The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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  • Area teachers and members of the Beckley Area Foundation are shown after receiving education mini grants Tuesday during the board of education meeting in Beckley. Chris Tilley/The Register-Herald

    Teachers 1

  • Debbie Gray, left, of BAF, awards a “Students First” mini grant to Independence Middle School teacher Carolyn Buzbee. Chris Tilley/The Register-Herald

    Teachers 2
November 14, 2012

‘Students First’ mini grants awarded

By Sarah Plummer Register-Herald Reporter

More than 30 Beckley Area Foundation “Students First” Mini Grant Awards were presented at Tuesday’s Raleigh County Board of Education meeting.

The grants, this year totaling more than $10,000, give individual teachers up to $500 for a creative and imaginative project to fill students needs or interests.

Since the foundation began the Mini Grants in 1994, they have put more than $140,000 into Raleigh County classrooms.

This year’s projects vary in topic, from physical education projects to a journalism writing project that allows students to see their own newspaper in print.

Beckley Area Foundation representatives Dan Doma, Deborah Songer-Gray and Linda Polly were on hand to give out the awards.

Gray said this year the foundation saw many more applicant from middle and high school teachers than in past years and she encouraged this trend to continue.

Doma explained that the Students First Mini Grant committee was the first committee he sat on for the Beckley Area Foundation.

“I was amazed at the number of things that go on in our classrooms and the many projects we fund,” he commented.

Those teachers present Tuesday who received grants are Mike Williamson, Marsh Fork Elementary; Wendy Keeney, Coal City Elementary; Belinda Harvey, St. Francis de Sales School; Dru Ross, Beckley Elementary; Melinda Wills, Woodrow Wilson High; Dawn McGinnis, Woodrow Wilson High; Kristy Robertson, Beckley-Stratton Middle; Allison Nettles, Bradley and Hollowood elementaries; Julie Midkiff, Bradley Elementary; Terri Gunter, Bradley Elementary; Cindy Polling, Bradley Elementary; Sarah Toney, Bradley Elementary; Elizabeth Raney, Beckley Elementary; Drema McNeal, Park Middle; Connie Dillon, Liberty High; Carol Roach, Liberty High; Carolyn Buzbee, Independence Middle; Josh Grant, Woodrow Wilson High; Anne Meadows, Academy of Careers and Technology; and Jane Sutphin, Crescent Elementary.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, Sally Susman was appointed to sit on the District Safety Committee and the superintendent approved the recommendation that Allen Sexton be appointed as Assistant Director of Special Education for the county.

Sexton comes to Raleigh County schools from the West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Special Programs.

— E-mail: splummer@register-herald.com

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