The Atchison Middle School KAYS Club is among 19 clubs throughout Kansas that are sharing about $85,000 by way of the “Be the Spark” program funding to create or make improvements in their respective communities.
AMS KAYS officers Grady Clark, Emma Finnegan, and Celine Healy, KAYS Sponsor Stephanie Affield, former AMS teachers, Diane Liebsch and Sally Berger, both USD Board of Education members, were all present to hear the announcement Monday, May 9 at the Kansas State High School Activities Association in Topeka.
The KAYS at AMS have been awarded $4,000 for the purchase and installation of new water bottle filler stations and to promote Walk and Talks.
Affield said the Walk and Talks will offer the KAYS membership at AMS to walk with non-members and share about the KAY club.
“Our overall theme with our AMS “Be the Spark” this year and in the year and in years past had been AMS SPARK (meaning) Student Physical Activity, Rehydration, and Knowledge,” Affield said since 2018, AMS KAYS have received $25,327 worth of funding and in-kind donations for enhancement projects at AMS.”
To receive the awards, the Be the Spark applicants have met the criteria and guidelines throughout a rigorous selection process that included submission of letters of intent, surveying student bodies, research, and partnering with community organizations.
Liebsch said the KAYS members who attended the grant announcement were a great group to be with throughout the event and the tour of the KSHAA headquarters and offices was enjoyable.
“I enjoyed their pride in being in KAYS and receiving the $4,000 grant for new water bottle filler stations and promoting Walk and Talks at AMS to get more active and to build positive relationships,” Liebsch said.
The Be the Spark program was created in 2017 as a partnership between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and the Kansas Association for Youth Alumni Network. Since its origin, the BCBKS has provided the KAYAN with an additional $150,000 in funds to administer the two-year program in mini-grants given to KAY clubs throughout the state to implement initiatives to engage peers through the project to support physical and mental wellness.
In addition to the AMS, the other KAY clubs in Kansas selected to receive the mini-grants are:
Cherryvale Middle/High School; Clearwater Middle School; Cunningham High School; El Dorado Middle School; Goddard High School; Halstead High School; Hodgeman County High School; Holton Middle School; Marysville High School; Paola Middle School; Remington Middle School; Republic County Jr./Sr. High School; Royal Valley High School; Santa Fe Trail High School, Overbrook; Sublette High School; Thunder Ridge High School, Kensington; Gordon Parks Academy, Wichita; and Yates Center High School.
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