By Rupert Howell

Twenty-one South Panola School District teachers were awarded grants totaling approximately $28,000 from the South Panola Foundation for Public Education last week during programs at Batesville Intermediate School Auditorium and Pope School.

FPE president Kenny Hopper congratulated recipients during a meeting at Batesvile Intermediate School  Auditorium and encouraged each to join the foundation, buy car tags supporting FPE and begin the process of applying for next year’s grants.

In its fourth year the foundation uses donations from individuals, business and industry along with revenue from sales of car tags to fund grants for use by teachers for items that the district is unable to supply.

According to Hopper, each applicant was awarded a grant this year. Grant amounts ranged from a few hundred dollars to $5,000. The largest was actually for BIS physcial education teacher Kristy Wilson and amounted to $4,942.

Wilson will buy 44 pairs of inline skates, helmets and pads as she targets childhood obesity by trying to get more students to exercise outside of school.

The FPE organization was created to enhance public education by assisting teachers with learning tools not easily available through the school district. Although school administrators endorse approval of grant requests, funds for the grants are not part of the district’s budget or derived from tax money.

Emily Griste teaches the gifted class at Batesville Junior High. She received a grant of  $660 for a video camera and software for her students to learn to make commercials while studying propaganda techniques.

Among grants teachers were awarded at Batesville Elementary School were: Jill Roberts, visual presenter; Tammy Weldon, smart board.

Batesville Intermediate School teachers were awarded grants for: Anita Smith, mental marquee; Kay McDuffie, Show Choir and Wilson’s, Skate in School.

Batesville Middle School teachers received grants for: Judy Newton, literacy center; Jennifer Aven, smart board; Anita Walters, document imager; Tracy Meredith, math instructional program.

Kristen Neal will use her grant award, “Ancient Civilizations, Where it All Began,” for both Batesville Middle School and Batesville Junior High. Also at Batesville Junior High, Griste’s grant for “Teaching Technology for Today” was awarded.

Jennifer Amos at South Panola High School received a grant for improving freshman achievement and Deanna Dye received a grant for the high school theatre department.