2020 Essential Workers Awards: Environmental Services From a designated fund disbursement, The Local Learning Community Foundation presented $50 gift cards to five custodial workers at Dumas High School. The awards were in the memory of Mr. John Ray, who served as a custodial worker at the school prior to his death. The awards were given to recognize and celebrate the workers’ contributions to safety, health, curb appeal and academic success.
2020 Essential Workers Awards: Food and Nutrition
In December 2020, the Local Learning Community Foundation through a designated fund disbursement, presented gift cards in the amount of $100 to four cafeteria workers at Dumas High School. The awards and certificates of appreciation were given in memory of Mrs. Missouri Ray, who served as a cafeteria worker for over three decades in the district. The awards were in recognition and appreciation for the workers’ contributions in the areas of food and nutrition and academic success.
ACT Practice Stimulus
Scoring at least 18 and higher on the ACT determines where students can enroll in colleges/universities and the amount of financial support provided by those institutions. Mean ACT scores of about twenty and higher can decrease the amount of loans needed to cover the cost of earning a two or four-year college degree. Unfortunately, many students fail to take advantage of ACT practice sessions and/or short courses to help increase their scores. To promote and encourage students to voluntarily participate in an ACT tutorial in late Fall 2020, the Local Learning Community Foundation provided fifteen door prizes valued at $10 each to a record number of students at Dumas High School who participated in the short course. The goal is to increase students’ familiarity with the test-taking environment, types of questions/tasks, and to identify subject areas in which growth is needed prior to taking future tests.
Strategic Partnerships In 2020, the Local Learning Community Foundation was pleased and honored to enter a strategic partnership with Renasant Bank. The goal of the partnership is to expand the scope of work of the foundation in the areas of student success, community engagement, and small business development assistance.
Information Technology Systems (ITS) Internship Placement (MSU) For the past four consecutive years, The Local Learning Community Foundation has provided on-the-job experience for students enrolled in the TKT Senior Internship Program at Mississippi State University. We have benefitted tremendously from the interns, and several have leveraged their work with the foundation to help launch their careers.
2020 Christmas Toy Drive The L2CF welcomed the opportunity to support a campaign to provide Christmas toys and gifts to deserving families in Oktibbeha-Starkville. According to Ora Nickles, sponsor and coordinator of the toy/gifts drive, the foundation’s contributions helped to generate hope and joy during the holiday season.