Southeast Kentucky Chamber awards $8,000 through Excellence in Education Grants
PIKEVILLE, KY (Dec. 20, 2023)
The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce awarded $8,000 in grant funding through its Excellence in Education Grant Program to four schools across the region – two Letcher County schools, the Knott County School System, and one school in Johnson County.
Jordan Gibson, president and CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber, said the educators in the region who apply for the education grants always have exciting and innovative projects in mind for their students.
“The Chamber is honored to be able to give back to the educators in the region who are making a difference in the lives of their students. The applicants who apply for these grants each year go above and beyond for their students by finding outside resources that will make learning more fun and efficient,” said Gibson.
Burdine Elementary School (Letcher County), Jenkins Middle-High School (Letcher County), Knott County Schools (Knott County), and Paintsville High School (Johnson County) all received funding through this year’s education grants from the Chamber.
Burdine Elementary School Administrator Amanda Anderson received a grant for $2,500, which will be used to rebuild the school’s science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) resources using Project Lead the Way curriculum. Burdine Elementary was flooded during the July 2022 flooding.
Jenkins Middle-High School Administrator Wendy Rutherford also received a $2,500 grant to rebuild her school’s STEM resources that were lost due to flooding.
“We desire to make our science, technology, engineering, and math program one that inspires and motivates our students to pursue careers in these related fields,” said Rutherford. “As our middle school students enter high school, they will be able to narrow their focus if a career pathway in computer science, engineering, or biomedical science appeals to them. By using the Project Lead the Way curriculum, our middle school students will experience hands-on explorations, projects and problems while empowering them to solve real-world challenges.”
Knott County Schools Educator Dustin Combs received a $1,750 grant, which will be used to support students in grades 4-12 in adjudicated competitions and exhibition performance opportunities in the areas of speech and dramatic performance.
Paintsville High School Educator Karla McCarty received a $1,250 grant, which will be used to expand the school’s instruction in computer science. The school seeks to purchase GoPiGo Raspberry Pi robots that will allow students to explore robotics, coding, and the frontiers of computer science.
“Each year, the Chamber looks forward to presenting these education grants to the dedicated educators and administrators of this region,” said Gibson. “With the widespread flooding the region recently received we are honored to be able to support the rebuilding of our educational programs, and to give back to the students who are the future of this region.”
The Chamber’s Excellence in Education Grant Program funds approximately $5,000 in educational projects annually in schools in the eight counties the Chamber serves: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. Since its inception, nearly $75,000 has been awarded through the program. Each school can only receive one grant per grant cycle and must wait two grant cycles to receive another grant.
For more information about the Chamber’s Excellence in Education Grant program, visit the Chamber online at www.sekchamber.com or call 606.432.5504.
The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is located at 178 College Street in Pikeville and serves more than 500 businesses in eight Eastern Kentucky Counties: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. The Chamber’s mission is to serve the businesses of Southeastern Kentucky through a commitment to networking, advocacy, education, and collaboration as we partner together to enhance the business climate in our region.
