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PUTNAM NEWS
Poca Elementary receives grant for design technology
Joe Haynes, community relations manager for the John Amos Power Plant, presents a $2,000 check to Lexie Damous, principal at Poca Elementary. The grant enabled the school to purchase a VariQuest Design Center for the school.
Purchase this photoThe staff and students at Poca Elementary have a new addition to their computer lab thanks to the people at John Amos Power Plant. Principal Lexie Damous was recently presented with a $2,000 grant to purchase a VariQuest Design Center for her school. The design center produces posters, certificates, banners, stickers, awards and more.
Damous said they learned of the Design Center when a teacher saw the technology at a recent conference, and the school ordered one on a trial basis.
"We got one for a trial period, and the staff loved it," she said.
Although the students haven't used the new equipment, Damous said they can already see the results of it.
"They haven't had hands-on experience, but they can see what it makes," she said. "We'll have a training activity on the 21st. The company will train this SYSOPS, and then they will train the rest of the staff who will then train the students."
Damous said the equipment serves different purposes.
"It will be another technology tool to communicate better and reward students for achievement," she said.
Poca Elementary is one of six county schools who are partnered with John Amos Plant. The other schools are Poca High School, Winfield Middle School, Buffalo Elementary, East Brook Elementary and Hurricane Town Elementary. A seventh, Confidence Elementary, is partnered with the company's Customer Solutions Center in Hurricane, according to Joe Haynes, community relations manager for Amos Plant.
"Our company and our plant set great importance on education," said Haynes.
"We try to work with any and all of the schools in our area, whether it is with cash money or providing a speaker for the classroom, an ad for the yearbook or an ad for a sports team's program," he added.
Although the plant is willing to help any of the schools, Haynes said they give high priority to the schools with whom they are partners.
"We place high priority with partner schools, or a school where one of our employees has involvement, or if an individual teacher has taken part in an AEP Workshop for Educators," he said.
Haynes said that in 2007, John Amos Plant gave to 59 different organizations and projects that were supported by funds, time or talent.
"That might include contributions or volunteers or both that participated in schools or community activities," he said.
He said money is budgeted each year for partner school projects. When one of those schools needs an item, they will contact him.
"They will call us if they have something they want to purchase or they have a special project. Sometimes we can help a lot; sometimes a little. We do what we can," he said.
In addition, he says they offer tours and classroom presentations and support innovative learning strategies through the AEP Vision Grant program. The Vision Grant program was launched in November 2003 to provide aid ranging from $100 to $500 to classroom teachers.
"These grants are designed to reward the talents and creativity of Pre-K through 12 educators devoted to motivating youth to think creatively, to step into leadership roles and to address the challenges of the future," Greg Massey, manager of the Amos Plant, said in a recent press release.
The press release stated that "educators who live or teach in the AEP service area or in communities with major AEP facilities are eligible to apply for the mini-grants. Priority is given to educators who have attended AEP Workshops for Educators, National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project training, AEP's E-Lab projects in Bolivia and Belize or who are affiliated with an AEP school-business partnership. Projects that have an academic focus and a goal of improving student achievement are eligible for consideration. AEP has a special interest in science, mathematics, technology, electrical safety and the balanced study of energy and the environment."
Damous and her staff are thankful for the part John Amos Plant plays in the education of their students.
"John Amos has been a friend to Poca Elementary, and we are very grateful to them," she said.
For more information on the AEP Teacher Vision grant program and other AEP education initiatives, see aep.cm/go/ education.
