County approves funds for Goldsboro
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on September 20, 2006 1:49 PM
Parents and students will get some extra help at Goldsboro High School thanks to a donation from the Wayne County commissioners.
The commissioners presented Goldsboro High principal Pat Burden with $13,000 at their meeting Tuesday to supplement two grant requests for programs that were not funded by the state.
The high school applied for an $8,000 grant for the Parents Academy program, but only received $5,000. The program, which runs from Sept. 30 to April, provides parents the opportunity to join their children in character-building sessions run by a motivational speaker, Mrs. Burden said.
Parents are also given the chance to discuss the high school's views and goals with an administrator, Mrs. Burden said.
"If parents have a better understanding, they can better support our students," she said.
By having a parent more involved with a child's education, Mrs. Burden said the student is more likely to attend class and to strive for better grades.
The second program, which received no grant money, will assist students who want to supplement their education and develop their interpersonal and other skills by participating in special extracurricular opportunities.
Although some students are involved in afterschool activities at Goldsboro High, Mrs. Burden said many can't participate because they don't have transportation to get them to and from school in the afternoons.
The $10,000 commissioners' donation will help provide that transportation for students.
Students will be able to choose from video production, computer training, dance, chess, creative writing and many other activities "to advance the personal confidence and education" of the children, Mrs. Burden said.
Students must have regular attendance to join in the afterschool programs, she said. And with that stipulation, Mrs. Burden said she believes students will accomplish more academically.
Both programs will "enhance the overall student performance in the classroom," she said.
County Commissioner Efton Sager said he considered it a small investment for the future of Goldsboro High students.
Mrs. Burden said every little bit helps.
"Money is not always the answer, but it can make it easier to do," she told the commissioners.