August 15, 2022 – Community First Bank (CFB) has partnered with the Kokomo Public Schools Education Foundation to offer three teacher mini-grants, with at least one designated to the Kokomo Area Career Center to support students throughout Howard County. Each mini-grant will provide a teacher with $500 for their classroom’s needs.
Robb Blume, President and CEO of Community First Bank, said, “We have continued to witness the way that teachers pivot and persevere through challenges to still give their very best to their students, and our team would like to honor and support the work of these educators. One of our core beliefs is that we must be actively involved in making our communities better places to live, and this partnership is a way that we get to continue to live that out.”
Local winners from the 2021-22 CFB-funded grants were:
• Jo-Ann Stephens, a science teacher at Maple Crest, who purchased supplies for her outdoor science lab.
• Darcie York, a Kindergarten teacher at the Wallace School of Integrated Arts, who purchased sensory motor equipment to enable her students to catch up with hands-on learning for first-grade readiness.
• Michelle Mosely, a Cosmetology teacher at the Kokomo Area Career Center, who purchased the required kits of tools and materials for state licensing and future internships at local salons for the graduating seniors.
Teacher grant applications for 2022-23 are now open to Kokomo schools’ staff, and winners will be selected in the fall. Through community partnerships, the Foundation can provide resources that will enrich and enhance teaching and learning in the local schools and promote lifelong learners. Community First Bank encourages other local businesses to join them in partnering to support teacher grant programs.
About the bank: Community First Bank (CFB) was chartered in 2003 in Kokomo, Indiana and is committed to keeping outstanding customer service, local decision-making, and relationship-building at its core. The locally owned and operated bank currently has branches in Indianapolis, Kokomo, Westfield, and Noblesville. CFB has been named as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana for 8 consecutive years by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Additional information can be found at www.CFBIndiana.com. MEMBER FDIC, Equal Housing Lender
