Highland advances modernization efforts with over $40k Riverboat Grant

RIVERSIDE — Highland Community School District received a $43,657 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation’s Fall 2025 cycle, advancing the district’s ongoing effort to modernize learning spaces and expand hands-on opportunities for students.

The foundation announced 19 grants totaling $881,247 during Wednesday’s ceremony at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort. The United Presbyterian Home earned the largest award, receiving $197,044 for a therapy pool renovation.

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Highland’s newest grant funds a major upgrade to the secondary media center, including new digital display technology, flexible seating, and collaborative work areas.

The district described the project as a step forward in reshaping the building’s central learning hub, calling the improvements “a major Secondary Media Center Upgrade, featuring new digital display technology, a flexible seating environment, and overall enhancements to support collaboration and modern learning.”

The district emphasized that the space benefits both students and staff, noting that it hosts many internal meetings and professional learning sessions.

The award follows a Spring 2025 WCRF grant of $13,498 that helped Highland create a fully equipped makerspace classroom.

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That room now includes studios for music and podcast recording, green-screen video production, photography, graphic design, and drafting.

The district described the makerspace as a creative environment that allows students “to create, build, record, and explore — from robotics and 3D printing to podcasts and Husky News.”

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The space is now ready for student use and marks the completion of the first phase of the district’s broader plan to expand modern, flexible learning environments.

Together, the makerspace and the upcoming media-center upgrade reflect a coordinated effort to strengthen digital literacy, creative production, and collaborative learning across Highland’s secondary building.

District leaders expressed appreciation during the ceremony, saying they felt “honored to take part in this year’s awards” and “deeply grateful for this continued partnership.”

WCRF serves as the nonprofit license holder for the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, which provides all foundation funding. The Spring 2025 cycle awarded $4,306,524 across 15 projects.

The Fall 2025 grant recipients included:

Farm to Film Fest Inc — new computer and improved signage — $1,400

PLANT Washington Community Garden — garden shed — $2,976

Atrium Village — accessible power door upgrade — $3,582

Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce — cooler, computer and printer replacement — $4,120

Carry On Bags — food purchases for needy students — $5,211

The Kirkwood Foundation — WCRC bilingual summer camp — $6,900

Healing at English River Outfitters (HERO) — equipment protection, final phase — $9,321

Camp Reece — support for Camp Reece — $14,100

Washington County Ambulance — medication locker system — $14,568

Saint James Elementary School and Parish — school security improvements — $32,152

Kids Corral Inc. — day care playground purchase — $32,876

Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association — headquarters building update — $39,836

Highland Community School District — secondary media center upgrade — $43,657

Friends of Lake Darling State Park — kayak launch — $52,500

Washington County Rescue Search and Recovery Dive Team — dive equipment and training — $65,000

Riverside Elderly Development Corp. — 22 air conditioner upgrades — $69,000

Iowa Mennonite Benevolent Association (Pleasantview) — main building chiller project — $92,401

United Presbyterian Church — public-space building improvements — $194,603

United Presbyterian Home — therapy pool renovation — $197,044

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com