CLARKSTON, WA –  Clarkston School District and Washington State University are among the recipients of more than $900,000 in grants awarded to rural communities across Eastern Washington by LaunchNW.

The funding, distributed through LaunchNW, supports initiatives aimed at strengthening the pathway from high school to postsecondary education and careers. Clarkston School District will receive $50,000 to enhance its high school-to-career transition programming in collaboration with the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association.

Washington State University will also receive $50,000 to expand its healthcare education programs, with a focus on encouraging rural students to explore careers in the medical field.

Other school districts receiving awards include Reardan, Lind-Ritzville, Newport, Nine Mile Falls, Chewelah, Riverside, Dayton, Northport, and Republic. Projects range from FAFSA completion events to industry-specific training and partnerships with local businesses.

• Reardan School District is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Reardan High School.
• Lind Ritzville Cooperative Schools is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Lind Ritzville High School and Middle School through a production and manufacturing institute.
• Clarkston School District is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Clarkston High School through Bantam Launch in partnership with WSU GEAR UP and Southeast Washington Economic Development Association.
• Newport School District is receiving $46,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Newport High School through a partnership with Drive509 and the Pend Oreille County PUD. Newport High School will also hold events to support families in completing FAFSA and other scholarship applications.
• Nine Mile Falls is receiving $10,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Nine Mile School District through the Communities in Schools program.
• Chewelah School District is receiving $30,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Chewelah High School through a Mentoring Program in partnership with WSU.
• Riverside School District is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Riverside High School by investing in a certified Career and Technical Education welding instructor who will work in partnership with Northwest Steel Fab, Inc. and ASC Machine Tools, Inc.
• Washington State University is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in rural Spokane and Stevens Counties through a mentoring program that models healthcare careers, thus encouraging students to pursue those careers.
• Dayton School District is receiving $50,000 to provide enhanced high school to post high school education transitions in Dayton High School by investing in two Career and Technical Education teachers who will obtain the Vortex Edge Plus training in partnership with the Port of Columbia and Seneca Seed.
• Northport School District is receiving $62,000 to provide a Communities in Schools site coordinator in Northport School District schools.
• Republic School District is receiving $50,000 to provide a Natural Resources Pathway in its agricultural program area.