Clintonville Go Public (CGP) is pleased to provide educators with funding support to expand their instruction, engage student learning, increase student achievement, and provide equitable opportunities for all students across the Whetstone Pathway. Our hope is that through our community-wide fundraising initiatives, we are able to increase our support of our most valuable educational resource – our teachers.

In the Spring of 2018 we awarded our first round of grants for over $1700 in exciting classroom projects.

We provide opportunities for pathway families to meet other parents, as well as teachers and principals in casual settings. Our open houses allow parents to mingle, learn about what’s happening in the schools, and share information while fostering a sense of community. We hold information sessions at local preschools for young parents who want to learn more about pathway schools. We also have a presence in the community, with tables at community events, such as the Clintonville Farmer’s Market and the Clintonville 5k.

This event helps pathway children connect with their future classmates before school even begins. Kindergarten playdates allow the little ones time to play and enjoy a popsicle, while parents meet their neighbors, teachers and school administrators.

In 2014, we held Masquerade at Strongwater, to raise funds for 21st Century Resources for both Dominion and Whetstone. The event raised over $15,000 to fund technological upgrades and field trips targeted at reducing the economic and social inequalities for students at Dominion Middle School and Whetstone High School. Scholarships were offered to high-need & high-achieving students to attend the annual Dominion Middle School Washington D.C. trip.

In 2013 for our first community-wide fundraising campaign, we partnered with the Dominion Middle School Parent Teacher Student Organization to hold Prom Remix, a “prom for grown-ups” held in August 2013 in Clintonville that featured food and drinks, dancing, and a large silent auction. With help from many area businesses, the fundraiser generated more than $15,000 for The Dominion Middle School Beautification Project, which included updates to the library and entryway, artwork for the cafeteria, and new paint for several areas of the school.

On June 23, 2015, Lucky’s Market held a Clintonville Go Public Day, where a 10% of the sales of the day were donated to CGP to fund active Donors Choose projects submitted by teachers in our pathway schools. Due to amazing community turnout and overwhelming Principal support from Pathway elementary schools, the day raised $4,000 which funded direct teacher needs at Weinland Park Elementary, Como ES, Salem ES, and Dominion Middle School. For information on Clintonville Go Public’s giving, visit our Donors Choose profile.

To end 2015, Clintonville Go Public began a new tradition in philanthropy called #GivingTuesday. You know about Black Friday & Cyber Monday; perhaps you appreciate the value of Small Business Saturday. There are three days dedicated for getting deals, but one very important day for giving back. #GivingTuesday, a global social media giving movement to inspire personal philanthropy, is an opportunity to make an impact locally by supporting the direct needs of our neighborhood public schools. Gifts to Clintonville Go Public during the 2015 #GivingTuesday campaign allowed us to fully fund the WHS Braves Messenger Broadcast Room Go Fund Me.

In addition to #GivingTuesday, community support can continue throughout the year through the AmazonSmile program, a simple and automatic way for you to support your schools. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, select Clintonville Go Public as your favorite charitable organization.

To kick off 2016, Gordon Biersch Columbus held a Clintonville Go Public Happy Hour in February, where 10% of all sales were contributed to help us plan our next large-scale fundraising event! The family-friendly night included live music from the Clintonville DadBand, and Clintonville resident and Head Brewer, Keith Jackson, held a tapping ceremony. For photos from the great night and to stay current on upcoming events and school activities, like our Clintonville Go Public Facebook page.

Our young professionals group took on the task of modernizing the upstairs teachers’ lounge at Dominion Middle School with the blessing of the principal and the teachers’ representative. They spent hours planning and obtaining donations from local businesses, and volunteers spent a whole Saturday transforming the space: washing, painting, and accessorizing. Donations from Clintonville Go Public parents and Clintonville businesses including Beechwold Hardware, EcoFlora, Pittsburgh Paints, and Cornerstone Deli made the project possible.

Every day in our buildings, educators and students are doing amazing things! From a highly creative performing arts program, award winning chess teams, and champion athletes to co-curricular teacher teams inspiring young learners through educational field trips, classroom speakers, and academic competitions, the diverse schools in Whetstone Pathway are supported by their engaged community of parents and business partners. We simply shine a light on their stories and provide resources where there is need. We developed new school brochures, marketing materials for many of the Pathway schools, and continue to seek opportunities to elevate the success while also searching for solutions to teacher and school needs. The success of our community organizing was most recently featured in Columbus Monthly’s article, titled To Stay in the City with Kids, Parents Band Together to Improve Columbus Schools.