A quality school system is the foundation of a healthy community and local businesses are certainly supporting that idea this summer.

The Demopolis City Schools Foundation has launched a Back-To-School Campaign and over 20 local businesses have already committed to ensure students have the very best opportunities in their classrooms. The classroom grants program of the foundation supports innovative ideas from teachers, transforming children’s classroom experiences. 

“Every student in the Demopolis system benefited from Foundation grants this past year,” said DCSF Executive Director Amanda Barnes. “Simply put, the foundation is the best way to influence the education of all Demopolis students. We invite our local businesses to support our classroom grant program with a membership in the Foundation, and we encourage our parents and teachers to do business with our supporters.”

Business membership levels begin with the 180 Club, representing the 180 days the classrooms are in use by students and teachers, and signs around town mark all the supporters. 

The foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and all gifts are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the IRS. Donors can make a gift online at the foundation’s website, demopolis.org, or mail a membership to PO Box 1338, Demopolis, AL 36732.

Over the past 25 years, the DCSF has awarded over $1.3 million in classroom grants. 

“This past school year alone, we awarded $69,000 in grants to support Demopolis classrooms,” Barnes said.

A sample of those grants include: 100 laptops and 35 tablet computers; virtual reality glasses for social studies field-trips; welding and threading equipment for career technical training; band instruments at the high school and middle school; scientific calculators for every math classroom at the middle school; and new books for each school library.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, July 31 issue of the Demopolis Times.)