Wednesday, May 12, 2004

E.C.C.A. Makes grants to Fayette schools

The Endowment committee for Cultural Arts of Fayette County presented grants totaling $10,000 to the Fine Arts Departments of the five Fayette County High Schools. Each school was presented a check in the amount of $2,000 by E.C.C.A. president Sandra Jungers at the organizations annual membership party held recently.

In making the awards, Jungers said, “Our purpose in making these grants is to assist the excellent job our high schools are doing in advancing the arts in our community. We realize the importance of a well rounded education and the important role the arts play in our schools. Studies by the National Foundation of the Arts show that school systems with a well rounded and funded schedule of arts programs produces a student body with a lower drop out rate and a higher admission rate to colleges and universities.”

Superintendent of Schools John Decotis expressed the thanks of the Fayette County Board of Education for the support provided to the school system by the E.C.C.A. over the past 20 years. On hand to accept checks for their schools Fine Arts Departments were: Principal Sam Sweat and Fine Arts Chair David Spearman from Starr’s Mill High School; Ray Rabold, Principal and Millie Turek, Fine Arts Chair from Sandy Creek High School; Principal Tracie Fleming and FIne Arts Chair Gwin Jordan from McIntosh High School; Gretchen McCance, Fine Arts Chair from Whitewater High School and Janice Folsom Fine Arts Chairperson and Melanie Mickelboro, Drama Instructor from Fayette County High School.

The E.C.C.A. is a non profit organization which raises money to support the arts in Fayette County through a variety of fund raising events held throughout the year. Since its organization in 1984 over $298,000 has been donated to Fayette County arts organizations, scholarships to Fayette County students pursuing a career in the arts, and direct grants to schools now totaling in excess of $78,000.

For more information on the E.C.C.A. and its programs please visit www.fayettecounty-ecca.org.