The Roco Is Home Foundation has announced the creation of the CTE Support Grant Program to strengthen career and technical education in Rockingham County. The mission of RoCo Is Home Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in Rockingham County by fostering economic growth through education, small business support, and community engagement.
The foundation believes that career and technical education inspires and connects students to a wide variety of occupations. Career and technical education is an integral part of a high school students educational experience. Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes in high school offer students hands-on experience and training in various career fields, preparing them for both college and careers. CTE programs often include specialized classes, internships, and opportunities to earn industry-recognized certifications. There is great need in our community for people in these sectors. A strong workforce is an integral part of a strong, healthy community.
“We are incredibly grateful to our local CTE teachers for inspiring and educating our students for their potential careers,” said Ingrid McCraw, President of RoCo Is Home Foundation. “This grant is a significant effort to ensure our CTE teachers have the supplies and equipment to best educate our students. It will allow the teachers to keep money in their pockets and to gain resources for their classrooms that they aren’t provided through traditional funding sources, things like tools, equipment, and educational models.”
Co-founder Sandra Meadows added “CTE classes are more important now than ever. With funding being cut, students could lose access to the much-needed hands-on training and real-world skills these programs provide. That’s why we’re proud to step in and offer opportunities that help fill this critical gap in Rockingham County—because our students deserve every chance to succeed.”
Nina Walls, RCS CTE Director, extends her heartfelt thanks on behalf of RCS Career and Technical Education to the RoCo Is Home Foundation for this generous grant opportunity. “Your support will empower our dedicated CTE teachers to provide high-quality, hands-on learning experiences that equip students with the real-world skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce. We are deeply grateful for your investment in both our students and the future of Rockingham County.”
The grant program is open to any CTE high school teacher employed by Rockingham County Schools. The grant program will be awarding up to $500. There will be five $100 awards, one per high school (Morehead, Rockingham, Reidsville, McMichael, and CTE Innovative High Schools). Deadline for grant submissions is Saturday, August 16th, 2025. Grantees will be contacted directly within seven days of the grant closing.
For those interesting in applying, the application form is located on the foundation’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/rocoishomefoundation).
The RoCo Is Home Foundation was created by Ingrid McCraw, Leslie Wyatt, and Sandra Meadows. Since its inception, the RoCo Is Home Foundation had been responsible for a variety of local events including the Olde Leaksville Nighttime Parade and the Chili Cookoff in Uptown Eden. The Foundation will be celebrating its launch with a gala fundraiser, the Second Chance Prom, is coming up on Saturday, August 23rd at the Farm House at 912 Bethlehem Church Road, Eden. It is sure to be an exciting night of music, dancing, food, and fun!
The RoCo Is Home Foundation invites all individuals, businesses, and organizations interested in supporting these efforts to contact them to learn more about what they are doing and how you may be able to help.
For more information on the RoCo Is Home Foundation and its plans, please visit them at www.rocoishome.com, www.facebook.com/rocoishome, or email them at rocoishome@gmail.com.