H.E. Bonner Elementary is one of two BCSD schools to receive an an Arts Curricular Innovation Grant (or ACIG) for the 2025-2026 school year. The program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Education.
Specifically, H.E. Bonner Elementary clinched a Distinguished Arts Program (or DAP) grant, which is one of three types of grant programs featured by the ACIG. The grant is worth more than $12,000 and will fund different arts-related projects.
H.E. Bonner Elementary’s arts instructional coach Christina Mixon said the $12,600 grant they received will be used to support artist in residencies and school wide performances. The school will invite Charleston Stage to work with kindergartners; multidisciplinary performing and teaching artist Bhakti Larry Hough will work with second graders; Cat Brantley will work with third graders; and Libation will work with fourth graders.
Additionally, Mixon said they will be able to host the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble to perform for the entire school.
The school just finished its Boosterthon fundraising to support arts initiatives at the school, including after-school clubs, grade-level performances, school-wide performances, and artist in residencies for all of the remaining grade levels – including CERDEP and Headstart. The school was able to raise $55,000.
Additionally, it is one of four schools to earn an ABC Advancement Grant, which is a part of a separate grant program via the South Carolina Arts Commission. Mixon said H.E. Bonner Elementary’s grant will go toward supporting after-school clubs.
This is part of a larger story regarding schools in BCSD to receive these grants. For more information, click here.