Scholarship fund will aid Waynesburg seniors
WAYNESBURG – Qualifying senior athletes in the Central Greene School District may get a financial boost through a scholarship fund set up in memory of a Waynesburg Central High School graduate. At their regular meeting Tuesday, the Central Greene School Board approved the creation of the Jennifer Rose Mooney Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Director Joanne Brookover was absent, and Joe Ayersman abstained from the vote, noting that Jennifer Mooney was his niece.
Mooney, 23, was killed June 11 on Route 21 near Khedive as she returned from her job with the Intermediate Unit in McClellandtown. The cause of the crash was not determined.
“It was the last day of school,” Ayersman said, adding that Mooney, a 1998 WCHS graduate, was also an honor student at the Greene County Vocational-Technical School. An only child, she was the daughter of John and Elva Mooney of Waynesburg.
Her parents said they wanted “to create a scholarship fund from the many wonderful and generous contributions that occurred from caring persons of this community remembering Jennifer’s life.”
Each year a board consisting of the high school principal or vice principal, one high school guidance counselor, the athletic director, Chad Moore, and Suzanne Rohanna will select one senior male athlete and one senior female athlete who will be awarded $1,000 each until the funds are spent.
“Jennifer was a big Raider fan,” said Ayersman, a former wrestling coach.
Criteria for the award will include financial need, excellence in academic and social activities, and a commitment to some type of higher education.
In other business, Dr. Nancy Davis, director of Westmoreland Community College of Greene County, gave an update on the program.
She thanked the school board particularly for the use of the high school for classes. Established in the fall of 1999, the program is blossoming, she said, from about 60 students registered that year to almost 400 registered for the current semester.
“This is one of the best things we’ve done in the county,” Davis said.
“We’ve had the support of the school boards and the county. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people in all areas of the county to participate in credit and non-credit college courses.”
Among the most popular courses, she said, are computer technology.
“I do counsel these people with hopes that EverGreene Park will come to fruition,” she said.
Also well attended are courses related to health professions, such as medical transcriptionist and medical coding and billing, she said.
“People can get a decent position nearby with these courses,” she said.
“We wanted you to know how appreciative the students are of the facility.”
Most students are 25 to 45 years old.
She said the college is planning to build its own facility in the proposed EverGreene Technology Park and at that time will consider offering day classes, which may be more conducive to younger, traditional students.
Also at the board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Jerome Bartley presented a certificate of appreciation to Twila Haines for 15 years of service to the school board.
Also, Bartley announced that he is confident the district will soon be awarded a Reading First Grant, which is part of the federal “No Child Left Behind” program. The district, if approved for the funding, expects to receive $285,000 per year for six years to strengthen the reading program in kindergarten through third grade.
The funds are earmarked for the Waterford Early Reading Curriculum, “Knowledge Box,” (a computer program for teachers), new computer hardware and a literacy coach who will work with faculty and students.
The board also conducted the following business:
– Approved a sabbatical leave for elementary teacher Deborah McCurdy for the first semester (2001-2002).
– Approved a medical leave for administrative assistant Glenna McDougal for four to six weeks, beginning Jan. 2.
– Granted tenure to special education teacher Amber Palmer Young as of the end of the 2001-2002 school year, and also accepted her resignation, effective immediately.
– Hired Amanda Rameas as WCHS varsity cheerleading coach and Miranda Whipkey Chapman as WCHS junior varsity cheerleading coach, both effective immediately.
– Approved the application of the district to participate in the Upward Bound and Junior Achievement programs.
The board will hold its reorganization meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 and its committee meeting immediately afterward. The regular board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10.