LINCOLN PARISH ADOPT-A-SCHOOL

Sponsored In Collaboration By

The Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

and

Lincoln Parish Schools ACHIEVE

A Quarterly Review of the Lincoln Parish Adopt-A-School Alliance

Lincoln Parish Adopt-A-School Program

Names Outstanding Partners

THE PARTNERSHIP POST

Partner awards were Cypress

Springs Elementary School

and I. A. Lewis School. Both

schools participated in every

AAS project throughout the

year, including the Dollars for

Denim, Yes We CAN!, and

Go GREEN! Initiatives, as

well as submitted news for

each issue of “The Partnership

Post.” In addition, both initi-

ated new projects, recognized

their partners in unique ways,

and were active in the com-

munity. Both ACHIEVE and

the Chamber of Commerce

salute these outstanding part-

ners for the superb job done

during the 2014-15 academic

year, and encourage all other

AAS groups to be preparing

now to get involved during

the upcoming year.

Lincoln Parish ACHIEVE and

the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber

of Commerce celebrated the

culmination of the outstanding

2014-15 year during the annual

end-of-year luncheon and

awards ceremony. There the

spotlight shined brightly on the

best in Adopt-A-School Part-

nerships, both Chamber and

Education. Taking home hon-

ors as Outstanding Chamber

Partner—Large Business Cate-

gory was Ryan’s Steakhouse

while Ruston Glass & Mirror

and True Care Dental tied for

Outstanding Chamber Part-

ner—Small Business Category.

Recognized in the Outstanding

Chamber Partner—Non Busi-

ness Category was Goodwill

Lunching. These Chamber

partners were nominated by

I.A. Lewis School, Ruston

High School, Alma J. Brown

Laboratory School, and Cy-

press Springs Elementary

School respectively and high-

lighted for supporting the

schools through a variety of

resources. Whether providing

manpower and participating

with the schools in their service

projects, donating gift cards

and other goodies for student

and teacher incentives, deliver-

ing much needed financial sup-

port for special initiatives,

providing books for young

students, or providing special

meals and other encouraging

initiatives on the campuses,

each partner was selected for a

year of outstanding service to

its adopted schools. Winning

the Outstanding Education

Special points of interest:

Outstanding Adopt-A-School Partners

5th Annual Green Awards

Partnership Activities

AAS End-of-Year Awards Celebration

Summer 2015

Volume 7 Issue 4

Congratulations

To all of our

2014-15

Award Winners!

Outstanding AAS Partner Awards went to (left to right) Joey Gulledge (Ruston Glass & Mirror), Gina Jones, Laurie James, and Nancy Wallace (Goodwill Lunching), Rosalind Russell (representing True Care Dental), Michelle Thrower

(Cypress Springs Elementary School), Stanley Lewis (I.A. Lewis School), and Tom Earle (Ryan’s Steakhouse).

CELEBRATING THE 5th ANNUAL GO GREEN! PROJECTS

Page 2 THE PARTNERSHIP POST

Picking up Green Awards were (left to right) Shannon Perot (Glen View

Elementary School), Danyelle O’Neal (Simsboro High School), Sheri

Robken (Ruston Junior High School), Michelle Thrower (Cypress

Springs Elementary School), and Stanley Lewis (I.A. Lewis School).

With the Adopt-A-School Program celebrating the 5th

Anniversary of its annual “GO GREEN!” project, there

were new awards to celebrate as well as ground-breaking

projects to recognize. A special Green Partnership

Award was presented to Ruston Junior High School for

its consistently comprehensive community-based pro-

ject. For achieving significant recognition based on its

green efforts and thus helping shine the spotlight bright-

er on the school district and community, I.A. Lewis

School was tapped for the first Green Milestone Award

after being named the Top Recycling School in the state

by the Great American Can Roundup. Claiming Grand

Prize honors in the Green Award competition were Cy-

press Springs Elementary School, Glen View Elemen-

tary School, and Simsboro High School. CSE developed

a new project this year with three objectives: involve all

students, provide students with opportunities to improve

their literacy skills, and make students aware of a global

issue while empowering them to become change agents

to make a difference in the world. The project kicked

off with a Read-A-Thon designed to raise money to help

save the Louisiana Black Bear. With a school-wide goal

to read 150,000 minutes set, a friendly school-wide com-

petition began between classes with Adopt-A-School

partners contributing and providing prizes. At the end of

the project, the school exceeded its goal by 25,000

minutes and Mr. Paul Davidson of the Louisiana Black

Bear Conservation Coalition came from Baton Rouge to

provide presentations to the students. The students then

presented him with a check for $1589.67 to help pre-

serve this beautiful, endangered animal. For an in-depth

study of water, GVE students explored nonfiction texts,

literature, poetry, and songs about water. Water conser-

vation posters were created and displayed throughout the

school. Students built models and performed experi-

ments about evaporation and condensation. Classes

wrote narrative and opinion pieces about water and the

importance of conserving it. The school then started a

school-wide fundraising project to raise money to dig a

well and install irrigation pumps in an impoverished

country through Heifer International. Second grade stu-

dents prepared speeches and went into the classrooms of

the younger students to teach them how important the

project would be for children and families who do not

have clean, healthy water for daily living. Adopt-A-

School partners were invited to participate and Lincoln Rotary contribut-

ed $500 to help the students raise $1900, enough money to purchase six

wells for children around the world. SHS engaged its entire student body

in numerous projects throughout the year. Trash was picked up around

the school and on the playground, eco-friendly bird feeders were made

and placed around the school including in a special butterfly garden, eco-

friendly bird feeders were made for each student’s home, plastic bags and

bottles were collected and turned in, all students were engaged in creat-

ing a piece of a beautiful recycled spring garden using materials such as

cardboard boxes, egg crates, newspapers, paper towel rolls, and water

bottles, and the entire school began in August collecting ink and toner

cartridges to be recycled with the money received from the project used

to purchase new headphones and other school equipment and the gift

cards earned used to purchase school supplies for needy students. Final-

ly, the school used the green project to engage students in literacy activi-

ties, writing an informative piece entitled “How to Make a Bird Feeder”

as well as an essay with the topic “Is Recycling Worth It?” Congratula-

tions to these outstanding schools and their spectacular green projects!

Thank You to All

Adopt-A-School Partners

For Helping

Keep Lincoln Parish Beautiful

And Making a Difference in

Our World!

Congratulations to AAS partner Dr. Rhonda

Pruitt of True Dental Care for being named

Outstanding Adopt-A-School Partner Award

in the Small Business Category. She was

awarded a plaque that was presented by Prin-

cipal Russell. Mrs. Wanda Wilson led Alma

J. Brown in the Jump Rope for Heart initiative

sponsored by the American Heart Associa-

tion. Alma J. Brown collected a total of

$1,730.91 and was awarded a $100 gift certificate. Also, congrat-

ulations to our top fundraiser at the school, Andrea Frazier! Alma

J. Brown held its Annual Field Day Program. This year the pro-

gram highlighted, “Educators – Past and Present.” Dr. A. Phillip

Butler, former principal of AJB and Mrs. Betty Tippitt, Retired

Teacher, who presently serves as a volunteer, were

present and received a certificate. The first half of

the day was sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club

of Ruston and held at Grambling State University’s

Intramural Center, and the second part was on the

campus of Alma J. Brown. Many parent volunteers

assisted on that day and a good time was had by all!

Alma J. Brown Elementary School

Page 3 Volume 7 Issue 4

Grambling Middle School

Grambling Middle School teachers were provided breakfast and

lunch by their Adopt-A- School sponsors for Teacher Apprecia-

tion Week. Mrs. Debra Wright of Athletic Field Worx brought

breakfast and Bank of Ruston provided a baked potato lunch

from Hot Rod Barbeque. The meal was delivered by Mrs. Sher-

ri Burt and Mrs. Angie Biscomb. Also, thanks to Mrs. Patricia

Murad, Bank of Ruston made a contribution to the GMS 8th

Grade Recognition Day Program. Athletic Fields Worx’s Mrs.

Debra Wright is coordinating our 6th and 7th grade parental

luncheon following the

Awards Day Program.

Grambling Middle School

wants to wish Mr. Louis

Wright a speedy recovery.

A “BIG SHOUT OUT” to

Bank of Ruston and Ath-

letic Field Worx for the

help and support you have

provided this year!

LOOKING AHEAD!

The 2015-16 Adopt-A-School Program will roll out again with the annual

Kick-Off Luncheon on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.

Be watching for news about how to get involved with your current partners or to establish new partnerships as we work together as a community to support the

schools of Lincoln Parish.

Let us all make a commitment to make an even greater impact next year!

WATCH US GO GREEN!

Choudrant High School has enjoyed the

Adopt-A-School partnerships with Doug-

las United Methodist, Choudrant Mini

Mart, O’Neal Gas, Centric Federal Credit

Union, and A Team Realty. Each AAS

partner has contributed greatly to student

rewards, faculty recognitions, and athletic

events. The sponsors have graciously

given their time, money, uniforms, school

supplies, snacks, lunches, signage, and

much more. A big thank you goes out to

DUMC from the faculty members who

won door prizes at the Appreciation Ban-

quet for employees and guests this spring.

Thank you to everyone for supporting

CHS this year!

Ruston High School

Page 4 THE PARTNERSHIP POST

RHS and its

AAS partners

are wrapping up

a great year

together! The

Bearcat Nation

is so pleased

that one of its

partners, Ruston

Glass, won Outstanding Business Partner

for the 2014-2015 school year! Congratu-

lations to Joey

Gulledge and all of

the staff at Ruston

Glass!! Thanks for

all you do for

Ruston High

School! RHS also

thanks Gary

McKenney and

KXKZ for serving and providing Hot

Rods BBQ and Sonic for

providing hamburg-

ers during our teacher

appreciation week!

Thanks to everyone for a

great year—we appreci-

ate YOU and all you do!

Choudrant High School

Cypress Springs kicked off their Green

Project with the goals of providing oppor-

tunities for students to improve their liter-

acy skills, while also making students

aware of a global issue and empowering

them to make a difference in the world. It

was explained to the students that they

would be participating in a Read-A-Thon,

and would be collecting donations to help

save an endangered animal which they

felt passionate about protecting. Students

voted to safeguard the Louisiana Black

Bear. CSE set a school-wide goal of

150,000 minutes read, but surpassed this

goal by almost 10,000 minutes. Students

went back to their sponsors and donors to

report how many minutes they read, and

to collect the money that was pledged.

Cypress also contacted their Adopt-A-

Cypress Springs Elementary School

School partners to explain the project and

seek their support. Donations were re-

ceived from different sponsors and Dom-

ino’s offered to provide pizzas for the win-

ning class parties. Mr. Paul Davidson of

the Louisiana Black Bear Conservation

Coalition volunteered to travel from Baton

Rouge to CSE where he was presented

with a check in

the amount of

$1,589.67! Mr.

Davidson was

very compli-

mentary and

Lincoln Rotary joined Glen View again

this year in raising money to dig wells and

install irrigation pumps in impoverished

countries through Heifer Internation-

al. Together we raised $1,900 - enough to

purchase six wells for children and their

families around the world! Thank you for

helping us reach this wonderful goal as

well as complete our award-winning “GO

GREEN!” Project. We couldn’t do it with-

out you! The Glen View family would

also like to say a special thanks to our

Adopt-A-School partners Lincoln Flooring

& Acoustical, The Bridge, Corey Martin,

& Business Technology Group for provid-

ing food and donations for our Faculty &

Staff Appreciation week. We were treated

to delicious items such as a baked potato

bar, fresh lemonade, grilled hamburgers,

and enough delicious desserts to snack on

all week.

Thank you

for all you

do for the

Glen View

Gators!

Glen View Elementary School

commended CSE students on their hard

work to help the Louisiana Black Bear.

With a Western theme of “Our Faculty Is

The Best In The West,” CSE corralled an

amazing turn out for Staff and Teacher

Appreciation Weeks. There was no doubt

about community support as they show-

ered Cypress Springs with reminders of

gratitude. Contributions from gift cards, to

breakfast, to lunch were given daily. Em-

ployees were astonished at all of the care

shown. A special thank you is extended to

all who aided in making Cypress Springs

feel loved and cherished. Recognition is

given to the wonderful PTC Committee,

Ruston Wellness and Compounding Phar-

macy, Domino’s, Martin Presence Proper-

ty Management, J & A Contractors,

Northern Louisiana Medical Center, Rais-

ing Canes, True Care Dental, The Bridge

Community Church, Super 1, and Y2

Kuts Salon. THANK YOU!!!

Historical Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist

Church, ironically the home church of

former legendary Lincoln Parish educa-

tor, I.A. Lewis, has joined a family of

remarkable community partners. The

rural Simsboro church, establish in 1870,

has donated $1500 this year to programs

for the children. Pastor Samuel Andrews

Sr., a teacher in Caddo Parish, is a big

promoter of community support for local

schools. The I.A. Lewis School family is

very pleased to welcome its new partner.

We are very proud of general manager

Tom Earle and

Ryan’s Family

Steakhouse for

winning the

Community

Business Part-

ner of the Year

Award. I.A.

Lewis partners have now won three years

in a row. Most recently Ryan’s baked

fresh cookies for 119 honor roll students

and fed 54 IAL staff members. Ban-

corpSouth and Vice President/Branch

Kenny Galyean treated almost 300 IAL

students to cookies during its annual

Teach

Kids to

save pro-

gram pre-

sented by

bank em-

ployees Megan Snyder and Garrett Terry.

The bank also fed the entire staff during

the first day of Teacher Appreciation

Week. Whataburger, one of new partners

this year, provided a fabulous breakfast

during Teacher Appreciation Week,

thanks to Regional Marking Manager

Julie Piel. Honor Roll students received

free snack coupons for Whataburgers,

cookies, or

fries. Rais-

ing Cain’s,

not an offi-

cial partner

but a relia-

ble support-

er, provided

free box

lunch gift cards to all staff including bus

drivers at I.A. Lewis, thanks to managing

partner Josh Shirley who personally de-

livered the cards. Former partner Wal-

Mart provided additional cookies for stu-

dents who were rewarded with a cookie

party by teachers for being so reliable on

testing days. Thank you Wal-Mart Com-

munity Relations Director Leah Frazier.

And last but not least, another unofficial

partner and “tell me what you need”

friend, manager Chris Turner and Super 1

Foods, fed our teachers on the final day of

Teacher Appreciation Week. We at I.A.

Lewis School are blessed to live in such a

generous community.

I. A. Lewis School

Page 5 Volume 7 Issue 4

WOW! What an awesome and eventful

year! Once again we would like to thank

our adopt a school partners: Blue Bell

Creamery, Business Technology Group,

Henderson Financial, Presbyterian Church

of Ruston, Trinity United Methodist

Church, and Zion Traveler Baptist Church

and other partners in education for their

generosity during the week of teacher ap-

preciation: Log Cabin, Rocket Fast Car

Wash, Super One, and Dairy Queen. Dur-

ing the last week of school, groups of our

students went to visit our Adopt A School

Partners to say thank you and to give them

a token of our appre-

ciation. We appreci-

ate your support of

the Ruston Elemen-

tary lions and look

forward to your con-

tinued involvement in

the next school year.

Ruston Elementary School

ON ANOTHER

OUTSTANDING

ADOPT-A-SCHOOL

YEAR LINCOLN PARISH!

Hillcrest has loved our Adopt-A-School partners this year. Recently, our partners provided treats for the teachers during Teacher

Appreciation Week. PTC parents also stepped up and provided a wonderful week of "specials" for all teachers and staff including a

cute new T-shirt for everyone. Hillcrest had a great week and appreciates all of the effort that went into making it happen. Hillcrest

is providing Friday Fun each week in May for students who have worked hard and have good behavior. Walmart has donated stu-

dent treats for one of those Fridays. The students love those special treats! A special thank you to all of the connection groups at

First Baptist. These groups have honored Hillcrest teachers throughout the year and everyone has felt so loved and appreciated with

every treat provided. Thank you FBC! Thanks also go to United Way for a wonderful reading program for our 2nd graders. Thank

you to those volunteers who came every single Wednesday to read with our students from

1:30-2:00. You have made a difference in their lives. Hillcrest also wants to say a special

thank you to all of its partners this year: Business Technology Group, First National Bank,

Bluebell, Sonic-Hwy 33, Hunt-Guillot, Walmart, and First Baptist. We have been very

blessed to have such generous partners all year. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Hillcrest Elementary School

Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Center—LPECC

Page 6 THE PARTNERSHIP POST

Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Center has had a wonderful year

and that would not have happened without all of the support and

help from all of our community partners!! Each year they are so

willing to provide support whether it be manpower, donating

gifts, snacks, gift cards, and financial support! LPECC cannot

express enough how much we appreciate your support!! Thanks

so much to Walmart Supercenter and Leah Frazier and their gen-

erous donation of $1000 dollars to LPECC to help with supplies

for each of the classrooms. Once again the Ladies at John Knox

Presbyterian Church have been faithful each month to provide

snacks for our special needs classes! It is so wonderful for our

families to see how much our partners

help in their child’s school and show that

they care about them. Thanks so much

to Chris Turner and Super One Foods for

providing a delicious lunch for the entire

faculty and staff! It was wonder-

ful!! The special needs students at the

Lincoln Parish Early Childhood Center

were blessed this year to be chosen by

the Junior Auxiliary to offer support and education in many are-

as. They started the year in October with a Fall Fun Day at Lin-

coln Parish Park. The Fun Day offered educational games and

snacks for the children. In November, JA provided paint, shirts,

and people to help each child paint and create an Indian shirt.

We were treated to a visit from St. Nick in December and he

filled the children’s shoes with goodies and taught the children

about another culture and tradition. The JA ladies served cookies

and milk. Learning about Louisiana is such an important unit for

our preschoolers. JA bought three Louisiana themed books for

each class and brought Louisiana foods for our children to taste.

As if that was not enough, the JA ladies planned and provided

everything needed for an end of the

year Field Day at Lincoln Parish Park.

We had an obstacle course, games,

snacks, and pizza! Words cannot ex-

press how much help these ladies have

been to our special needs children’s

education. Thank you Junior Auxilia-

ry! So thanks again to Super One

Foods, Junior Auxiliary, Walmart

Supercenter, John Knox Presbyterian

Church, Townsend House and Zion

Traveler Baptist Church Women’s Ministry for making this

school year such a successful one!!

Community Trust Bank is an awesome

partner! They helped sponsor our t-shirts

for our annual Boosterthon Fun

Run. Each child and teacher received a

shirt to wear on the fun run day. Every

student solicited sponsors who pledged

money for each lap they ran. All money

raised will go towards updating our play-

ground equipment! Every year CTB as-

sists us in counting "pennies" the students

bring to support the “Leukemia and Lym-

phoma Society”. Several

times during the week of our

campaign large jars of pennies

and other coins are brought to

the bank to be sorted and

counted. The CTB employees

are always friendly, patient

and eager to help!

A. E. Phillips Laboratory School

It’s been another great year at Sims-

boro School. The Tigers would like

to thank Weyerhaeuser, La Capitol

Federal Credit Union, Roseburg,

O’Neal’s Farm & Garden, Simsboro

First Baptist Church, Raising

Cane’s, Army National Guard, and

Whataburger for their gracious sup-

port during Teacher Appreciation Week by providing our hard-

working teachers with lunch and other goodies during that spe-

cial week. We would also like to extend our appreciation to Ron-

nie Dowling, Dowling Processing, Magnolia Corner, State Farm,

Durrett Construction, Tri-C Farms, Pulpwood Producers, J and

B Air- condition services, JoAnne Cobb, Community Trust

Bank, Mary and Tommy Tomlin, Robert Dowling, Courtesy

Automotive, Michelle Cassel, Centric Federal Credit Union,

Patrick Jefferson, La Capitol Federal Credit Union, and Mayor

of Simsboro, Sybil Foster, for donating to end of the year incen-

tive field trips to reward our great students. A special thanks to

Super1 Foods, Celebrity Theaters, and Blue Bell Creamery for

their support during the school year with student incentive re-

wards. Our success at Simsboro School is greatly impacted by

the generous donations and support from our community part-

ners. We are so grateful!

Simsboro School

Do you know of a business, organization, or individual that would like to get involved with the

Adopt-A-School Program? Just have them contact Ivana Flowers at the Chamber or Cathi Cox-

Boniol at the School Board before Labor Day and they can be matched with a school of their

choice or one of greatest need for the upcoming year!

Page 7 Volume 7 Issue 4

Adopt-A-School End-of-Year Luncheon and Awards Celebration

THE PARTNERSHIP POST

The 2014-15 school year has come to a close and with it, the

Adopt-A-School program takes a pause as well. With an-

other incredible year under its belt, the program seems to

continue improving with each partnership effort shared

across Lincoln Parish. And plans are already underway to

make the 2015-16 year record-setting as well! The Ruston-

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln ACHIEVE ex-

presses sincere thanks to each Chamber and Education part-

ner for your tremendous efforts throughout the year. The

collaboration between our business, civic/service, non-

profit, faith-based, retired, and other organizations with

schools at every level only serves to further enhance the

quality of life in our community, something that serves

as a strong investment in our future growth and success.

Hats off to everyone involved with wishes for a wonder-

ful summer as we eagerly anticipate the upcoming year.

Adopt-A-School sponsors have the potential to

become key partners that can influence stu-

dents, the future leaders of our community.

Schools involved with such sponsors gain in-

valuable community resources whose expertise

and experience can enrich and elevate the

educational landscape.

For these partners, the rewards are both imme-

diate and long-term; positively affecting aca-

demic achievement, in turn, develops an effec-

tive education system that provides a strong

foundation for the evolving success of an area.

These partnerships are an investment in our

children, our community, and our future.

A Quar te r ly Rev i ew of t he

L in coln Par i sh

Adopt -A-Schoo l Al l iance

Provided in Collaboration Between the

Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce

and

THE PARTNERSHIP POST

For More Information Contact

Ivana Flowers, 255-2031

iflowers@RustonLincoln.org

Or Cathi Cox-Boniol, 255-1430

ccox@lincolnschools.org

Adopt-A-School Signs Off After Another Incredibly Successful Year