SPARKS, MD— At a reception honoring recipients of its 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 “Putting Students First Grant” program, First Financial Federal Credit Union announced a $50,000 commitment to Baltimore County Public Schools over the next five years. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, the credit union will award 10 $1,000 grants each year through the 2027-2028 school year.

Putting Students First Grants of up to $500 each were first offered in the 2021-2022 school year through a partnership between First Financial and The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools.

The Putting Students First Grant program, available to BCPS educators and school administrators, supports student services and curriculum enhancements. The grants are reviewed, judged, and selected by a joint committee of Education Foundation and First Financial employees. Recipient schools for 2022 include: Battle Grove Elementary School, Cedarmere Elementary School, Charlesmont Elementary School, Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School, Featherbed Lane Elementary School, Glyndon Elementary School, Loch Raven Technical Academy, Perry Hall Elementary School, Riverview Elementary School, and Western School of Technology and Environmental Science.

“First Financial’s commitment to extend and enhance the Putting Students First Grants brings extra sparks of excitement and motivation to the educators in BCPS,” said Deborah S. Phelps, executive director of The Education Foundation. “This opportunity will allow educators to create and design additional innovative, research-based programs. It will provide them supplies and resources to implement the programs contributing to the overall learning environment for our students and allow educators to continuously embrace the total child. The foundation extends its utmost gratitude to First Financial Federal Credit Union for being our ‘Education Champion’ for Team BCPS.”

Founded to serve the financial needs of educators, First Financial is well known for its commitment to enhancing education in the community it serves. “Seeing the impact this partnership has had within the educational community made it easy for us to decide to continue this initiative,” said First Financial President and CEO Eric Church. “Recognizing how critical quality education is to our future, we’re proud to deepen our support of the grant program and extend this partnership for another five years.”

To learn more about First Financial and membership eligibility, call Member Services at 410-321-6060, option 5.

PHOTO: The Putting Students First grant reception. Pictured from L to R: Michelle Webster, Featherbed Lane Elementary School principal; Mick Rayburn, Education Foundation president; Dr. Darryl L. Williams, BCPS Superintendent; Robin Thompson, Grant Liaison and Featherbed Lane Elementary School Community School facilitator; Karen Grannas, Education Foundation vice president for Programs and Allocations; Bob Brenneman, FFFCU Board chair; and Eric Church, FFFCU CEO/president.