The Columbia Falls High School Academic and Alumni Endowment is holding its second annual ball Friday to reconnect alumni, current students and community members in School District 6.

The academic endowment was established last school year by a steering committee that included Superintendent Michael Nicosia, then-Principal Alan Robbins and high school English teacher Alyson Dorr. 

Dorr is a 1997 Columbia Falls graduate.

“The goal of the endowment is to foster creativity and enhance opportunities for learning. It’s basically an in-house grant fund,” Dorr said. 

The fund will provide grants for eligible projects the district is unable to fund. Eventually, Dorr hopes to post project proposals online for donors to choose from.

“They can pick a project they want to help fund. For example, our pottery class at school is replacing the kiln this year and they are also in need of new pottery wheels. I think the wheels were new when I was a student 15 years ago. Teachers and administrators are in hard positions as to what we can replace,” Dorr said, adding that these are times when the endowment can step in and help financially.

The endowment has spent this year in a formative stage and organized a 13-member board composed of former educators, alumni and business owners. The board met for the first time in November.

Reaching out to alumni and prospective donors is the focus as the board launches public forums for alumni to interact using sites such as Facebook.

“We have a great alumni base doing amazing things out in the world,” Dorr said. “We want to connect alumni to students and students to alumni. We’re trying to work on how we can make it easier for alumni to get connected.

The ball is an updated version of Columbia Falls’ community prom — an event that annually was held prior to the high school’s prom — to bring in young alumni and build a broader support base for the endowment. 

“We’ve kind of revamped it to make it a little different and appeal to younger alumni,” Dorr said. “We hope to instill a sense of pride.”

The Columbia Falls High School junior class is hosting the ball this year. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Larry Schmautz Memorial Gym at the high school and features a live performance by the Kayla Adams Band. Dessert will also be served. Admission is $5. Proceeds benefit the endowment fund.

For more information or to make donations call 892-6500, email CFHSAAEF@cfmtschools.net or visit www.cfhighschool.org/alumni_fund.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.