The Cause

This year, we are doing our best to help a cause based right here in the North Knoxville neighborhood.

You might be asking, “How do they raise funds at a free event?” Well that’s where we need everyone to pitch in. We will be sharing donation links on our website and collecting donations on site at the festival. Everyone who donates will receive a free Sunset On Central sticker. We’ve got plenty of other great incentives planned for this, but we would encourage everyone to bring a little extra cash to this year’s festival and pitch in to help out!

This year we are raising funds for Beaumont Magnet School.

Beaumont Magnet school was cut $140,000 in it's Title 1 budget. This is a 30% decrease.

These are federal funds and will probably not come back next year.

In an effort to recoup the funds, the parents have started a foundation to help raise the money lost and create a means to withstand possible future shortfalls. (We have often fought battles with our school board against budget cuts.) Education is important to our city's future and we need the help of our community to ensure the Beaumont students have the best education they can.

The school is located in the Western Heights neighborhood, east of I-275 and Central Ave. The 4th and Gill and part of North Knox are zoned for BMA.

The school serves a diverse community representing a high number of students who speak English as a second language, who have disabilities and those with academic intervention supports. The school has a passion for inclusion and has created programs to serve the neighborhood needs. What makes the school unique is the arts magnet curriculum.The arts are integrated throughout the school, with an effort made to teach students how to grow and learn in the manner they learn best.

Some funding uses:

1. a Spanish-speaking educational assistant,

2. a STEM lab teacher who teaches all students,

3. STEM lab supplies that are both reusable and new each year,

4. a digital sign to communicate to parents who speak other languages,

5. technology aids for all students

6. stage curtains (we are an arts integration magnet school with stage curtains that have giant holes in them.)