Grade: 9th

Teacher Name: Erin Begle

Description and purpose of grant: CHS9 is  requesting funding for updating our gym sound systems. After discussing our unreliable system with our Scoreboard Video Producer, Ryan Putnam, and our Director of Fine Arts, Gerry Miller, they have determined that in order to have our CHS9 gyms working at industry standard we will need some new equipment for both of our gyms if we want our microphones and speakers to work reliably. The new systems would match the quality of the systems in the gyms, auditorium, and arena at Coppell High School. These new systems would significantly improve our ability to host standardized testing, PE and Dance classes, Hour Block Lunch, and Pep Rallies in our gyms.

The Student Council's six elected Executive Board members are responsible for leading our Pep Rallies, and currently this task is more difficult for these students because of microphones that are not reliable. Updating these sound systems would align with our core value of "Collective Engagement" across our campus as we use Pep Rallies to highlight the successes of every group on campus. One section of our Pep Rallies are dedicated to giving students the chance to represent their organizations and explain the success their group has had. This has become more challenging as our microphones have cut out when students are hoping to share their successes with their peers. Our Pep Rallies also serve to help students and staff build “Authentic Relationships” as they are an opportunity for each of us to celebrate groups that we may not get the chance to see compete or perform on a regular basis. When students get to see their friends cheer, dance, play their instrument in the band, be recognized with their team or organization, or sing the national anthem connections are made. Teachers and students also get the chance to play games against each other, which also builds positive relationships. 

Additionally, these updates would align with our core value of "Excellent Teaching" as they would provide our PE and Dance teachers a more efficient means of communicating with their students during their courses. For dance, currently, our coach brings her own speaker into the gym for every class that she teaches, even though we have a partially working system available. When these missing elements are added to the system, she will be able to play the music her dancers need to rehearse with much more effectively. 

Implementation process: 

Ryan Putman reported that the new equipment could be set up in a single afternoon after it has been received. Gerry Miller has returned a quote from the approved Vendor Sweet Water. We plan to have the equipment installed as soon as possible for use during PE classes, Dance classes, Hour Block Lunch, and our Pep Rallies. This will impact the quality of the experience for all 1,040 students on CHS9 campus, our entire staff, and especially those who are called upon to lead our Pep Rallies. 

Additionally, the grant will support and enhance the experience of all future students who attend CHS9, their engagement in school activities through Pep Rallies, and their experiences in HBL and Physical Education classes. 

Items you plan to purchase with grant money 

The quotes below are separated by what we would need for each gymnasium.

The hand held microphones will work with the elements of the system that we already have in place more reliably across all of the areas in the gyms. The lavalier microphones will also work with what is already available and functioning well with our systems but will allow our dance and PE teachers to model activities while explaining the tasks for students. The cables  and antennae will allow for the microphones to be used in all spaces within the gym. All other items listed will help us reach “industry standard” for our sound systems in the gyms.  

While the totals of these quotes would be $288 over the alloted grant amount, Student Council at CHS9 will cover the remaining balance if the grant is filled.

In the event my grant is not fully funded, this is minimum amount I would need to get started on this project:

$3,894.90 would provide for all of the updates for one gym which would still provide an improvement in engagement and teaching for our campus.