XENIA — The Xenia Rotary Club recently became a sponsor of a Warner Middle School Social Studies grant project through the Xenia Community Schools Foundation.

The project will impact 300 seventh grade students by helping to reinforce learning after units of study, focused on different periods of history and its culture, through hands-on activity. The $1,000 grant will be used to purchase supplies to create objects related to different historical periods. First semester activities included creating Greek pottery and building Roman coliseums. Some of the second semester activity will include both a stained glass project (Middle Ages) and Zen Garden development (Japan).

The grants awarded by the foundation would not be possible without the help of the community, according to foundation officials. The foundation announced a “Sponsor a Grant Program” six years ago. Individuals, organizations, and businesses commit to providing funds to cover a portion of or an entire grant for a minimum of $500. Grants available for sponsorship have been selected by the XCSF Board of Directors from staff-submitted applications and an extensive application review and selection process is conducted in conjunction with Xenia Community Schools.

The foundation awards $25,000 in grants annually to XCS. The grants fund projects that are innovative and provide enhancements to the standard school curriculum. Any Xenia Community Schools staff or community member can apply to the foundation to fund special projects in classrooms. Projects are geared towards enriching student learning. Some applications represent district-wide initiatives. All the grants for Xenia Community School students and teachers are beyond what regular school funding can provide.

Xenia Community Schools Foundation, formerly known as the Xenia Educational Endowment Fund, is an Ohio non-profit 501(C) (3) corporation. Gifts made to the XCSF qualify as tax deductible charitable contributions. The board of directors includes both local residents and staff of the Xenia Community Schools district. For information about the XCSF, visit xcsfoundation.com, Facebook (Xenia Community Schools Foundation) or leave a message at the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce at 937-372-3591.