Press release:

Staff at the Academy for Citizenship and Empowerment (ACE) continue to demonstrate generosity and caring for their students and families that extends well beyond the classroom.

This holiday season 13 ACE families received personalized holiday wishes, along with a $150 Safeway Gift Card.

More than 80 percent of students at ACE qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch, one of the highest percentages in the district.

With many families struggling to make ends meet, ACE staff wanted to support students by providing something tangible to help with the cost of holiday meals.

For the past seven years, the team has provided grocery store gift cards to some of the schools’ neediest families. Shauna Pierson, counselor at ACE, coordinates the program.

This year the need has been the greatest across the seven years of gift-card giving. “Staff have been beyond generous,” said Janae’ Landis, ACE Principal. “This year more than $1,900.00 was donated by staff members at our school. A member of our team delivered the gift cards to the families just before Christmas.

“I continue to be amazed by the generosity of this staff and am proud to be a part of the community at the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment.”