An $890K gift to the city’s schools generated a ‘wave of gratitude’ that rippled all the way to New York, where school district leaders shared the story with ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’

By Holly Dillemuth, Ashland.news

A remarkable act of kindness by an anonymous local donor to the Ashland Schools Foundation late last year prompted a “wave of gratitude” from the surrounding community that has reached as far as New York City, where it has gained some national attention.

Following stories published by various local media outlets about an $890,000 donation to the district via the foundation in mid-December 2024 to help minimize impacts from the district’s financial crisis, Ashland Superintendent Joseph Hattrick and Erica Thompson, executive director of the Ashland Schools Foundation, were personally contacted and invited to appear on “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” filmed at NBC Studios in New York.

Hattrick and Thompson spent five days in the Big Apple earlier this month, where they taped an episode with Clarkson’s production team that is tentatively set to air on Thursday, Oct. 16, on NBC. “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” in its sixth season, airs weekdays at 4 p.m. on NBC.

“Last year we had an anonymous donor just gift us $850,000 (plus $40,000 to aid affinity groups) in our time of crisis,” Hattrick said. “What wasn’t shared was there was a national television show that reached out because they thought that was something really special.”

‘Ripple effect’ of kindness

A film crew shot parts of the episode in Hattrick’s office, with teachers, school board members and students also interviewed for the episode about the “ripple effect” of kindness the donation had on the local community in the days after the donation.

“This opportunity allowed us to share our story with millions of viewers across the nation, showcasing the values that make Ashland special, and that is a love of education, generosity and kindheartedness,” Hattrick told school board members last week.

Hattrick said it was nice to provide a unifying message, as Ashland is not alone in facing financial difficulties, declining enrollment and struggling facilities. He said the message is a reminder that everybody can make a difference. 

At the time of the donation, the district faced an overall $7 million structural budget deficit through 2027-28, which Hattrick said at the time would be addressed in various ways, including through a tax anticipation note of up to $10 million, of which the district used slightly more than half at $5.12 million, according to to a story previously reported by Ashland.news. He said at the time that the donation provided “breathing room.” It also prevented up to seven additional school days from being eliminated and halted midyear layoffs.

A story about gratitude

“It’s not just the story of this incredible donor; that is a huge part of the story,” Hattrick said. “The story is about what happened after, and that is, if you all remember, we had floods of thank-you cards from community members, from students, from staff, from classrooms, from schools.

“What it spurred was this wave of gratitude that we don’t often see from students and community members and it’s something that I hope we can continue to do,” he added, “just remembering to have a spirit of gratitude. It’s something that’s unique and it’s sad that it’s unique.”

Hattrick said he started his day Sept. 11 in New York, and by 7 p.m. that evening, after crossing multiple time zones, he was sharing the superintendent’s report for Ashland School Board members in City Council Chambers.

The episode airing next month was filmed Sept. 10 in Ashland and New York. Hattrick lightheartedly said he would give the school board a little “show-and-tell,” and shared photos of the experience, including shots of himself and Thompson in front of NBC Studios and at “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

“We all had our own Green Room, so that was lovely,” Hattrick said.

“I won’t share (the names of) celebrities we ran into, but it was fun,” Hattrick added.

As he showed photos from the experience, he noted they had just been taken in the previous 24 hours.

A film crew in town

Hattrick and Thompson worked with the production team for nearly two weeks prior to the trip on travel plans, interviews, logistics and working with students and teachers. A mini film crew also came to the district office to film for the episode, which included interviews with students and staff.

Paul Huard, a teacher at Ashland High School who delivered letters of gratitude along with his students to the district office, was also present for the taping in Ashland.

One of Huard’s AHS students, Soren Vaughn Brown, shared how Huard taught his students “the power of the pen” throughout history, and how a handwritten letter could express emotion and context.

“That really spoke to the producers and to Kelly as something really important,” Hattrick said.

Scary and exhilarating

Hattrick admitted it was “frightening” to be on national television, but said he experienced a high watching students share their perspectives during the taping of the show.

“It was of course a high to be sitting across the couch from Kelly Clarkson — I can’t wait till it airs,” Hattrick said.

Vaughn Brown noted “how fun it can be to spread the news of good things happening.”

Grace Snyder, who also participated in the filmed segment in Ashland, said, “It was great to be able to express our gratitude.”

Hattrick held up a Kelly Clarkson Show mug, which he planned to present to Huard, a coffee aficionado, for his classroom. Hattrick also presented both students with NBC pins.

“She was so impressed with the two of you,” Hattrick said, noting that he and Thompson were able to have candid conversations during commercial breaks and before and after the segment was filmed.

“She was moved, in tears after the segment,” Hattrick added.

“Yes, the donation was moving, but the action that the donation promoted in you all was truly what was moving.”

Schools foundation essential

Hattrick praised Thompson, saying that without the foundation, the donation could never have happened.

Thompson reiterated that the donor, who makes donations only anonymously, wouldn’t have been able to pursue the donation without the foundation.

“Not every community is fortunate enough to have people like my predecessors, who established an organization like this, and I hope that every school district can be that fortunate,” Thompson said. 

“I’m really excited for what this is going to mean for Ashland and our school district,” she said.

Thompson noted that when the show reached out, it really was about the student response to the gift.

“It was the handwritten cards that really inspired producers,” Thompson said.

The story was found through routine searches for good news in every state of the union.

She emphasized the positive nature of the episode and said she looks forward to the day it airs.

“What I’m really excited about is the impact that it’s going to have when this airs — one, for the national attention that our community will have in such a positive light, and also hopefully the inspiration that it brings to other communities. And this was something Kelly (Clarkson) said, too.”

Surprises may be in store

Hattrick said the show taping was a “difficult secret to keep,” but that there are also more secrets under wraps.

“We still have some secrets we’re keeping, but that means everybody should tune in Oct. 16. Maybe we’ll have watch parties in the schools. Who knows?” he said.

School board Chair Rebecca Dyson expressed interest in the idea.

On Wednesday, Hattrick said none were planned at this time, but more information would be made available as the air date gets closer. 

He also shared that when the show airs, on a date that he said is subject to change, it will serve as a reminder of the importance of gratitude on a daily basis.

“It should be continuous that we should always be remembering to look for the good, to share our gratitude, especially when things feel dark,” he said.

A visit to 9/11 Memorial

While in New York on Sept. 11, Hattrick and Thompson also visited the 9/11 Memorial.

“I wanted to start tonight just spending a couple minutes just to … honor the people that we lost, celebrate the heroes that emerged and remember how a nation came together in its darkest times,” Hattrick said.

“It’s interesting to think about the students that we serve right now,” he added, “because the nation changed on Sept. 11. But while many of us remember it, there are many students who don’t and are only learning of it in classes.

“Spending time at the memorial was … humbling,” Hattrick said.

He displayed photographs of the 9/11 Memorial, which honors the 2,077 killed in September 2001. He paused for a moment of silence, sharing a video he took at the memorial on the 24th anniversary.

Hattrick said the spirit of 9/11 teaches that from loss comes strength and from tragedy emerges determination to build something better. That same community spirit, that same unity and resilience lives on in communities across America, he said, including right here in the Ashland School District.

“The fact that we could honor the past while embracing the future, it filled me with hope, it filled me with excitement,” Hattrick added. “Although I’m exhausted, I still have such energy coming off of that (trip).”

Hattrick also shared that the district will also participate in the Southern Oregon Pride Parade in October for the second year in a row. Staff are encouraged to join the group.

The district is also finalizing a district equity committee, which is required by statute.

Reach Ashland.news reporter Holly Dillemuth at [email protected].