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The Educate to Elevate Fund is established to be a charity whose purpose is to advance the educational opportunities and social welfare for African American students (and/or other under-represented minority students) by:
1
Providing ongoing financial and resource support via an annual "Educate 2 Elevate" Campaign, in efforts to achieve and maintain academic and cultural success and excellence for the students of the HCS District 5 schools.
2
Serving as a nonprofit public education and cultural arts fund focused on improving the lives of African American and/or other under-represented minorities by providing funds and resources that will expand the students learning opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom through a variety of educational and cultural arts lessons, trainings, and experiences.
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3
Providing exposure for children to a variety of STEAM, Academic, and Cultural experiences.
STEAM
Science
Art
Math
Technology
Engineering
The Educate 2 Elevate Fund was established in October 2018 by Karitsa Mosley Jones, HCS Board Member for District 5. The Fund is dedicated to enriching, enhancing, and supporting the students, teachers and schools within 8 schools in District 5. The schools currently included in District 5 are: Harrison Elementary, Lakeside Academy of Math, Science and Technology, Woodmore Elementary, Dalewood Middle, Tyner Middle Academy, Brainerd High, Tyner Academy and Washington Alternative Schools.
The Educate 2 Elevate Fund pledges to commit to providing all the elementary, middle, and high schools within District 5 with funding to assist them in meeting as many of their school community needs as possible.
We pledge to work to help our schools by providing:
Funding To Schools Within District 5
Financial assistance to ensure that our students have access to the best education, enrichment, and development opportunities
Aid in the form of grants, fundraisers, sponsorships, community memberships, and donations
Positive relationships by working closely with school administration, parents, and all community stakeholders
The Educate 2 Elevate Fund is established to provide formal and informational educational opportunities and social welfre for African American students (and/or other under-represented minority students) living and attending a school in Hamilton County Schools District 5 (modifications can be made as the fund grows).
We will do that by exploring opportunities for our amazing schools, students, and teachers in four key areas:
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Every student should be able to come to school healthy and ready to learn. We will work to support a number of programs that provide at-risk students the opportunity to enter the classroom with an equal opportunity to learn.
ARTS & CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Engaging students in the arts is a well-documented factor for success, impacting classroom performance, building confidence, and fostering positive relationships with others. We seek to bring the arts to all.
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND MATH
Science, technology, engineering, and math are the DNA of today's workforce. We will fund distinctive learning experiences in and out of the classroom to build enthusiasm for the sciences to students of every age.
LEADERSHIP AND REAL WORLD
READINESS DEVELOPMENT
Effective leadership is essential to learning: from teachers who inspire and students who reach beyond ordinary expectations. We will ensure both groups have the opportunity to refine the human skills that will make them effective in the workplace and in life.
Mrs. Karitsa Mosley Jones
Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Karitsa Mosley Jones is your not so
average inner city southern girl! Growing up in an atypical single parent household,
Karitsa was exposed to the concept of being raised by a village. As a result, her village
became the catalyst that drove her to create a life trajectory that would propel her to
excel. In 2003, Karitsa earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Criminal
Justice. She then earned a Masters of Social Work degree in 2005, both degrees from
her illustrious Alma mater, Alabama A&M University. As a Licensed Master Social
Worker, she has over twelve years of immense experience, which provides her an
extensive understanding of the socioeconomic barriers that many are facing in her
immediate community. In the fall of 2018, Karitsa was selected to join a dozen other
community leaders nationwide for the inaugural cohort of the Pritzker Fellows Program.
She is currently employed as a Pritzker Fellow with the City of Chattanooga’s Office of
Early Learning. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Dept. Of Social Work at the
University of TN- Chattanooga.
Karitsa lives by the infamous Mahatma Gandhi quote, “Be the Change that you wish to
see in the world.” She believes that the most important change we can make as a
community is to improve educational opportunities for our children. It was this core belief
that drove her to step forward and commit to making a difference. On August 7, 2014 in
her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the age of 33, Karitsa was elected to the
Hamilton County School Board. At the time of her election, she became the youngest
member ever elected to the board and the first African American female to represent her
district’s community. She has brought new energy, innovative ideas and trustworthy
leadership to the Hamilton County School Board. In her first term, she has been a strong
advocate for greater community engagement in schools; closing achievement gaps;
more equitable and transparent budgeting decisions; fought for fair and balanced
educational experiences to improve the urban schools in her district; and has advocated
for policies that attract and retain the most effective teachers for schools that need them
most. She Elected to serve as Vice Chair of HCDE Board, 2 consecutive terms 2016-
2017, 2017- 2018. Karitsa is currently serving in her second term on the Board as the
District 5 Representative.
Youth, public education and social inconsistencies are Karitsa’s focus efforts. It is her
desire to leave a legacy that will be an inspiration to young people, especially young
women. Young women have the capacity to set their hearts and minds to whatever they
can imagine, and by doing so then can accomplish anything. Reminding youth that their
demographics don’t determine if and when they IMPACT change; true passion mixed
with genuine actions creates change!!
Karitsa was a member of the 2015 Inaugural Class of the Harvard Business School’s
Young American Leaders program. She is a proud member of Mt. Canaan Baptist
Church where she faithfully gives her time and talent to the Youth, Young Adult and The
Village Church Ministries. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. -
Chattanooga Alumnae Chapter, City of Chattanooga- Mayor’s Council for Women, The
Sankofa Fund for Civic Engagement, H.E.R.B Foundation and RISE Chattanooga board
member, Chattanooga 2.0 Early Matters Coalition; as well as other local civic
organizations in Chattanooga.
Of all the titles, she holds in her life, Karitsa is most proud to be a devoted wife, mother
and daughter. She is married to the love of her life, Mr. William E. Jones, the proud
mother of four amazing assets: William “EJ”, Whitney, Wesley and Shambera; and is the
beloved daughter of Ms. Priscilla A. Ford and the late Mr. Lee “Sonny” Mosley, Jr.