Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, September 05, 2008

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Chess players Evan King (left), his sister Annelise, and Mackie Flannery challenged Superintendent Stu Silberman and two members of the Fayette Education Foundation when they stopped by to present Yates Elementary School with a grant for its after-school clubs.

At Yates Elementary School, older kids mentor and teach second-graders how to play chess in an after-school program that’s got proven results.

“I’d definitely say it helps me with math and other strategy games,” fifth-grader Evan King said.

Amy Crump, the school’s social worker and chess club adviser, agreed.  “It helps with memory and spatial reasoning as well as self-confidence,” she added.

In the past three years, student achievement at Yates has continued to climb, and school leaders say a rich offering of after-school activities has played a role in that success.

Recognizing the value of such programs for at-risk students, the Fayette Education Foundation has awarded Yates a $15,000 grant to help pay for the weekly “club” program. Among the beneficiaries are clubs for chess, science, dance, drama, chorus, recycling, fitness and book lovers. This is the third year the foundation has supported the Yates program.

The annual 2020 Vision grants fund innovative programs that support the foundation’s goals of closing achievement gaps and raising overall student achievement. Schools apply for the grants, which must align with the district’s 2020 Vision goals.

Foundation board members, school board members and Superintendent Stu Silberman stopped by four schools Friday, including Yates, to present the latest awards.

At Glendover Elementary, first- and second-grade teachers will use their $24,489 grant to add SmartBoards and overhead projectors in nine more classrooms. “If you’re going to engage children, you have to come up with something different,” Principal Cathy Fine said.

On the large, interactive touch screens, students can do math problems, language arts assignments – anything in the regular lesson plan. Plus, “it makes teaching a whole lot of fun,” according to third-grade teacher Carol Royse.

Elementary kids aren’t the only ones benefiting from advanced technology. At Lafayette High School, Kelley Hayden demonstrated how her Algebra I students use hand-held graphing calculators to key-in equations and answers. With this system, the teacher can assign practice problems, monitor students’ progress, immediately see group and individual results, and determine where additional instruction is needed. The foundation’s $19,000 grant to Lafayette will pay for more calculators and other classroom-based technology initiatives.

Finally, at Dixie Elementary Magnet, an $8,000 grant will fund a teacher leadership program, with the goal of bolstering students particularly in reading and math. One teacher from each grade level will participate in the leadership initiative, meeting weekly to focus on student achievement and develop instructional plans to ensure success for all kids.

“The Fayette Education Foundation is a great partner,” Silberman said. “They continue to help our schools raise student achievement and close gaps at the same time. We are so thankful for all these community leaders do to help our kids.”

The Fayette Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, is dedicated to working with and supporting the Fayette County Public Schools. Board members – who are leaders in business, media, government and the community – recognize the importance of a high quality public school system and are passionate in their belief that all students deserve the opportunity to reach their highest academic potential.