Kenton Career & Technical Center Of Erie 1 BOCES Receives Grant for Community Service

Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation funds students’ good works

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Kenton Career & Technical Center of Erie 1 BOCES for a community service project working with the Miracle League of Grand Island and Western New York.

With the grant the members of the SkillsUSA chapter at Kenton hope to purchase and assemble a piece of playground equipment designed specifically for special needs children. They also plan to be involved with other aspects of the League; helping with the construction of the scoreboard and press box, assisting with landscaping and participating in games. 

The primary group that will benefit from this project is the entire community of special needs kids in Western New York. The playing field and playground will give them the opportunity to participate in America’s past time and other sports – providing children a place that invites them in to play rather than shuts them out like every other field and playground in the area. It will help promote their self-esteem, improve social skills and contribute to improved health as it gives them a new opportunity to be active.

This project will introduce students to new people and ideas: they will learn patience and a better appreciation for so many of the things they take for granted, improve teamwork skills, leadership, and problem solving abilities throughout this project. The buddies who participate in games will also benefit. Buddies usually work with the same team, enabling all participants to develop relationships. These new relationships benefit both special needs kids and buddies as well. It is our hope that this project will create a culture of caring and community support. The work can help students establish a lifelong connection to their community and strengthen community ties. 

“The grant in Tonawanda represents Lowe’s commitment to career and technical education,” said Marshall Croom, chairman of Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “By supporting schools like the Kenton Career & Technical Center, we believe we are contributing to a cause that’s important to our customers and employees by helping provide improved learning environments and build stronger communities.”

ABOUT SkillsUSA

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. SkillsUSA helps high school and college students enrolled in career and technical education programs to excel by teaching employability skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership in conjunction with their trade, technical and service occupations skills. The association’s annual membership exceeds 300,000 students and instructors in more than 3,800 schools and colleges in every state, three territories and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.skillsusa.org.

ABOUT LOWE’S

Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company’s signature education grant program, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education^®, has donated nearly $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2006. Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross. In 2010, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

 

 

The clubs at Harkness, Kenton and Potter are all busy signing up members to start the year.  Ask any teacher or advisor for information about this great opportunity.