Family Literacy Night
Literacy Night is a new reading program that helps students across the Hood River County School District build strong reading skills through family engagement. The program began at Cascade Locks Elementary School, where students who were reading below grade level received phonics books to practice at home. Every participant reached grade level or higher.
With support from an HRCEF Impact Teaching Grant, Cascade Locks expanded the program to all students and added Family Literacy Nights to help parents learn how to support reading at home. The program’s success earned HRCSD an invitation to present at the 2024 Oregon Literacy Symposium.
In 2025, HRCEF funding allowed the district to bring this proven program to all HRCSD elementary schools.
Red Cross CPR Certification Scholarships
11th grade students at HRVHS take Advanced Health and have the opportunity to take the American Red Cross CPR certification, which then gives them a certificate that is valid for two years.
These certificates can give students a competitive edge for employment, college applications, and career or technical training prerequisites. However, the certification fee can be prohibitive for students. In 2024, HRCEF provided a grant to cover fees for students with financial need, supporting multiple years of HRV students.
Field Trips
Learning can take place anywhere, and field trips give students the opportunity to connect classroom concepts with real-world experiences. Field trips spark curiosity, encourage discovery, and allow students to explore the world outside of the classom.
From 2019 – 2026, HRCEF provided grants to all elementary schools so more students can visit OMSI, the Oregon Zoo, and other learning opportunities across the Gorge.