Donors make trip possible
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 10, 2013 1:46 PM
Wayne County Public Schools students do well in local and regional competitions and often go on to regional and state contests.
When it comes time to advance to the national level, though, that can get costly.
The district currently pays for first-place state finishers to go on to the national events. There has been recent discussion among school board members about relaxing the policy to include students to earn second place in the state.
Jennifer Tyndall, a business teacher at Spring Creek High School and adviser of the Future Business Leaders of America, has had many students compete at the state, national and even world-level events.
When senior Amanda Strickland placed third at the state FBLA business law contest, neither student nor teacher expected to be able to advance, since the national event would be held in California.
"When we first started talking about it before state, she knew her family couldn't afford it," Mrs. Tyndall said. But that's when the community stepped in.
"We sent out letters to businesses in the surrounding community asking for donations," Mrs. Tyndall said. "We also had a spirit night at the bowling alley as a fundraiser."
Once the fundraising efforts started, the response was almost overwhelming, she said.
The goal was to raise $1,800 and the drive succeeded, with teachers helping the most.
Contributing businesses included C&M Plumbing, Best Used Cars, Bay Valley Foods, Mt. Olive Pickle, Raymond James Financial, Daly RV and Southeast Family Pharmacy. School staff donors included Charlotte Murphy, Kim Johnson and Beverly Boltinhouse and Mark Loury and Michelle Cobb.