Struthers School Foundation awards 4 grants

By EMMALEE C. TORISK

etorisk@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

Danny Thomas Jr. knew the time had come for the Struthers School Foundation for Educational Excellence to start doing things a little bit differently.

So, as the nonprofit organization’s president, Thomas suggested that this year, the foundation more than double the amount of grant money it typically awarded to worthwhile educational projects within the Struthers City School District.

At 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the lobby of Struthers High School, it did just that. Four grant recipients received checks totaling almost $10,500.

From 2003 to last year, the foundation gave out $5,000 annually.

“We like to play our part, and we like to give out as much as we possibly can,” Thomas said. “We have some great teachers, some great projects they pitch and some great things going on in our school system.”

Those selected to receive foundation funding this year were the fourth-grade teachers at Struthers Elementary School, who were awarded $6,259.04 to purchase 30 Chromebooks and three charging stations; Terri Rogan, a math teacher at the high school, who was awarded $3,000 to purchase TI-84 calculators; Stephanie Muntean, a language-arts teacher at the high school, who was awarded $774 to purchase six Nook tablets; and Dora Zanni, a Title 1 teacher at the elementary school, who was awarded $432.50 to purchase informational reading recovery books.

Jennifer Pint, teacher of the gifted and talented at Struthers Middle School, also was selected late last year to receive $2,232.35 from the foundation, which she plans to use to purchase stereo headsets, a camera and four laptop computers.

Dennis Hynes, assistant principal at the elementary school, said the computers and charging stations will be divided evenly among the school’s three “teams” of fourth-grade teachers — and that the possibilities for the technology are simply “limitless.”

Hynes said the teachers plan to use the computers for three main tasks: for daily lessons, for struggling students who may need additional help and for accelerated students who may need access to more challenging material.

“The foundation gives us the opportunity to purchase some new and innovative things the school might not normally include in its yearly budget,” Hynes said. “We’re grateful that we have an organization that is so generous to not only Struthers Elementary School, but to the whole Struthers community.”

Thomas explained that the foundation, which was established in 2000, funds extended educational activities not provided by the school district. It does work closely with the Struthers school board, though, especially to find the best prices for desired materials.

Money donated to the foundation is used to purchase only supplemental materials that will enrich students’ educational opportunities; it can’t be used to buy any “routine educational supplies” or to pay for transportation, salaries, or consumable products, Thomas said.

Thomas added that the 15-member foundation also likes to fund “ongoing projects,” or purchases that won’t be used “for one year, then discarded” — such as workbooks.

And although the foundation is in the midst of its “Buy-a-Brick” campaign during which those interested can purchase custom-engraved bricks that will be placed in front of the high school, it also is planning a “Luau for Learning” fundraiser, tentatively scheduled for May.

Thomas is hopeful that the fundraiser not only will raise the foundation’s visibility in the community, but also add to the amount of grant awards it can distribute next year.