Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

GHS Teachers Receive Grants

The Reynolds Metals Foundation in Richmond, Va., together with Reynolds Metals Company's Gum Springs plant, is awarding five Excellence in Education Grants to the teachers in the Arkadelphia and Gurdon School Districts for the 1996-1997 academic year. The grants total $4.844.

Teachers from Arkadelphia High School, Goza Junior High School, Peake Elementary School and Gurdon High School will be awarded grants.

Paul Webb, Reynolds Metals Company's Gum Springs plant manager, announced the first year winners and recently presented checks to Dr. Carolyn McGaughey, superintendent of Arkadelphia Public Schools, Leonard Gills, Principal of Gurdon High school and to the respective teachers.

"All of us at Reynolds are pleased to introduce the grant program to the Reynolds school districts and are honored to reward our local teachers with the Excellence in Education Grants," Webb said. "For over 50 years Reynolds has encouraged educational opportunities for both teachers and students, and it's wonderful to empower their ideas here in this area", he added.

The Reynolds Metals Company invited teachers in the Arkadelphia and Gurdon School Districts, grades 6-12, to participate in the Excellence in Education program by submitting proposals for projects that pormote excellence in classroom education through innovative teaching activities.

The applications were evaluated by a local committee consisting of a Reynolds Metals Company employee, a district administration representative, and a representative from the business community.

"We appreciate this generous commitment by Reymolds Metals," Dr. McGaughey said. "The grants allow the students to benefit from special programs and materials that other wise wouldn't exist and the teachers can support their core curriculum in the classroom while benefiting the students."

The winning entries for the 1996-1997 school year are Arkadelphia High School, Ezzerd C. Hunter -- Visual Curriculum; Goza Junior High School, Helen Webb -- Spanish Software; Peake Elementary School, Kathryn James, Lisa Houston, Larry Manning and Anita Malcom -- Bioshelter; and Gurdon High School, Charles Failla, Laura Overton and Sharon Horne -- Internet.

The Reynolds Excellence in Education program was initiated in 1990 by the Reynolds Metals Foundation in Richmond, and it has been expanded to reach other selected Reynolds plant communities.