DEMOPOLIS – Forget Publisher’s Clearinghouse. Demopolis has its own prize patrol.

The Demopolis City Schools Foundation Prize Patrol surprised Demopolis teachers with big smiles and big checks yesterday.

Jan McDonald from the DCSF visited Demopolis High School, Demopolis Middle School, U.S. Jones Elementary and Westside Elementary School to present 27 grants, totaling $55,000, to select faculty.

“We received 30 applications for grants this year,” McDonald said. “All of those added up to more than $145,000 but we only had $55,000 to give. You do the math.”

According to McDonald, the DCSF was able to fully fund 16 of the grants and partially fund 11 others, leaving only three unfulfilled grant requests.

“We tried to stretch the money as far as possible,” she said.

DHS was awarded nine grants totaling $21,281.82. DMS received seven which totaled $20,663.47. Westside Elementary received six grants that added up to $9,199.02 and U.S. Jones was awarded five totaling $3,844.88.

Many of the applications asked for funding for language translators, computer software, hardware, multi-media equipment and other technology needs to enhance the students’ learning experience.

Lucinda Mason, the DCSF campus representative for DHS, helped McDonald award grants to he to:

Danny Wasson, “Gateway to Better Presentations and Research,” $1,809.98 fully funded, for laptop computer to enhance video capabilities.

Leslie Gibbs, “Tools for In-depth Analysis of Literature, Part V,” $1,420.15 fully funded, for classroom sets of books.

Cynthia Whitlock and Bridget Cain, “Fantasy Fiction Genre: An Intelligent Study Continued,” $2,946.66, fully funded, for an expanded library collection of fantasyand science fiction novels.

Cynthia Whitlock, “Technology Hits a Bump in the Road,” $5,950, partially funded, for laptop computers.

Annie Robertson and William Martin, “Operation: Frankenstein’s Monster Needs a Wife,” $3,392.97, partially funded, for multi-media equipment to enhance presentations, desktop publishing and digital graphics.

Sydney Chasteen, “Reading Across the Curriculum,” $1,898.41, fully funded, for foreign language materials.

Nancy Tyson, “Principles of Technology Robots,” $393.65, fully funded, for soldering kits for building robots.

Nancy Tyson, “Principles of Leadership,” $1,500, to fund a facilitator for year-long class.

Bridget Cain, “Just Play It,” $2,000, partially funded, to provide DVDs of classical plays and novels.

Kathy Moody, campus representative for DMS assisted McDonald in awarding grants to:

Linda Edmonds, project leader, “sci-labs.edu@DMS,” $1,000 partially funded, for lab kits

Linda Edmonds, project leader, “sci-videos.edu@DMS,” $1,000 partially funded, for DVDs to enhance classroom instruction.

Linda Edmonds, project leader, “E-click to Success at DMS,” $2,530, fully funded, for Classroom Performance Systems and InterWrite SchoolPad.

Ola Ross, project leader, “sci-tech.edu@DMS,” $2,863 partially funded, for computer, projector and cart.

Megan Edmonds and Andrea Compton, “Collaborate with the Classics,” $1,144.47 partially funded, for classroom books and videos.

Betsy Coplin, “Middle School Technology,” $6,850 partially funded, for library computers.

Vicky Thorne, project leader, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go,” $5,276 partially funded, for computer equipment for the social science department.

Erma Banks, the DCSF campus representative for U.S. Jones, helped McDonald award grants to:

Johnny Scott, “Building Skills with BOB,” $730.25, fully funded, for beginning chapter books.

Rebecca Roemen, “Flight to Fluency,” $181.79, fully funded, for classroom library.

Mary Stuedeman, “Mighty Math Minds,” $1,108.84 fully funded, for materials to explore math concepts.

Mary Stuedeman, “Readers Become Leaders,” $1,000 partially funded, for classroom library.

Amelia Mackey, “Transforming Learning with Technology,” $824 fully funded, for an LCD video projector.

And Martha McKnight, DCSF campus representative for Westside, assisted McDonald in awarding grants to:

Debbie Butler, “Focusing on Phonics,” $4,200 partially funded, providing one set of materials for each grade to teach phonics.

Nanette Dollar, “Reading Station Sensations,” $537.50 fully funded, for classroom library of trade books.

Nanette Dollar, “Listening Center Station, “$177.27 fully funded, for new equipment for an established listening center.

Beth Fleming, “Listen to Learn,” $929.80 fully funded, for a listening center and books on tape.

Michele Tangle, “Voyager Literacy Station Rotation,” $2,859.45 fully funded, for a mobile unit for 11 second-grade teachers to teach the new Voyager reading series.

Laura Holley, “Auto-B-Good,” $495 fully funded for DVDs on character education.

According to McDonald, some teachers received more than one grant to fund various projects in their schools and classrooms.

She also said the grants from this year bring the total amount awarded by the DCSF since 1993 to just under $535,000.

“We do this every year,” McDonald said. “I like to see the teacher’s reaction, but I just love the students’ when we walk into the classroom.”