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The Pat and Tillie Bishop Legacy Fund was established at the Western Colorado Community Foundation (WCCF) in 2022 through a generous estate gift. The fund supports Mesa County high school students in their pursuit of extracurricular activities. Pat and Tillie Bishop were deeply invested in education and seeing students succeed. Pat taught at Central High School (CHS) for over 20 years, where she began Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) for the Western Slope. Tillie was an accomplished Colorado legislator and served as Dean of Students for decades at what is now Colorado Mesa University.
During this second year of the Fund, $120,000 was distributed between the five Mesa County Valley District 51 high schools, allocated based on student enrollment and the portion of students eligible for free and reduced price school meals. Funding ranged from $7,000 to support R-5 High School’s student body of 189 to $41,000 to support Central High School’s student body of 1,613. Since the Fund’s inception, $220,000 has been distributed to District 51 high schools.

Collective Impact
An estimated 40% of District 51 high school students benefitted from the fund in its second year. The five high schools used the funding to support 62 different clubs, benefiting approximately 2,300 students. Use and Distribution of Funds
Each high school was tasked with developing a fair and equitable process to distribute funds. Funding could be used to support individual needs to ensure participation in a student’s club of choice, along with support for clubs ranging from athletics to band to Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), which include FBLA: Future Business Leaders of America, FCCLA: Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, and FFA: Future Farmers of America. Smaller clubs were also supported, such as Grand Junction High School’s mock trial club and Central High School’s chess club. Funds could be used for in-state travel, and funding for athletics (including uniforms and equipment) were not to exceed 20% of the grant funds.

Examples of how Bishop Legacy Funds were Utilized in the 2023/24 School Year

  • Three of the five high schools used the funding to support drama, band, and music programs
  • Three high schools (Fruita Monument, Grand Junction, and Palisade) sent Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students to compete at the State Leadership Conference
  • Grand Junction High School’s Academic Team utilized funding to travel to the Knowledge Bowl State Tournament in Greeley. For the 26th time, GJHS was the Class 4A State Knowledge Bowl champion and won the Governor’s Cup, awarded to the best team in the state regardless of classification, for the 21st time. The Mock Trial Team at GJHS used the funding to compete at the Western Slope Mock Trial Tournament, where they won the John Siddeek trophy.
  • Palisade High School used funding to send various clubs to travel to competitions across the state, including marching band and color guard. The Speech and Debate team used funding to travel to the State competition in Pueblo.
  • Fruita Monument High School supported Future Farmers of America (FFA) students to travel to various competitions, winning in the Milk Judging category at State. Funding was also used to purchase equipment for the Drama Club to run their light and sound board for theater productions.
  • R-5 High School supported a variety of clubs, with the Outdoor Club buying mountain bike gear, fishing licenses and supplies, and ski gear and passes, and the Esports Club receiving funding for equipment.