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Arizona Charter School, Somerset Skyway, Receives Expansion and Innovation Grant

Somerset Academy Skyway Campus, an Academica-supported K-6 school in Arizona, was awarded a 2020 A For Arizona Expansion and Innovation Grant. This grant was awarded to schools that have been successful providing their students with uninterrupted learning during the pandemic.

As Emily Anne Gullickson, the founder and CEO of "A for Arizona", said, “The quality and caliber of applications we reviewed in Round One shows that our local leaders are developing creative solutions to address the current challenges facing our K-12 education system." From providing Remote-Live Instruction (RLI) to ensuring students have electronic devices, Somerset Skyway has been able to provide students with access to a quality education. The grant will assist Somerset Skyway to enhance its programming for its students.

At the administrative level, the grant was received with appreciation and humility. As Kristin Crawford, the principal of Somerset Skyway, said, “We appreciate the collaboration opportunities that [Emily Anne Gullickson] and A for Arizona organized for schools over the summer. Without Colēgia and the Zoom sessions, none of this would have been possible.” Although Colēgia and the Zoom sessions helped, they were only tools, and tools are futile unless one knows how to use them. The perseverance and pursuit of excellence by Somerset Skyway was what allowed them to receive the grant.

Receiving the grant is a great achievement and a testament to the determination, resilience, and grit of Somerset Skyway. Somerset Skyway’s eagerness to guarantee their students are learning without sacrificing safety is clear.