The Retool Your School contest is an annual grant offering from Atlanta-headquartered Home Depot and is part of the company's commitment to strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities – like Paine College. As the company says on its program website: The Home Depot strives to give back to our nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) what they have so generously given to their communities - a strong foundation, renewed purpose, and distinctive character. This is the tenth year of Home Depot's Retool Your School program, and the company is celebrating by increasing its grant support.

This year, Home Depot is offering ten campus improvement grants of $50,000 each. Nine of the grant winners will be determined by your votes, with the tenth receiving a special "Campaign of the Year Award" for the school with the most creative and original campaign. When we were awarded a grant in 2014, that $10,000 prize was deeply appreciated by everyone at Paine College. This year, we are excited to see that Home Depot has increased its commitment to HBCUs even more, and we are hopeful that our community support will be enough to help us once again compete for one of the program's top grant awards. Online voting started on February 25 and ends on April 14 at noon. You will be able to vote for Paine College by visiting retoolyourschool.com or by using the school's designated Twitter or Instagram hashtag on social media.

Note, however, that the rules require social media votes to be cast from public accounts only. Paine College has always been appreciative of the tremendous support we have received from our community, and we look forward to your help in this endeavor as well. Your vote matters, so we need as much support and assistance as we can get to push Paine College's vote totals over the top! We are grateful to Home Depot as well, as the company's commitment to HBCUs and their communities is a clear example of the lessons we try to impart to every student who attends Paine College. That spirit of giving back to the community is one that can help to build a better world for all. Paine College is in Cluster 3 and is currently in second place.

Whether you're a student, a member of faculty, an alumnus, or a proud resident of the town we all love, we urge you to join us and give us your vote. The Lion Nation needs your support!