MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Your Community Foundation (YCF) of North Central West Virginia, Inc. manages more than $20 million in more than 150 funds that benefit non-profits in Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston and Taylor Counties and Wenesday the group celebrated Community Foundation Week by awarding more than 50 grants and the inaugural Billy Coffindaffer Award.
“We’re making 60 grant distributions totaling over $117,000 to educators and non-profits across north-central West Virginia,” YCF President and CEO Patty Showers-Ryan said.
The Disability Action Center won the inaugural Billy Coffindaffer Award for demonstrating forward-thinking vision and strength in governance. The award honors Coffindaffer’s lifetime of contributions to the community and work with YCF.
EdTech Leader at Mylan Park Elementary School, Jennifer Reaves, was awarded the STEM for Girls Grant of $3,000. The grant will start the “Innovation Takes Flight” program using drones to teach coding and aviation skills. Reaves said only 10 percent of workers in the aviation industry currently are female, and girls who were exposed to computer science in elementary school are more likely to continue that education.
“Our long-term goal is to expand this program across the entire school,” Reaves said. “So, other students, obviously not just the 22 girls in my club, will have an opportunity to utilize the drones and program and create with them.”
At Clay-Battelle Middle/High School, Physical Education teacher Charles Kraft will purchase new exercise equipment, including the supplies to play kickball. Recently, the school received a donation of a ping pong table but no supplies, so this will help purchase paddles and balls.
“We have several kids that are disabled at our school, and ping pong is a great way for everyone to be involved,” Kraft said. “As long as you have great movement in your upper body, you’re able to do it.”
Regina Chisler from Suncrest Middle School received a $750 grant to make repairs for the Baker’s Space Initiative. The current space has a broken range and some outdated equipment that will be replaced. Because of the current equipment students have to take turns participating, that will no longer be required.
“For my students, particularly, it’s very important because they may not have that foundation of being in that environment, making their own foods, knowing how to clean up, or even knowing how to be safe,” Chisler said.
The principal of Suncrest Middle School, Dawna Hicks, accepted a $669 award on behalf of math teacher Claire Southerly. Southerly plans to purchase supplies to build a “thinking classroom.” Based on the book “Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics,” Southerly will purchase supplies to help students build problem-solving skills collaboratively.
“They go onto the dry erase board and look at their work vertically; they can erase it, they can add, or they can have conversations about that,” Hicks said. “So, Ms. Southerly is going to be able to purchase some of those items so the kids can start having some of those collaborative conversations regarding math.”
In all 15 non-profits and 30 schools from Harrison, Marion, Monongalia, Preston and Taylor Counties received grants at the event.