A $1 million donation from Erie Insurance is helping the United Way of Erie County launch its Uniting for Education campaign.

The $15 million campaign will help transform Erie High School into a community school.

So far, the community schools model has been implemented in 16 schools across four districts.

Erie High School will be the first high school to be part of the initiative.

"The model is very effective through the middle schools," said Erie Insurance CEO Tim NeCastro. "We believe this continuation will help people figure out where they want to go in a career, or if they want to go to community college, or college."

The community schools model helps eliminate barriers that students face, by providing them with social services and resources.

"We bring the resources into the schools so they become the hub for the student and for the family, so they can be successful and so take away those non-academic barriers so the kids can get to school, engage in school, and succeed in school," said United Way President Laurie Root. "We're investing in the future of our community."

According to NeCastro, a total of $5 million will go towards transitioning Erie High School into a community school, while the other $10 million will go towards an endowment.

"We will be able to use those funds to fund the community schools moving forward," said NeCastro. "We expect to be able to be complete by this time next year."