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Second graders at Eastview Elementary are learning about the life cycle of plants and being good citizens, thanks to a $300 grant from the Foundation’s Education Fund. Students are growing flowers that will then be planted in front of Premier Healthcare Nursing Home. Students planted the seeds for marigolds and will observe them as they grow into flowers. Seeds were planted in peat pots that can be planted directly into the ground. Students will then share their flowers with friends at Premiere by planting them in flower beds and surrounding the nursing home. This grant helps young people take pride in their community and learn the good feeling that comes from doing something nice for someone else. Students will also have flowers to take home to plant and share with their families.

The Foundation’s Education Fund started with money form soft drinks and has now provided more than $50,000 in assistance to Fayette County school teachers since 2001. The fund was established to help teachers purchase materials not in the regular school budget by the late Coy Powell, a former principal at Eastview.  Seed money of $5,000 came from the profits on Coca-Cola purchases at school concession stands.  Teachers at each school can apply for grants. The grant applications are available from and evaluated by a committee chaired by Tricia Fields, the district’s Title 1 coordinator.

“The average teacher spends about $800 a year of their own money to buy supplies for their classroom,” said Foundation Executive Director Anna Dungan. “Grants from this fund are meant to offset that. It doesn’t have to be a large grant to make a difference in a child’s life.”