Grant Sends Books to North`s Library

Daniel Paulk (left) and Justin Mintun, sophomores at North Lincoln High School, check out new books on the environment school’s media center.

The library at North Lincoln High School now has a few less empty shelves, thanks to a grant promoting environmental education.
“We’re a new school starting off, and the more resources we have the better,” said Debbie Michael, a science teacher at the school, who helped write the grant.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards funded the Project Tomorrow grant, and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources administered it.
North Lincoln received $800 worth of new books and videos. All the materials deal with air quality, water quality or weather.
“I was real tickled to get some field guides because my students do weather photography,” Michael said.
The new materials help fill out the school’s library, which still needs books in order to reach state guide lines. Every school in North Carolina is required to have 10 books for each student enrolled.
“We’re still working to meet guidelines,” said Cynthia Randleman, a librarian at the school who helped write the grant. “Next year with enrollment increasing, we’ll have an even greater need.”
Randleman isn’t overly concerned. The school currently has a basic collection of books, all of which are new and up to date.
“Although our library is small, it’s very useful,” Randleman said. “We’re just trying to fine tune it and make it match the needs of the teachers and curriculum.”
Michael came to North Lincoln from East Lincoln High School and now has access to new, technologically up to date resources.
“We opened with a lot of things I didn’t have before,” Michael said. “It’s a building process. There’s always more things you want.”
Michael has been working hard to get the materials she wants. Over the past school year she has won three grants.
The grants take a minimum of 60 hours to write, said Michael.
“It gets very involved. Some of them are like books,” she said.
North Lincoln was one of 15 high schools that received the grant. Lincolnton High School was also one of the winners.
Some students at North Lincoln have thanked the grant writes for their hard work.
“You get a lot for it,” said Casey Snyder, a junior at North Lincoln. “I think it says something about them. They took the time to get the grants.”
Spending all those hours working on grant proposals is worthwhile, said Michael.
“It’s all about the kids getting the equipment and resources they need,” she said.
by Sarah Grano