Lowe to Lead Simple Gifts Teacher grant programs

Long-time Clinton City Schools music teacher Vevlyn Lowe is on the brink of putting the cap on her educational career as she prepares to step into a new line of work, this time with the Simple Gifts program.

The new opportunity comes following the veteran educator being appointed as the new director of the Simple Gifts Teacher Grant programs. That role comes on the heels of Lowe fulfilling her final year as band director at Sampson Middle School. After spending nearly a three-decade career in music education, Lowe, who’s currently serving in both capacities, will fully transition to her new position when she retires from teaching at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Anonymous Trust, is private foundation that provides grants to 501(c)3 organizations. The Simple Gifts Fund is a program of the Anonymous Trust, a charity that serves rural and under served communities in eastern North Carolina, funding scholarships, teacher fellowships and grants for educational opportunities.

“I’m excited. This was not a job opportunity that was planned for, but when they offered it, I knew it was the perfect fit for me,” Lowe said during a recent interview. “I say that because I bring in an educator’s viewpoint; I’ve experienced the grants and I’ve lived the grants. When I’m interacting with educators, I can offer them real world advice because I’ve seen it from that teacher’s standpoint.

“I think that’s gonna be very helpful, encouraging teachers to apply for the Love of Learning and the Fellowship grants,” she stressed. “You can receive two of the fellowship grants during your teaching career. I received two. The maximum per year is two and probably most years I’ve received two and I’ve been able to do so much for my students because of those.

“It’ll be my job now to help teachers take advantage of those opportunities like I have in the past,” Lowe added. “So coming into this role, it’s like a natural transition because I’ve been applying and doing these grants for years. I’m just doing it from the other side now.”

Lowe will succeed Margaret Turlington, who has led the Simple Gifts Teacher Grant programs since 2012. Under Turlington’s leadership, Lowe noted, the program has distributed more than a $1 million to educators from Clinton City and Sampson County schools.

She also said Turlington’s dedication to education has significantly enhanced educational experiences for both teachers and students as well, a legacy she hopes to continue.

“Margaret truly cares about students and teachers,” Lowe attested. “Her commitment to education and her willingness to go above and beyond to help educators and students has set an incredible foundation that I hope to build upon. She is not leaving Anonymous Trust because she has all of the student scholarships and a lot of other activities that she works on. Anonymous Trust is expanding, so I’m going to be leading the teacher grant opportunities. ”

One of those expansions Lowe mentioned is that the Teacher Fellowship Grant has increased from $8,000 to $10,000. Taking advantage of the opportunities these grants provide is something she really hopes more teachers will pursue.

“Throughout my 29-year career in music education, I’ve actively sought out grant opportunities to provide educational experiences for my students, but also for students across the county,” she stated. “These opportunities have been instrumental in helping students in rural communities thrive by exposing them to enriching experiences beyond their everyday classroom.”

These are opportunities, she said that, unfortunately, not enough teachers utilize.

“I bring valuable firsthand experience of the impact of Simple Gifts grants into this new role,” she stated. “As a grant recipient myself, I’ve used the funding to provide unforgettable experiences for students. Some of those included taking five buses of students to see Phantom of the Opera at the Durham Performing Arts Center and arranging for my young musicians to perform side-by-side with members of the North Carolina Symphony.

“It’s actually a little disappointing when I think that you don’t have more teachers applying for these grants,” Lowe continued. “So that’s going to be a part of my job, trying to help find a different way to encourage teachers to apply. I want to tell them that funds are there, just dream big and think of what you want to do with your students.”

Lowe noted that she’s making headway on that front and believes her plans of meeting in person will help make more dreams a reality.

“I’ve already been to some of the schools and spoke about grant opportunities,” she said. “I think that’s going to be one of the best ways to reach teachers — face-to-face. I know we can send emails and we can put flyers in their boxes but I think it’s going to be more effective with in-person contact. By having the time to speak to them, I can then share some of the ways I’ve used the grants to impact my students and (help them understand) that they can do the same.”

Lowe is a native of Chowan County and a graduate of East Carolina University and Florida State University, which gives her a deep understanding of rural eastern North Carolina. The unique values and challenges of those areas area a focal point of the teacher fellowship and grant programs in Sampson County.

“My background has given me firsthand knowledge of how important these educational opportunities are for rural students,” Lowe said. “Having spent my entire career teaching in a rural area, I’ve seen how grants can transform not just students, but entire communities.”

Lowe has extensive experience in grant writing and implementation but that isn’t all she brings to the table. She was instrumental in introducing a new teacher recruitment program into Clinton City Schools. During the challenges of COVID-19, she channeled her energy into establishing Dark Horse Fellows, a grow-your-own teacher program in Clinton City Schools.

“The program has flourished and now includes 18 future teachers this year,” Lowe said. “I’m excited to see how this program will grow and develop future teachers and inspire other schools to implement similar initiatives that encourage students to become teachers.”

As she prepares for the full transition, Lowe noted her plans will always be to continue supporting students and teachers across the region for many more years to come, now through her new role.

“I remain committed to music education and plan to continue assisting with the Dark Horse Fellows program, ensuring my impact on education extends well beyond my time in the classroom.”