News

Henderson Oil Co. gives schools $500 grants (2)

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 26, 2018

Henderson Oil Co. awarded a total of $7,500 in ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants to 15 Henderson County public schools on Jan. 29, giving elementary, middle and high school principals extra funds for necessary materials and programming.

Receiving each were Atkinson Elementary, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary, Dana Elementary, Edneyville Elementary, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary, Mills River Elementary, Upward Elementary, Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, Rugby Middle, East Henderson High, Hendersonville High, North Henderson High and West Henderson High.
Bruce Drysdale Elementary, Dana Elementary, Mills River Elementary and Upward Elementary intend to spend their funds on Google Chromebooks for the classroom. At Rugby Middle, the grant will supplement Project Lead the Way robotics programs and help fund the N.C. Science Olympiad registration and travel costs; West Henderson High also plans to use the funds for the N.C. Science Olympiad. Atkinson Elementary will use the funds to support its participation in the Muddy Sneakers outdoor science program.
East Henderson High, Hendersonville High, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary and Hendersonville Middle will use the grant to pay for science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) resources and clubs, while the funds will support the UpStart Coding Club at North Henderson High and help pay for software for at-risk students at Flat Rock Middle. Clear Creek Elementary will use the funds to purchase supplies for its annual family engagement Science Night, and Edneyville Elementary plans to use the grant to help fund the school’s robotics team.
ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. This year 4,400 grants totaling $2.2 million were awarded to schools across the country. Henderson Oil Company Vice President Barry Edwards said the 4,400 grants were spoken for only 90 minutes after the application window opened. “That shows the impact of this program,” he said.
Henderson Oil Company was awarded 30 of these $500 grants for a total of $15,000. Since 2000, Henderson Oil Company and ExxonMobil have provided $218,750 in education grants to North Carolina, South Carolina and east Tennessee. Of that number, $118,250 has been awarded to schools in Henderson County.
“Five-hundred dollars is a small chunk at a time, but I hope it makes an impact for our students,” said Henderson Oil President Bill McKibbin.
“Every little bit helps,” said schools Superintendent Bo Caldwell. “I’m proud to be part of a community that pulls together.”

Photo: Front row, from left, Atkinson Elementary Principal Mark Page, Dana Elementary Principal Kim Morgan, Henderson Oil Co. Administrative Assistant Connie Cunningham, North Henderson High Principal John Shepard, Flat Rock Middle Principal Melanie Adams, Upward Elementary Principal Jason Joyce, Mills River Elementary Principal Chad Auten; middle row, West Henderson High Principal Shannon Auten, Clear Creek Elementary Counselor Mich Rhodes, Henderson Oil Co. Maintenance Assistant Cole McKibbin, Bruce Drysdale Elementary Principal BJ Laughter, East Henderson High Principal Carl Taylor; back row, Rugby Middle Principal Scott Moore, Henderson Oil Co. President Bill McKibbin, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary Principal John Hart, Henderson Oil Co. Vice President and Controller Paul Jordan, HCPS Superintendent Bo Caldwell, Henderson Oil Co. Vice President Barry Edwards, Hendersonville High Principal Bobby Wilkins and Hendersonville Middle Principal Luke Manuel