DEKALB COUNTY, GA (August 8, 2014) -- CONGRATULATIONS to Georgia United Credit Union’s five School Crasher Runner-Up Makeover Grant Recipients, including DeKalb County’s Cary Reynolds Elementary. These schools were announced by CEO Debbie Smith at the conclusion of Grand Prize Winner Chapel Hill Elementary’s Makeover Project. Chapel Hill was chosen from among 752nominations from schools across the state to receive a School Crashers facilities makeover. Numerous school improvements – from new carpeting, landscaping and ground cover to wall murals – were accomplished with 150 community volunteers and numerous corporate donors on Friday, July 25 and Saturday, July 26.
Check presentations were made at each “Runner-Up” school this week, after students returned to school.
- Cary Reynolds Elementary, Doraville – DeKalb County - $10,000 grant
- Valley Point Elementary, Dalton – Whitfield County - $5,000 grant
- SAGE School, Suwanee - $5000 grant
- Whit Davis Elementary, Athens – Clarke County - $5000 grant
- East Laurens High, Dublin – Laurens County - $5000 grant
These five schools were selected from among the original School Crasher finalists and are just a few of the many deserving schools educating students in communities across the state. Here are additional details about Cary Reynolds Elementary School’s nomination. Principal Jennifer Leupold anticipates that the $10,000 grant check will be used for playground improvements.
| Cary Reynolds Elementary School, 3498 Pine Street, Doraville
DeKalb County
Principal: Jennifer Leupold, 678.676.6802
$10,000 Playground Grant Winner |
An excerpt from just one of 17 Nominations for this school: Our school is 53 years old and the playground has never been renovated. Our equipment is so old that it is not very functional. Our school has over 1,100 students in it and 99 percent of our students are living under the poverty line. These kids use the playground during the school day and on the weekends. It would be so nice to give these low income families a fun place to exercise and play. Most of our playground equipment is broken, unsafe, or unusable. We really need a playground renovation! Our kids work so hard during the school day and it would be wonderful to give them a fun place to relax and play. Our playground has three slides, a bridge, monkey bars, and a fire pole. That is it! The paint is chipping off of all the metal and the bolts are starting to stick up and come out of the equipment. There have been numerous incidents and children getting hurt because the playground is so old and outdated. Most of the time there are more than 200 kids playing in the playground area. I would love to give these needy children more space and nicer equipment to play on. When I drive by schools with nice playgrounds I get so envious because our kids deserve better than what they have. Please help us get a new playground! |
About Georgia United Credit Union
Georgia United Credit Union is ranked as one of the top credit unions in Georgia in both size and safety at $990 million in assets, 128,000 members and 16 branch locations, including four in DeKalb County. Georgia United seeks to make members’ lives easier by offering products, services and education to help members meet their needs and achieve their goals.
For more information about School Crashers, visit www.georgiaunitedcu.org/schoolcrashers.
(Photo Caption) Georgia United Credit Union named Cary Reynolds Elementary School as one of five Runner-Up Schools to receive school improvement grants –as part of their summer School Crashers Makeover program. Cary Reynolds Principal Jennifer Leupold is shown here accepting the $10K grant from Georgia United’s N. Atlanta Branch Manager Colette Leal. Behind them are Cary Reynolds teachers who all submitted School Crashers entries/applications on behalf of their school.