THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 27, 1995 TAG: 9508250297
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Kirk Lumber Co. is responsible for painting the huge Indian who stands guard over the kindergarten buildings at Oakland Elementary School.
And by giving Nansemond River High School's advanced biology class access to the stream that flows through its Wilroy Industrial Park property, Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Co. has made it possible for students to get a hands-on ecology lesson and for the stream to be cleaned.
These are two scenes from Suffolk Public Schools' Partners in Education picture of success, school division spokesman Bethanne Bradshaw said. In past years, representatives from participating business and civic organizations have logged thousands of volunteer hours annually in the partnership program.
``Looking at the big picture, I'd say our biggest success is that the community is taking advantage of the opportunity to volunteer in our schools,'' Bradshaw said.
This year, 62 local businesses and organizations, including a fraternity and ministers' group, are donating their time and resources to Suffolk's youth. With help from three businesses, the school system launched its program in 1982, as the School-Business Partnership Program as a way of strengthening the bond between Suffolk's educational and business communities.
School officials changed the program's title to reflect the growing number of civic organizations participating in the partnership program.
``Not all our partners are businesses . . ., and we didn't want the title of our program to limit the possibilities we have for volunteers,'' Bradshaw said recently.
The partnership program works by pairing businesses willing to volunteer their resources - including time, money and manpower - with schools throughout the city. The two work together throughout the year on projects designed to raise students' self esteem and strengthen student achievement.
``A lot of companies think we are after money,'' Bradshaw said. ``Even though some organizations do make financial contributions, we have always said that it is the human contact that we value the most.''
To Bradshaw, the partnerhip program's most powerful success stories come from the projects and activities directly related to student achievement, such as tutoring and mentoring and jobshadowing programs in place at many of the city's schools.
School partnerships are win-win relations for all parties, believes John Sammons, principal at Lakeland ELementary School.
``It's important that persons who would not normally be in our school are now working in cooperation with us,'' Sammons said. ``If the community is involved in the school, the school system can better articulate its funding needs to the City Council. Being in the school gives them the opportunity to see what the children's needs are.''
Participating in the partnership program is an investment in the community, said Lorriane McGovern, coordinator of the program at Penn Manufacturing.
``These are our future employees,'' McGovern said. ``To build the future, businesses need to invest in and share resources with education.'' MEMO: For information, call Bethanne Bradshaw at 925-5500.
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
Booker T. Washington Elementary School: Birdsong Peanuts, Dairy
Queen, Links Inc., Howell Cleaners, Geo Environmental Resources.
Driver Elementary School: Virginia Beach Feed, Power of Flowers,
IdentAKid, McDonald's of Churchland, Burger King.
Elephant's Fork Elementary School: Central Fidelity Bank, McDonald's
(N. Main St.), Pizza Hut/ (N. Main St.), Golden State Foods, Sentry
Foods.
Florence Bowser Elementary School: Bennett's Creek Wholesale Nursery,
Bennett's Creek Pharmacy, First Virginia Bank.
Kilby Shores Elementary School: Lipton Tea, McDonald's (Route 58),
NationsBank, WalMart, Epps Farm Supply, Golden Corral.
Mount Zion Elementary School: Bank of Suffolk, Burger King (N. Main
St.).
Nansemond Parkway Elementary School: Allied Colloids, QVC Network,
Monticello Foods.
Oakland Elementary School: Saunders Supply Co., Kirk Lumber Co.,
Dale's Garage, Village Drugs, Designs by Ray.
Robertson Elementary School: Burger King, Bank of Suffolk
(Whaleyville), Suffolk Ministerial Alliance.
Southwestern Elementary School: Hillhaven Rehabilitation and
Retirement Center, Life Savings Bank, Virginia Natural Gas.
Forest Glen Middle School: Virginia Power, Omega Psi Phi, Nestle
Beverage, Bank of Hampton Roads.
John F. Kennedy Middle School: Planters Lifesavers, Duke Oldsmobile.
John Yeates Middle School: Commerce Bank, Tidewater Community
College, State Farm B.J. Willie, Solid Surface Technologies, Pic 'N Pay
Shoes.
Lakeland High School: Obici Hospital, Crestar Bank, Suffolk
Insurance, Amadas Industries, Barton Ford, Golden Peanut Co.
Nansemond River High School: Penn Engineering & Manufacturing, Bank
of Hampton Roads, Newport News Shipbuilding. by CNB