GRANTED KNOWLEDGE: Students study after school in the Clarke Central High School media center. In years past, the media center has paid for books with Classroom Grants awarded by the CCHS Parent Teacher Student Organization. “It’s very helpful to teachers. It’s been great to us,” media center specialist Lindy Weaver said.
By AARON HOLMES – Print Senior Copy Editor
This year, applications are being accepted by the Clarke Central High School PTSO in order to provide additional funds for classrooms.
The Clarke Central High School Parent Teacher Student Organization is accepting applications from teachers for classroom grants. These grants are monetary gifts made to teachers or staff who demonstrates need for extra funding to the PTSO.
“The PTSO offers grants to teachers and to student organizations. The money is raised through membership dues and any fundraising efforts that we sponsor; last year we sold poinsettias,” PTSO secretary Karen Smith said.
According to Smith, the PTSO will accept applications in search of a cause that will bring the greatest benefits.
“Typically, we like to have two application periods–one in the fall and one in the spring–so that we spread the little bit of money that we have as far as it can go,” Smith said. “We prefer applications for projects that are going to benefit a large number of students. Last year, we didn’t fund any grants; we denied one.”
In 2013, a grant was given to the media center to fund the purchase of books intended for International Baccalaureate classrooms and extracurriculars based in the media center. Media specialist Lindy Weaver feels that the grant was helpful.
“Not as many teachers apply to it as should. It’s helped us a lot in the library. They helped give us some funds to go when we did our second round of competition for the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, they helped pay for our hotel fees,” Weaver said. “And they’ve given money to the library before to help us buy books for IB, and that was really cool.”
