GOOD HOPE, Ala. – The Good Hope City Council presented funds from the City’s alcohol tax revenue to some very happy teachers Monday night. Teachers from Good Hope Primary, Elementary, Middle and High Schools received a total of $15,050 for use in their classrooms.
Good Hope Primary
$180- Ashley Henderson for math manipulatives
$820- Becky McDonald/Donna Burgess for art supplies
$2,000- Anna McSwain for Chromebooks for special needs classroom
Burgess explained, “We asked for money to supply our art club and our at class. We have classes for every student in the school.”
Burgess brought colorful and creative artwork created by her primary students for the council.
She added, “We have to have paper and crayons. We have lots of broken crayons and they do not like to use broken crayons. We are so excited to be able to resupply our things.”
Good Hope Elementary
$600- Miranda Self for incubator for science lab
$150- Sara Kirkpatrick for bouncy bands and wobble cushions
$500- Coach Larry Brock/ Beverly Jenkins for rocks for playground
$1,500- Melody Martin for student work areas/table and chairs
“Through fundraising, we were able to purchase a climbing wall for the playground. With the climbing wall, we needed a landing area and with this grant we will be able to provide that,” Brock said as he accepted the grant money.
Good Hope Middle School
$1,300- Pam Yates for Rubik’s Cube Challenge Club
Yates thanked the council and added, “This fall, Mrs. (Stephanie) Hood in the library had Rubik’s Cubes out for the kids to manipulate. What I noticed was in particular my students who don’t excel in the classroom, they were shining. I had other kids saying, ‘Wait a minute! How are you able to do that?’ The self-esteem I saw in those kids because for once they were the ones doing the teaching, they just bloomed in front of me.”
Yates knew she wanted to get more cubes and she started a club at the school. She believes the kids will not only have fun but gain highly important social skills in the club environment.
Good Hope High School
$1,500- Lisa Holt for classroom table and chairs
$1,500- Anita Whitlock for flexible seating in the classroom
$1,500- Adriana Skutchan for flexible seating in the classroom
$1,500- Jessica Clayton for classroom table and chairs
$2,000- Patrick McDonald for archery team nets, targets and bows to start an elementary team
Whitlock was beyond excited to be adding flexible seating to add to her classroom.
She said, “I am so excited! Y’all come visit my classroom and see all these high schoolers sitting in these little alternative seating arrangements. This is good for us!”
Skutchan got the idea for flexible seating after attending a conference over the summer.
She said, “I am just really seeing these students come into themselves and make good choices for their own learning.”
The grant will allow Skutchan to increase from 40% alternative seating to 100% in her classroom.
The funds from the City’s alcohol tax revenue are an additional $15,050 given by the council on top of the money it gives each year to the schools. The City donates $15,000 to Good Hope High School each year and $4,000 to each of the other three schools.
Mayor Jerry Bartlett said, “The City of Good Hope brings in, right now, around $200,000 in alcohol funds. When we went wet, this council said that we are going to continue to support our schools, our fire and our community in whatever we can. We continue to support and will always support them. This council loves this community and we are going to try to help in any way we possibly can.”
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