It was announced that Eastside John P. Powell Magnet School has been awarded $50,000 as part of the Charter Foundation’s Grant program. The Chambers County Development Authority’s Ansley Emfinger and Andie Roberts successfully wrote the grant on behalf of Eastside John P. Powell. The grant will fund new playground equipment for the school. The current playground equipment has not been updated in many years and consists of a metal jungle gym, metal and plastic slides, swings, seesaws, and a metal/plastic playset. Many of these pieces are in desperate need of replacing to make them more usable for students.
The first phase of this project has already been completed. In August (2023), a new pre-k playground was installed for Eastside Elementary students. This project was funded by the State of Alabama’s Pre-K program at a cost of $29,428.05. This, however, is too small for the older children to safely enjoy.
Principal Allyson Matthews worked alongside Emfinger and Roberts to submit this grant. Principal Matthews is shown in the photos attached celebrating the $50,000 gift with two students who will enjoy the new playground for years to come.
“We would like to express our gratitude to the Charter Foundation for their generosity in awarding Eastside John P. Powell Magnet School this grant,” Roberts stated. “A special thank you to Mrs. Bonnie Bonner from the Charter Foundation’s Board of Directors for her kindness and communication throughout this process. Without the Charter Foundation’s continuous contributions and support to our community, this would not be possible.”