Great Lakes Donates Nearly $8,000 to Jefferson Elementary

Metro Wire Staff

Students and staff at Jefferson Elementary School received quite the surprise on Friday.

Employees from Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation presented their adopted school with a check for $7,820 on Dec. 8. The donation was a dollar-for-dollar company match to the funds Stevens Point employees contributed to their annual United Way campaign.

Principal Molly Demrow said the funds would be used in part to install new playground equipment at the school, some of which was damaged during a violent June 12 storm.

“Our corporate philanthropy operates on multiple levels,” said Amy Kerwin, Vice President of Community Investments at Great Lakes. “At the local level, through our Great Lakes Gives employee giving program, we help students at a school located near each of our offices get a strong start, improving their chances of accessing higher education.”

Kerwin added the connections Great Lakes employees build with staff and students at its adopted schools go beyond dollars and cents. These relationships have been built over several years through volunteer work, snack, book and school supply collection drives, and other activities.

This is the fourth year Jefferson has received the Great Lakes matching funds.

The school has previously used donations to install SmartBoards in all general education classrooms, increasing student engagement and participation through the use of the high-tech tools.