Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy PTA Awarded National Grant to Support Student Mental Health and Well-Being
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy PTA has been awarded a $3,500 Middle Ground Program Grant from National PTA to expand student mental health and grief support resources for scholars and families during the 2026-27 school year.
Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy is one of only 20 local middle school PTAs nationwide selected to receive the grant. Funding is provided through a collaboration between National PTA and the New York Life Foundation as part of National PTA’s Healthy Minds initiative.
The Middle Ground Program Grant was created to help middle schools establish supportive spaces and programming for students navigating grief and loss. The initiative is inspired by the New York Life Foundation’s graphic novel, “Lost in the Middle,” and is designed to provide students with opportunities for storytelling, creative expression, peer connection and access to caring adults.
“Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy PTA and PTAs across the country at all levels work hard every day to help students, families and schools navigate challenges and support their success,” said Dr. Bill Datema, president of National PTA.
At Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy, the grant will help bring grief support programming directly to campus. Planned services include small-group and individual support sessions, grief and mental health resources for families and staff awareness programming designed to help ensure students do not have to navigate loss alone.
The grant also provides participating schools with tools and resources through the New York Life Foundation’s Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative, which helps educators and school communities strengthen the ways they respond to students experiencing grief.
For Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy, the funding represents another opportunity to strengthen the network of support surrounding Eagle scholars while recognizing that student success extends beyond academics.
“Our scholars carry more than backpacks — sometimes they carry grief we never see. This program gives our campus real tools and caring adults to walk alongside them. We are grateful to our PTA for making this possible,” said Dr. Hanspard, principal at Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy.
The Middle Ground Program Grant reflects the PTA’s continued commitment to supporting the whole child by helping create a school environment where students feel seen, heard and connected.
Datema said the selection also recognizes the work local PTAs are doing to address the needs of students and families.
“We’re pleased to award Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy PTA with a 2026-2027 Middle Ground Program Grant for their commitment to advancing strategies that make a real impact for students, families and the school. We are grateful to the New York Life Foundation for making the funding possible and for supporting the efforts of PTAs nationwide.”
Through the new programming, Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy will continue working alongside families, educators and community partners to foster a supportive campus environment where scholars have access to the resources they need to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.
For DeSoto ISD, initiatives such as the Middle Ground Program Grant reinforce the district’s commitment to creating safe, supportive and student-centered learning environments where every Eagle scholar has the opportunity to feel connected, supported and prepared to soar.