Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber awards education grants

This is one of the best examples in how money that’s raised in the community can go back to the community for great causes.

Chamber Awards Grants for Innovative Educational Projects

Education came out on top at the Ed Steffey Memorial Education Open golf tournament which took place in September at the Goodyear Golf Course. All proceeds from the
golf tournament go into a pool of money from which educators and educational institutions in our region may request grant monies. This year, proceeds from the Ed Steffey Memorial Education Open Golf Tournament were used to fund grants ranging from $200 – $800 for educational projects and/ or programs in our region.

The Chamber’s Education Committee reviewed over 25 grant proposals requesting a total of more than $92,000. The committee was able to award over $5,000 to 13 grant applicants. “While economic conditions hampered our participation in this year’s golf tournament, we continued to build on the strong foundation of this tournament to support collaborative projects that benefit our students,” commented Chamber President Laurie S. Moran, CCE.

The Chamber congratulates the following recipients of the 2009-2010 grant program:

“Chatham High School FIRST Robotics Team #1095”
Stephanie O’Brien and Kimberly Dooley
Chatham High School
Students will be exposed to cooperative learning in the areas of math, science, engineering, psychology, sociology, and technology to plan, build, produce & program a robot to perform duties required by NASA.

“A Book Bag Lunch – Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko”
Lisa Hartgrove
Dan River Middle School
Dan River Middle School’s first book club will encourage students to read for pleasure and to enjoy sharing ideas gleaned from reading the same book at the same time. Also, it will encourage students who may be reluctant readers to participate so that they will enjoy reading with others in a stress-free atmosphere.

“GWHS FIRST Robotics Competition”
Daniel Waters
George Washington School
Students learn to work as a team and to work with professionals to meet a common goal.

“Going Green!”
Ramona Booker, Alexis Crews, Cynthia Daniel, Stephanie Shelton, Paula Gaither, Alice Showalter
Glenwood Elementary Schools
Students will take responsibility in assisting with planning, designing, and sustaining a garden. They will continue to promote health and wellness with an emphasis on the environment for the school year.

“Sounds Like the Best of Both Worlds”
Lola King, Allison Cundiff, Alexis Crews, Pamela Adams, Paula Gaither, Andrea Pointer, Stephanie Richardson
Glenwood Elementary School
Students will master the areas of weakness in phonics to sound out (decode) words independently thus building comprehension skills and becoming fluent readers.

“Listen Up!”
Cynthia Daniel, Stephanie Shelton, and Pamela Adams
Glenwood Elementary School
Students will become confident, fluent readers through modeling, repetition, and increased sight vocabulary. They will gain experience in comprehension.

“Starlab: Portable Planetarium”
Kimberly Dawson
Gretna Elementary School
Students will have a better understanding of day/night, reasons for the season, phases of the moon and how the moon affects the tides and the solar system.

“Artist Within After School Program”
Chastity Wertz, Amelia Wilson, Patricia Cocke
Mt. Airy Elementary School
Students will use problem solving skills to plan, create, and complete each of their creative works of art. This project will help students become more self-expressive, unleashing any artistic skills that they may possess.

“Junior Solar Sprint”
Cathleen Hincker
OT Bonner Middle School
The goals of the JSS are to generate enthusiasm for science and engineering at a crucial stage in the educational development of young people, improve students’ understanding of scientific concepts and renewable energy technologies, and encourage students to consider technical careers at an early age.

“Take Home a Teacher!”
Sara O’Donnell and Jacob Spencer
Park Avenue Elementary School
The students will gain a better understanding of the information presented in class and their parents will be better able to assist them at home.

“Big Buddy, Little Buddy”
Kimberly Seamster and Melissa Gillie
Park Avenue Elementary School
Big Buddies will establish a positive relationship with Little Buddies by taking on a leadership role and seeing the importance in doing for others. Little Buddies will gain a feeling of accomplishment by building fluency in reading and creating something that will be displayed in their school.

“Driver Education Tool Kit”
Dr. Lynn Dillon – W.W. Moore Detention Education Program
LaDelle Moan – George Washington High School
Nancy Rook – Galileo Magnet High School
Students will have a better understanding of signs, line of sight, weight transfer, crash avoidance, steering, the affect of drinking and driving and be able to apply these concepts.

“Kool Keyboarding for Kids”
Molly Motley, Susan Custer, Jennifer Snead, Karen Brown
Woodlawn Academy
Fourth and fifth grades students will be introduced to basic keyboard concepts and achievement of proficiency in touch typing.

The Board of Directors and the Education Committee of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and everyone involved with the tournament for making the 2009 -2010 grant projects possible.

(Thanks to Laurie Moran at the Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce for getting this information out.)