She didn’t win a car from Oprah, but by Demopolis High School teacher Annie Robertson’s response, one would think she had.

“Oh I got my money,” she screamed as she jumped up and down.

Robertson was one of more than 50 teachers who received grants from the Demopolis City Schools Foundation to help them purchase much-needed items for their classrooms.

Robertson had requested funding for a program known as Operation Frankenstein to upgrade the computers in her business technology class. Though she only received partial funding, Robertson jumped for joy when the Prize Patrol, DCSF representative Lucinda Mason and DCSF Executive Director Jan McDonald, walked through the door with a giant check and a bouquet of balloons.

“I’m so excited,” Robertson said happily. She explained that many of the computers being used in her classroom were obsolete and in dire need of upgrading.

“Some of these computers are as old as the kids in here,” she said.

McDonald said the foundation would have liked to have granted all 62 requests fully, but said it just wasn’t possible.

“Some of these grants were fully funded and some were partially funded, but out of 62 applications, 45 received some kind of funding,” Jan McDonald, executive director of the Foundation, said.

Applicants requested a total of $116,174.81, but only $55,000 was available this year, she said.

That was enough to make some teachers very happy, teachers like Robertson, and Jody Tartt White, who glowed with excitement as she accepted the check, noting that the money would enable her class to perform.

“Now we get to do our play,” she said.

The Prize Patrol visited each of the schools, taking with them good news and leaving behind big smiles.

Presenting the giant check and a bouquet of balloons to the recipients were the DCSF representatives from each school: Lucinda Mason, Demopolis High; Kathy Moody, Demopolis Middle; Anita McKinstry, U.S. Jones Elementary, and Mary Lilian Roberts, Westside Elementary.

“Westside Elementary had eight grants fully funded and eight partially funded for a total of $14,375.62; U.S. Jones Elementary teachers received five fully funded grants and 11 partially funded for $11,586.22; Demopolis Middle School had two fully funded grants for $10,295; and Demopolis High School was awarded six fully funded grants and five partially funded for $16,233.20,” McDonald said..

Grant money is available through fund-raising events, interest on investments and generous supporters of the Demopolis City Schools Foundation. One such fundraiser is set for Thursday as the Foundation teams up with McDonalds to host a Hot Cakes and Sausage dinner. The event will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at McDonald’s. Tickets are $5 in advance.

Tuesday’s grant recipients are:

Westside Elementary School

Amy Hasty, “Techno Kids,” $412.13, fully funded, pre-K computer skills,

Andrea Dunn, “Characters Teach Character,” $450, partially funded, books demonstrating positive behavior.

Andrea Dunn, “Centered on Language Arts,” $200, partially funded, writing and reading centers.

Beth Fleming, “Literacy 1st,” $2,800, partially funded, 11 first grade literacy centers.

Debbie Butler, “Win-Win Situation,” $4,294.68, fully funded, professional development.

Debbie Butler, “Bringing Words to Life,” $1,155, fully funded, for first and second grade vocabulary enhancement.

Debbie Butler, “Checking Out Science” $148.40, partially funded, for hands-on science materials.

Dee Roark, “We Can All Be Successful Readers,” $600, partially funded to explore great authors.

Dianne McNeill, “Authors from A to Z,” $1,200, fully funded. author study.

Elizabeth Renner, “Environmental Studies,” $291.22, fully funded, hands-on science materials.

Jennifer Pruett, “Eynamic Decodables,” $1,315, partially funded, phonics instruction.

Lori Giles, “Child’s World-Nonfiction AR Readers,” $1,509.95, fully funded, Accelerated Reader books for the library.

Nanette Dollar, “Polaroid Plus,” $109.20, fully funded, building student self-esteem.

Terri Speegle and Jan Brooker, “Mission: Intervention,” $800, partially funded, literacy centers in two kindergarten classes.

Tracy Stewart, “Ham It Up,” $1,000, partially funded, math manipulatives.

Tracy Stewart, “I Love Jeopardy,” $600 fully funded,

Jeopardy program for all subjects.

U.S. Jones Elementary School

Amelia Mackey, “Building Vocabulary with Electronic Learning, $463.45, fully funded, speaking dictionaries.

Connie Nelson, “Writing Across the Curriculum with AlphaSmart,” $1,230, partially funded, six AlphaSmart units.

Connie Nelson, “Variety Via Videos,” $499.48, videos to enhance science and social studies.

Dana Hill, “NIFTY,” $500, partially funded, books and tapes.

Erma Banks, “Radical Readers,” $584.86, fully funded, for read-alouds.

Floy Mayberry, “NFL (Nonfiction Fun Library),” $1,700, partially funded, library non-fiction books.

Floy Mayberry, “AR Test Bonanza,” $500, partially funded, library books.

Julie Harrison, “Books on Wheels,” $120, partially funded, books on behavior and science.

Julie Harrison and Penny Stanford, “Making Reading Fun,” $500, partially funded, reading manipulatives.

Julie Harrison and Penny Stanford, “Centered on Math Success, $250, partially funded, math centers.

Julie Harrison and Penny Stanford, “Activity Central,” $175, partially funded, subject activity cards.

Leigh Ann Coleman and others, “It’s HOT in Here!” $1,500, partially funded, science and math hands-on tools for three fifth grade classes.

Mary Stuedeman, “Tap into Learning with Tapes,” $1,000 partially funded, science and social studies listening centers.

Robin Matthis, “Math Manipulatives for Third Graders,” $700, partially funded, math manipulatives.

Shelby Cox and Tanya Patterson, “Magnificent Math Masterminds,” $1,411.78, fully funded, math manipulatives and Math Sharks.

Shelby Cox and Tanya Patterson, “Let’s Explore Our History, “451.65, fully funded, American history resources.

Demopolis Middle School

Dana Freeman, “Go for the Gold,” $1,620, fully funded, sets of Newbery Award books.

Ola Ross, “www.sci-tech.edu@dms,” $8,675, fully funded, computer equipment for all science classes

Demopolis High School

Annie Robertson, “Operation: Frankenstein,” $2,700, partially funded, upgrades for business technology lab.

Bridget Cain and Cynthia Whitlock, “Fantasy Fiction Genre,” $2,500, partially funded, classic fantasy fiction books.

Bridget Cain and Cynthia Whitlock, “The Power of Print Pushes Ahead,” $400, partially funded, visual displays.

Bridget Cain and Cynthia Whitlock, “Technology Takes Center State, $550, partially funded, equipment to produce multimedia projects.

Cynthia Phillips, “Science Fair Success,” $2,900, fully funded, science lab equipment.

Donna Goodwin and others, “Continuing to Excel with Accelerated Math,” $1,887.95, accelerated math accessories.

Jody Tartt White, “Arts Education in Action,” $2,637.30, fully funded, to fund two plays.

Nancy Tyson, “Principles of Technology Robots,” $408.80, fully funded, robot kits.

Sydney Chasteen and Amie Attaway, “Reading Across the Curriculum,” $1,270.30, fully funded, foreign language materials.

Todd Cassity, “Current Events to Produce Future Events,” $311.85, weekly copies of Teen Newsweek.

William Martin, “The Smart Lab,” $667, partially funded, SchoolPad 300.