Through Triple OpportunitEEE (Entertain, Educate, Evolve), Regeneration will be providing distance learning, with the collaboration of many partners, to increase opportunities for arts and culture, education for all ages, promoting healthy lifestyles, and reaching a broad segment of the community that lacks access to the benefits of technology in the 21st century.
In the above photo, fifth graders from Ritchie County participate in Stuffee's Kitchen, a distance learning educational session broadcast from the Clay Center in Charleston --
a completely interactive session with the local students on the digestive system.
The Ross Foundation, represented by Tres Ross, granted $17,700 to create a strategic plan to design a program for distance learning that is affordable and meets the needs of the people of Ritchie County, catering to the youth in our area to serve them with college classes either on-site on through the distance learning technological capabilities. It will also help bring a variety of Corporate and Community Education classes to the county to enrich the lives of all citizens. Youth may be able to participate in activities beyond the classroom and the computer lab. For example, there is interest in offering, in cooperation with North Bend State Park and Adventure Pursuits, courses in outdoor activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, fishing and rock climbing.
The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation approved a $2,000 grant for the transmission of educational classes such as Stuffee's Kitchen from the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences to students in grades K-5 using our video conferencing system at Regeneration. We want to reach approximately 650 students with this programming designed to instruct them in the workings of the human body and in nutrition.
The Prather Trust first granted $9,295 for renovation costs for a classroom, along with desks, chairs and other needed equipment. The classroom was designed to be 831 square feet. Construction finished in August 2007, in time for college classes to begin at the facility in The Prather Classroom.
A second grant from The Prather Trust was provided in March 2008. It will be used to provide additional programming for youth, as well as making upgrades to the public computer lab frequently used by preschool students and members of the Workforce West Virginia youth and adult groups.