The Owosso Public Schools Foundation has awarded 10 mini-grants totaling $2,500 to district employees through the Gerald Gilbert Memorial Endowment Fund. This fund was established at the Shiawassee Community Foundation in November 2013 by Charles “Chas” Lyons, a 1964 OHS alumnus, who cited Jerry Gilbert as a major influence in his life while growing up in Owosso.
Jerry Gilbert inspired Owosso students for 25 years as a vocal music instructor at Owosso High School. Mr. Gilbert was regarded by his colleagues for this masterful ability to develop and inspire members of Owosso High School’s renowned A Cappella Choir to consistently win highly prized state honors. Most of all, Mr. Gilbert is remembered by numbers of Owosso High School alumni for his passion for music, for fun and entertainment and, most of all, his example of striving for excellence.
To honor Mr. Gilbert’s legacy, Lyons created the Gerald Gilbert Memorial Endowment Fund, to fund experiences, programs and ideas proposed by
teachers that inspire students to develop their scholastic and creative capabilities and their pursuit of excellence and a values-based life.
Approximately 1,400 Owosso students and five different schools will benefit from recently awarded grants. Projects funded include: biography books and other non-fiction books for elementary media centers, science experiment
materials, international cuisine materials, flashlights for science in first grade, community-based instruction for employment skills in cognitive impaired classrooms, research science books for kindergarten, Destination Imagination and choir folder book storage shelves.
