"This year's grant could affect all high school students in Florence District 1," said Foundation chairman Trip DuBard. "It allows them to develop and demonstrate real-world skills in demand by area industries such as Roche Carolina, Wellman, Honda, McLeod Regional Medical Center, Honda of South Carolina, Carolinas Hospital System and others."

The grant request was a joint effort by Florence School District I's Career Center and the Florence Education and Business Alliance. The Alliance, also known as FEBA, is working to implement new state requirements of the Education and Economic Development Act, or EEDA. The EEDA requires that high schools begin gradually aligning their curriculum to support 16 major study areas. Florence School District 1 is now focusing on manufacturing, health sciences, and business management and finance. Last year, The School Foundation gave $71,500 to develop "The Creative Economy" arts curriculum, designed to support the arts and audio visual communication study area.

"We're very excited at the possibilities this grant offers," said Dr. Frank Cox, President and General Manager of Roche Carolina, Inc., and leader of the FEBA group. "Area industries sorely need well-trained workers, and this allows students hands-on opportunities to learn valuable skills before leaving school."

For health sciences, the grant will fund one-time purchases of stethoscopes, mannequins,digital thermometers and other specialized equipment that will support such courses as Introduction to Health Sciences, Health Technologies I and II, Medical Terminology and Pharmacology.

"The growing need for health care professionals is a national issue," said Rob Colones,president and CEO of McLeod Regional Medical Center. "Likewise, as our region's population ages and increases, there will be continued challenges to train more people to support and staff vocations in health care. There are many opportunities for young people to pursue these interests, and we are pleased that this grant, funded by the School Foundation, will provide resources towards education in health care sciences."

For the manufacturing study area, the grant will help purchase a curriculum called Mechatronics. That curriculum uses specialized equipment, which the grant will buy, to enhance instruction in electrical wiring, circuit breakers and fuses, hydraulics,pneumatics, robotics, electrical blueprints and other topics.

"We're grateful for the support and involvement of The School Foundation and area industry leaders in helping Florence School District 1 excel," said District Superintendent Larry Jackson.

The grant announcement came as The School Foundation prepares to host the Second Annual Harry Carson Celebrity Golf Classic Sponsored by Honda of South Carolina, Inc.The tournament begins with a private party Friday night at the Country Club of South Carolina, followed by golf on Saturday. At least five Professional Football Hall of Fame players and many other top professional athletes are scheduled to participate.

The School Foundation was founded in 2000 to raise private donations to support the,000 children at 23 schools in Florence School District 1, which serves the greater Florence, SC area. Grants

o Are not for operating expenses. They are intended to make good schools great.

o Target student academics and citizenship, teacher quality, school safety and district leadership.

o Are designed to have high impact across the district. Grants are to be $10,000 or more.In 2003, The School Foundation passed the $1 million mark - the trigger that allowed it to begin making distributions. In 2004, The School Foundation made its first distribution-- $37,000 to support Language Enrichment Acceleration Program labs in three elementary schools. The labs expanded intensive reading support to all first graders rather than just those having trouble. In 2005, the district was so pleased with the Foundation's LEAP lab pilot project that it expanded the LEAP labs to all elementary schools in the district.The School Foundation is now the largest private endowment for K-12 public education in South Carolina, with an endowment exceeding $1.4 million.

For more information, contact Trip DuBard at 843-601-0435 or Debbie Hyler at 843-662-9996.

Reprinted from: The News Journal