Since 2012 Bell Helicopter - through the Bell Leadership Association for Developing Excellence (BLADE) - has supported Bellaire Elementary with mentors and volunteers. Over the past 5 years, Bell Mentors have visited the Bellaire Elementary campus each academic year, up to twenty employees volunteered in 2016, to sit one-on-one with their school-assigned student during the students’ lunch break for 30-minutes a week to serve as a friend and role model. They used their time to help children with school work, classroom behavior, reading, peer relationships, life outside of school and many other aspects of the student’s life.
BLADE has supported events at the school such as the Bellaire Field Day, Bellaire Book Give Away - which gives every child a brand new book to read over the summer, Science Day, Color Run/Health Fair, and several others.
Bell and BLADE have sponsored Bellaire generously through past activities such as book fair fundraiser, coat and school supply drive, and United Way. The school supply drive in 2016 contributed over $5,000 by Bell employees for a total of $9,500 with the Textron corporate match. Bell and BLADE host Bellaire’s Fine Arts Department Suzuki Strings for a December concert at Bell campus, with uniform t-shirts sponsored by BLADE.
Bellaire Elementary educates over 740 students Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade. According to the HEB Independent School District, Bellaire Elementary was named one of ten Top Gold Ribbon Elementary schools in Tarrant County by Children at Risk. “The list honors neighborhood schools where demographics don’t dictate destiny. Schools where students who are identified in at risk populations go onto earn ‘high performing status.’”
Bellaire Elementary will be presented with a plaque today on behalf of Bell Helicopter and BLADE to commemorate the Top Gold Ribbon Elementary achievement. For the Educators and students of today and tomorrow, we hope it serves as a reminder of the commitment, passion and success embodied by the Bellaire Elementary community and its supporters.
The Bellaire Elementary mascot is the Whirlybird, which originated from the unique partnership that began in 1960 with the helicopter manufacturer next door – it is located less than one mile from the Bell Helicopter main plant. We hope to ignite Bellaire Elementary school spirit and passion for learning, and celebrate the success by each Whirlybird fan present with the purple Bell 505 aircraft that flew over the campus and is on display.
