a positive, spirited community. They also liked how the community rallied around this project.
Drozdz said the goal is to have the grandstand, which will have a fully accessible ramp, installed this spring.
“I’m not surprised,” Drozdz said of the funding results. “Because Essex has rallied behind stuff like this before.” In the past, the community supported Essex Public School’s playground project through the same contest, which was also successful.
She said what is especially nice about receiving the funding is that the students got to learn how hard work can pay off. The grade 12 Fitness Leadership students worked hard to get community support and the business leadership students approached local business on getting support of putting up signs or handing out information about the contest to their customers.
In addition, EDHS students asked the 73’s to help, and at a game, they urged the fans in the stands to vote. They also urged other leadership students at other area high schools to vote.
All of this work helped the students to develop leadership skills, she said.