School-enrichment group awards $126,000 in grants
Posted on Sunday, May 4, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE — From heart monitors to digital books, the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation Inc. celebrated new technology investments and a banner year of grant awards at its annual “Celebration of Excellence” banquet Monday night.
The foundation, now in its 16 th year, celebrated its eighth annual awards ceremony before nearly 300 guests at the UARK Bowl. It disbursed nearly $ 113, 000 in grants to 47 Fayetteville schoolteachers and another $ 13, 000 or so to six high school seniors for the 2008-09 school year.
The largest grant awarded was about $ 10, 300 to high school science teacher Scott Williams.
In recent months, the foundation has received donations of $ 50, 000 and $ 15, 000 from the Bank of Fayetteville and the AT&T Foundation, respectively. The Bank of Fayetteville endowment was given in memory of John Lewis, a founding Fayetteville Public Education Foundation board member.
Fayetteville Superintendent of Schools Bobby New said he’s thrilled with the community’s financial investment in its youngest generation, but he’s not surprised. Residents and businesses “see the connection between quality of life and education, [and ] the quality of education and property values,” he said.
Holly Eiland, a 17-year-old senior, said she feels fortunate to be a high school student living in Fayetteville.
“A lot of smaller schools, you wouldn’t have this opportunity to give out scholarships and grants to those who need it,” she said.
Eiland received the Class of 1952 scholarship, a $ 1, 250 stipend given for the first time this year. Darby Gieringer and Kimberley Jones won the Marty Thurlby Deweese Study Abroad scholarship. Jeanne Vockroth won the Blake Croxdale Writing Award. Mary Beth Farrish won the Heather Spears scholarship, and Garland Max Thorn III won the Matthew Moore scholarship.
Award winners, patrons, donors and sponsors dined on chicken rigatoni with basil marsala sauce, penne in vodka sauce, and artichoke spinach pasta, and cheesecake with raspberry or cherry topping from Noodles Italian Kitchen.
Treva Hamilton, executive director of the foundation, said the group raised about $ 40, 000 in sponsorships.
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