Welcome to the
Austin-East
Foundation
About the AE Foundation
We want students in East Knoxville to have the same educational opportunities as other students in Knox County. Community funds and foundations serve to supplement the work of a school, and nearly every other high school in Knox County has a community foundation that can fill the gaps our school board cannot. There are more than enough resources in our community to meet the needs of our students, so a community fund like this one can funnel those resources where they are most needed as we work toward the educational equity our students deserve.
Who We Are
The Austin-East Community Fund was established by a group of concerned citizens to financially support the education efforts at Austin-East High School. One hundred percent of the money raised by this fund will be used to support students, faculty, and staff of Austin-East, with a goal of at least 75% of resources going to academic endeavors. The ultimate goal of this fund is to lead to the establishment of an Austin-East Foundation that will function independently by the end of 2021.
History
In 1879, Emily Austin, a white Presbyterian woman from Philadelphia, establishes Austin School after informing the Knoxville Board of Aldermen that she raised $6500 in the North to erect a Colored school in Knoxville.
Austin High School was originally located at 327 Central Avenue. The school began by serving students in grades 1-6. Seventh grade was added in 1882, eighth grade in 1885, ninth in 1886 tenth in 1888, eleventh in 1921, and twelfth grade was added in 1935. A new Colored High School was built at the behest of Knoxville Mayor S. G. Heiskell and a few city commissioners, and the “Austin” name was dropped from the school in 1915.
A new Colored High School was built at the behest of Knoxville Mayor S. G. Heiskell and a few city commissioners, and the “Austin” name was dropped from the school in 1915. The new school was located at 901 Payne Avenue and featured an addition to the already existing Green School which was built in 1909. Due to overcrowding at the Knoxville Colored High School, the first completely new high school for Black students was opened in 1928.
The new school was renamed Austin High School and located at 1401 Vine Avenue. In 1952 Austin moved to a new modern building at 1807 Vine Avenue, one block from its previous location. In 1968, Knoxville East and Austin High schools were merged, forming Austin-East High School which is still located at 2800 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, where East had previously resided.
In 1997, Austin-East High School was designated as Knox County’s only performing arts magnet high school.
How To Partner
By clicking the donate link on this page, you will have an opportunity to give a tax-deductible gift to the Austin-East Community Fund that is generously being hosted by the National Christian Foundation who have agreed to help us raise money until we become our own independent foundation.
How To Partner
By clicking the donate link on this page, you will have an opportunity to give a tax-deductible gift to the Austin-East Community Fund that is generously being hosted by the National Christian Foundation who have agreed to help us raise money until we become our own independent foundation.
I want to do more
Advisory Committee
- Tanisha Fitzgerald-Baker
- Matthew Best
- Jenae Anderson-Easterly
- Caleb Fristoe
- Jonathan Haskell
- Sam Brown
- Phillip Hamilton, Sr.
- Quineka Moten
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