TCAPS support network wins $2,500 grant for student needs

Traverse City Area Public Schools got a modest but meaningful boost for the quiet work of helping students stay in class, with the district’s Student Support Network receiving $2,500 from the SET SEG Foundation.

The grant was part of the foundation’s 2026 Education Excellence Award program, which named TCAPS one of 12 recipients. Along with the money, the district received a commemorative trophy and a road sign recognizing the award, but the larger value was in what the funds help cover: the day-to-day needs that can determine whether a student shows up ready to learn.

The Student Support Network serves more than 1,500 students each year across Northern Michigan. Its work goes beyond academics and reaches into the practical problems that often sit between a child and a successful school day, including housing insecurity, personal care items and other basic resources. In a district as large as TCAPS, those needs can surface in ways that are not always visible in the classroom but still shape attendance, stability and engagement.

SET SEG Foundation executive director Molly Mellema said the network creates a safety net that allows students to participate more fully in school and community life. She also said meeting basic needs can improve academic achievement, underscoring a reality school leaders across Grand Traverse County increasingly face: education support now often includes help with essentials that families might otherwise expect from broader public systems.

That makes the grant more than a symbolic honor for TCAPS. The Student Support Network operates year-round and depends on community partnerships and outreach to keep its services available. For a district serving one of the largest school populations in the county, even a $2,500 award can help sustain front-line support that reaches students before unmet needs become larger barriers.

The recognition also points to a wider local pressure on schools in Traverse City and beyond. As families navigate housing instability and other financial strain, schools are being asked not only to teach, but to connect students with the resources that help them stay healthy, present and prepared to learn.