Tharptown receives grant

THARPTOWN – Students at Tharptown Elementary School will soon be using updated technology to enhance their learning thanks to a grant made possible by Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow.
On Thursday, Morrow presented a check for $5,800 to TES Principal Barry Laster, who said the money would go towards technology updates in the classrooms.
“We’ll be using this grant money for projectors, document cameras and other hardware that we hope to get for each classroom here,” Laster said. “We appreciate this grant money and it will go a long way towards our students’ education.”
Morrow, who secured the funds as part of an educational trust fund community service grant, said he was alerted to the need by local businessman Jamie Kiel, and his wife, Melissa, who teaches kindergarten at TES.
“I just want to thank the Kiels for alerting me to this need,” Morrow said. “I’m always glad to help out where I can but I’m especially glad to help out when learning will be the beneficiary.”
Morrow pointed out that TES has a 30-percent Hispanic population and much of the technology and software purchased with the grant would help the school’s English language learners.
“Many of these students can’t go home and get help with their homework if they don’t have parents who speak English, so this technology is important to them especially,” Morrow said.
“This is a great school and they are doing a great job educating these students here,” Morrow added. “Learning can’t take place unless they have the environment for it, and that’s something Tharptown definitely has.”