ATMC recently awarded $35,000 in grant funds to 12 Columbus educators to expand educational programs here.
Recipients in the Columbus County area include Danielle Hinson and Michael Powell of Chadbourn Elementary; Amy Malpass of East Columbus High School; Carla Stewart of Nakina Middle; Angela Tyler, Jessica Edge, and Georganna Council of Old Dock Elementary; Wendy Shoemaker and Christy Fipps-Todd of South Columbus High School; Lisa Lennon of Tabor City Elementary; Kim Ward of Whiteville Primary, and Cassie Hoffman of Williams Township School.
The funds will go toward various programs like The Teaching Garden, Read to Succeed, An Apple a Day, and others.
At Chadbourn, students will have more comfortable chairs for reading times. East Columbus Will purchase a Junior Library Guild subscription, to improve the selection of books available to students.
Nakina will use the funds to purchase new MacBooks designed for use by children with cognitive and learning disabilities. The machines will be especially programmed to help students stay organized and focused, and learn in ways better suited to their skill levels.
Old Dock will add the Manipulating Our Future with Manipulatives program, which allows students to use real world objects to demonstrate abstract concepts.
South Columbus will purchase additional reading materials designed to attract and encourage students to read more.
Tabor City Elementary students will have access to a new program where they earn coins that can be used to purchase books through a vending machine.
Whiteville Primary’s Teaching Garden will use a garden to supplement lessons in science and healthy living.
Williams Township students will have access to electrochemistry labs to expand STEM learning, encouraging more students to go into engineering and other technical trades.
The funds were part of the cooperative’s grant program in Columbus and Brunswick that was established in 2006. So far, $845,000 has been given to over five hundred programs.
“We know that educators make great sacrifices to keep their students engaged and learning,” said Keith Holden, ATMC Chief Executive Officer. “Through these grants, ATMC hopes to help bring new and innovative ideas, as well as needed supplies to many of the classrooms in our local area. It is our way of showing our appreciation to the teachers in our community.”
