Aug. 26 was a big day for Karl King, Jr's special education class at Central Middle School .
The students and staff members were visited by representatives from FOX23 News as well as the Law Office of Jeff Martin and Associates as part of a joint “One Class at a Time” grant program. Through the program, a $1,000 grant is awarded each month during the school year to a Green Country classroom to help supplement student needs.
King's class was awarded the grant for August, the first month of the 2008-09 academic year.
As he entered King's classroom on Aug. 26, FOX23 News daybreak anchor Ron Terrell carried an enlarged check for $1,000.
“I was really excited, and the students were too,” said King. “It's pretty cool.
“It lets everyone see that something like this can be done.”
King was surfing the web a little more than three weeks ago when he discovered the “One Class at a Time” grant program. He entered his class and heard the good news – that his class had won – last week. Though King had initially planned to use the grant money to purchase five electronic readers, the funds will now be used to buy a smart board for his room. A cutting edge piece of educational technology, smart boards allow lessons on computers to be projected onto a big screen. Highly interactive, students and teachers can manipulate the icons on the screen with their hands and perform tasks for the enter class to see. Notes from smart board presentations can be printed in case they need to be referred to later, perhaps to assist a student who was absent during the lesson.
King's special education class readily utilizes interactive lessons. Prior to the arrival of their special guests on Tuesday, students were reciting the names of every president in U.S. history together as well as the calendar months.
King looks forward to the arrival of the smart board.
“The students are really excited about the smart board,” said King. “It's going to be a great asset for everyone in the class.”
Helping Terrell to make the check presentation to King on Tuesday was Jeremy Martin, a representative of the Law Office of Jeff Martin and Associates. The presentation – as well as some other class moments during the group's visit – was filmed and was expected to air as a special segment on the FOX23 News broadcast on Tuesday evening.
Karl King, Jr. (right), a special education teacher, is awarded a check from FOX 23 News daybreak anchor Ron Terrell (center) and Law Office of Jeff Martin representative Jeremy Martin on Aug. 26 at Central Middle School. King's class was awarded the $1,000 grant check as part of the “One Class at a Time” program.