$300k partnership puts HMS projects in reach
Christina Holt/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — Two Lea County Commissioners partnered to invest $300,000 in projects across every school in the Hobbs Municipal School district, giving campuses funding to address individual needs and improve student experiences.
Commissioners Tyson Pierce and Gary Eidson each gave $150,000 from their discretionary funding to support a variety of projects ranging from a book vending machine to after school tutoring programs.
Each county commissioner receives a budgeted amount of funds every fiscal year to partner with local government entities or school districts on projects that improve the quality of life, education and safety within Lea County residents.
County Commissioners unanimously approved both Eidson’s and Pierce’s discretionary funding to be used for projects at HMS at its regularly scheduled meeting Oct. 22.
HMS Superintendent Gene Strickland met with each school principal to ask what projects they would prioritize if additional funding was available outside the district’s budget.
“It was a fun exercise to go through with the principals because at first they thought, ‘are you pulling our leg’ because this doesn’t happen. It was really neat to see them light up….,” Strickland said.
The 13 elementary’s and Alternative Learning school received $10,000 each. Some of the priorities the schools had included a book vending machine, classroom libraries, exterior sign updates, tricycles for pre-kindergarten classrooms, exterior canopies and field trips.
Strickland said as students earn different achievements, such as perfect attendance, they are awarded a coin to use at the book vending machine. They can then purchase a book, which they get to keep, he said.
Lea County Commissioner Dee Ann Kimbro thought the book vending machine was a neat idea.
The three middle schools and CTECH will each received $20,000 for projects ranging from tutoring programs to student incentives to rewards for good grades or behavior.
Another middle school initiative is for funds to help pay the fees due to damage to devices owned by the school and loaned to the students.
“We have students who are unable to pay for the damages done to student devices. They have fees accruing and they have to pay off that fine. It’s much like the library books when they were late,” Strickland said.
The freshman campus will receive $30,000 and the high school campus will receive $50,000.
The high school would like to provide classroom updates, laptop carts, welding and milling machines, kitchen equipment and staff appreciation efforts.
A total of about 25 projects across 20 school campuses will be completed with the county funding.
