THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606070202
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Education
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 94 lines
TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS generally aren't seen behind the counters of the local fast-food restaurants, taking cash and flipping burgers.
But the staffs of Oscar F. Smith Middle School and Thurgood Marshall Elementary School spent some time this year working at the McDonald's in South Norfolk.
For their effort, the educators earned the schools a portion of the restaurant's profits.
For their willingness to share the wealth, the restaurant's proprietors got a pat on the back.
The South Norfolk McDonald's was among about 200 businesses honored Wednesday at a breakfast sponsored by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce's Chesapeake division, the city's school system and Central Fidelity Bank.
The businesses participate in the school system's Partners-in-Education program, adopting individual schools and providing them with special services, supplies, equipment and money.
The business community's involvement in public education is vital to the school system's success, said Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols.
``I'm convinced that schools, parents and the community must work together to ensure a quality public education,'' he said.
Gregory N. Stillman, board chairman of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and a former Virginia Beach School Board chairman, said partnerships between businesses and schools can help dispel myths that public education is failing.
``We have to stand up and be ambassadors for the truth,'' he said.
Across the country, the number of schools forming partnerships with businesses is growing, Nichols said. Many area school systems have similar programs, including Virginia Beach.
Everybody benefits. Schools get resources they might not have received otherwise. Children get to see that others besides teachers and parents care about education. School faculties get to have contact with people from the ``real world'' beyond the school house doors. Businesses get a public relations boost.
``If we succeed, and I believe we will, our children will benefit, and we will also,'' Nichols said.
Principals report that the partnerships don't just create empty programs that let schools and businesses pat each other on the back; the businesses really are making a difference in the instruction of children.
At Thurgood Marshall Elementary, for example, McDonald's offered a certificate and a free hamburger every month to any child that had perfect attendance for four weeks.
Educators believe poor attendance is a major problem, because kids can't learn when they're not in school.
``The kids loved it,'' said Steve E. Lassiter, principal at Thurgood Marshall. ``I would say the attendance definitely probably improved because of that.''
Lassiter and Oscar Smith Middle School Principal Charlie R. Jubilee said they didn't make loads of money on the nights that McDonald's let the staffs work for profits.
Lassiter estimated he made an average of $50 a night on the 12 nights his staff worked. Jubilee estimated his school made a total of about $200. The cash was used at both schools to buy supplies such as paper.
But the money wasn't the whole point, the principals said.
``We had several parents come in'' to talk to teachers at the restaurant, Jubilee said. ``We thought it was excellent.''
It was the first school year that the South Norfolk McDonald's had participated in the school system's Partners-in-Education program. The award the restaurant received was for the ``rookie of the year.''
Danny N. Pena, general manager of the McDonald's, said he and the store's new owners wanted to take on some community service projects.
``We've basically been very involved with the schools as much as possible,'' Pena said. ``And it's not going to stop. Next year we want to add more programs.''
The restaurant's involvement, Pena said, will show customers the owners care about the community. And special activities help generate business for the McDonald's.
When kids with perfect attendance come in to redeem their certificate for a free hamburger, for example, they probably bring other family members who buy food, too.
``It's a win-win situation,'' Pena said.
Businesses weren't the only ones honored Wednesday, however. The Chesapeake Chamber of Commerce's education committee also distributed Outstanding Youth Awards to five Chesapeake high school seniors who have excellent academic and community service records:
Jennifer L. Cowell of Deep Creek High, who is a member of the Drama Club and the National Honor Society and has a 3.5 grade-point average;
Nicole Frye of Indian River High, who has participated in the Octagon Club and Pals for Peers and has a grade-point average of 3.9;
Rachel Hallmark of Western Branch High, who is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and recycling programs with a grade-point average of 4.1;
Lea G. Yerby of Great Bridge High, who has participated in the Adopt-a-Highway project and visits nursing homes and has a grade-point average of 3.6;
Jason E. Young, from Oscar F. Smith High, who has participated in a summer mission program every year since 1993 and has a grade-point average of 3.51. by CNB