Crook County High School gets $40,000 in Facebook grants

Central Oregon nonprofits and schools were awarded a total of $100,000 Monday morning by Facebook in their latest annual round of community grants, and Crook County High School received a large chunk of the funding.

Several programs at the school will share more than $40,000 in this year’s grants.

School officials said it’s money that will assist learning in the classroom.

“It’s hard to graduate career- and college-ready if you are not using technology,” Principal Michelle Jonas said.

The money awarded to the high school will help it purchase 64 Chromebook laptops for use in the classrooms. Some of that money will help improve the computer science department, where students learn about coding.

“It’s always important to be adding technology into the classrooms, and Facebook for the last couple years has been a great partner on adding those things to the classroom,” Jonas said.

It’s not just the classrooms that will be getting some improvements. Ward Rhoden Stadium will be getting a replacement for its 30-year-old sound system.

The stadium is used year-around for school sports, community fundraisers and graduation ceremonies. The funding will also help kick start funding for a new football scoreboard.

Here’s the rest of the Facebook news release listing the grants:

These outstanding nonprofits and schools were awarded a total of $100,000 to support projects that put the power of technology to use for community benefit, help improve education at all levels, encourage the community to participate in local activities, and bring diverse new opportunities to the area.

Since 2011, Facebook has donated $1,165,000 to Crook County schools and qualified nonprofits through its Community Action Grants program and local donations, including the support of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.

A letter has been sent to recipients with details, including an invitation for them to attend a reception and tour at the data center on Thursday, April 28.

Thanks to everyone who applied, and to our data center employee committee, which made the difficult selection decisions.

2016 Facebook Prineville Data Center Local Community Action Grant Recipients

Advantage Smiles for Kids – $9,000

Provide orthodontic treatment for low-income, at-risk children in Crook County. The Brace Place of Central Oregon will match the award as in-kind treatment.

Central Oregon Council on Aging – $2,000

Bringing the TECH (Teen Elder Computer Help) program to Crook County. TECH pairs high school students with seniors, age 60+, in computer classes where seniors learn to use digital devices and the internet, and youth gain valuable volunteer experience for use in college admission and job entry.

Crook County High School Computer Science Department – $6,000

Funding annual licenses to the CODEHS digital classroom, the online program that serves as the primary content for CCHS’s Intro to Computer Science elective class. Additionally, the grant will support a Professional Development Membership for the course instructor.

Crook County High School English Department – $13,000

Purchase 64 Chromebooks for two CCHS English classrooms, which are currently without access to computers.

Crook County High School – Stadium Upgrade – $15,000

Funding for a new sound system and football scoreboard for the stadium, replacing a system that is over 30 years old. The stadium is used year-round for school sports, community fundraisers and graduation ceremonies.

Crook County High School – Swivl System – $6,500

Purchase 10 Swivl devices and 10 iPod touch devices, to upload class sessions so students can see the class online. Swivl is a video collaboration tool, a lecture capture platform, an observational coaching solution, and a video conferencing portal.

Crooked River Roundup – $5,000

Funding to upgrade computers, network systems and training programs.

Humane Society of the Ochocos – $10,000

Upgrade technological systems for increased staff productivity, more effective online communication and fundraising, and other digital system upgrades.

Junior Achievement of Central Oregon – $9,000

Deliver Financial Literary Education Classes to an expanded number of middle and high school classes over the next two school years.

Kiwanis Club of Prineville Summer School Program – $3,500

Provide summer school opportunities for under-performing K-3 students.

Oregon Mayors Association – $2,500

Help fund the “If I Were Mayor” contest, which includes elementary, middle and high school students.

Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association – $2,500

Bring the Central Oregon Country Music Gathering to the Crook County Fairgrounds for the first time (September 8-10, 2016). This is a community event and is open to the public free of charge.

OSU Open Campus Juntos Program – $6,600

Establish a Juntos program in Crook County – an OSU extension effort that helps Latino high school students graduate and attend college.

Prineville Music Theater Camp – $4,000

Help develop a comprehensive website for the kids’ music camp.

Runaway Stage Theatrics – $5,000

Support this year’s production, which will get the playhouse up and running on its own via ticket sales. RST, a nonprofit theatre organization, provides opportunities for cultural development through community theatre, including High Desert Dance Arts, Crook County High School, Ochoco Players and other community groups.

Applications for our 2016 grants will open October 1, 2015.

Guideline details: https://www.facebook.com/help/conta…