SCHOOL DISTRICT 27J RECEIVES $100,000 GRANT FROM LOWE’S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $100,000 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education® grant to School District 27J to provide electrical power distribution to the core classrooms of Overland Trail and Vikan Middle Schools. These improvements will allow the students at these schools the same opportunities for instructional technology as those at the district’s two newer middle schools. Lowe’s will be recognized for this grant by the Board of Education on Tuesday, October 25th at 7pm, at the District Training Room, 80 S. 8th Avenue in Brighton.

Specifically, the Power for Instructional Equity (PIE) grant from Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation will be used for materials and labor to install three centrally located 42-circuit sub-electrical panels and branch circuits to each classroom that will provide the power needed for additional computers, projectors and other instructional technology equipment. The power enhancement will allow up to 15 standard desktop computers to be plugged into the circuits in each classroom. This upgrade will support the implementation of 21st century content standards and technology-rich classrooms in the core instructional areas of English, math, science and social studies.

“Lowe’s is committed to recognizing and supporting efforts that enrich the lives of our neighbors and customers,” said Marshall Croom, chairman of Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “By supporting organizations like School District 27J, and schools like Overland Trail and Vikan, we believe we are contributing to a cause that’s important to our customers and employees, and we are helping to build a stronger foundation for the children who will be tomorrow’s employees, homeowners and community leaders.”
School District 27J is very grateful to be selected to receive this grant from Lowe’s. “One of our goals is to provide equitable educational opportunities to all students regardless of the age or location of the school facility. With the demand for funds for facility improvements great and the amount of capital dollars in short supply, this grant makes a priority need a reality”, said Joy Gerdom, District Planning Manager.

A 2008 Middle School Equity Study identified that both of these schools lacked the appropriate electrical capacity and power distribution to use the instructional technology available in the two newer middle schools. Overland Trail and Vikan Middle Schools were constructed at a time when school power demands were very different than today’s. Projectors, document cameras, and other technological equipment for instruction create power demands not conceived of when these schools were built.

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education® provides the financial tools to improve schools throughout the United States. Lowe’s signature education grant program has donated $26 million to 6,000 K-12 public schools since 2006, benefitting more than 3 million schoolchildren.

Since its inception in 1957, Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has helped communities nationwide through employee volunteerism and financial contributions. In 2010, Lowe’s and Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support community and education projects in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.