Scott and 21 other Mid- Del teachers have turned to DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit website that allows public school teachers to post specific education projects for their students while individual and corporate donors select the projects they want to support with their financial contributions.

Most of the items and projects would not be provided through normal district funding, Scott said. Many districts, including Mid-Del, have educational foundations that provide a limited number of grants for specific classroom projects each year, but many of the grant applications are not funded.

As a result, teachers like Scott began looking for other financing options.

Scott, a first-grade teacher at Schwartz Elementary, became aware of the website in January when she submitted her first proposal for a laptop that is now used by students in connection with the district-provided Smart Board. A second laptop she received through DonorsChoose. org is used by the students for their Accelerated Reader program.

They’re more engaged with this than they are with paper and pencil. – Pat ScottWISHES GRANTED

 Since January, Scott has written proposals for several classroom instructional items and received the funding through DonorsChoose.org. Among those items are a camera and printer, two iPods, wireless speakers, wireless headphones, the two laptops and recess materials that include balls, games and large floor puzzles.

“The students have access to materials they wouldn’t have had access to before,” Scott said. “They have apps on the iPods for their math program. The more they practice, the better they get. They’re more engaged with this than they are with paper and pencil.”

One of Scott’s students, Maribel Cavazos, 7, said the new iPods and laptops help her “learn better.”

“It helps you learn more math with the apps,” she said.

The two major corporate donors that have helped Scott are Hewlett-Packard and Horace Mann, an insurance and investment firm that caters to educators. Horace Mann representative Sharon Lucas said her company has donated almost $400 toward Scott’s eight projects. In total, Scott has received more than $4,400 through DonorsChoose.org since Jan. 1. Horace Mann has contributed $580,000 nationwide this school term.

“This helps the teacher buy things for their classroom so they don’t have to dip into their own personal checkbook,” Lucas said.

The website allows donors to fund projects based on their individual passion, such as music, the environment or reading. Donors can also use the site’s filter to find projects in their state, hometown, specific school district or individual schools.

FULLY FUNDED

Scott said she “put the word out” to her friends, students’ parents and fellow church members regarding her projects on DonorChoose.org. The website allows donors to contribute as little as $1 to the project of their choice. Scott said it took about 30 days to get her first project totally funded.

According to the site, projects are thoroughly vetted before being placed on DonorsChoose.org. After the project has received 100 percent of its funding, the item is purchased by DonorsChoose. org and then shipped to the school.

DonorsChoose.org was founded in 2000 by then-social studies teacher Charles Best who believed that many people would like to help distressed public schools but were frustrated by a lack of influence with their donations. He created the site so individuals could connect directly with classrooms in need. Best taught at a Bronx, N.Y., high school.photo A Schwartz Elementary first grader uses a donated laptop computer.

Houell, of Del City, was part of the Army’s 70th Infantry Division that participated in a key battle in Wingen, France, a small town nestled in the Hardt Mountains.The small, quiet village was quickly transformed in January 1945 as houseto-house fighting ensued between German forces and two U.S Army infantry regiments that had just arrived in the European Theater.

Houell, whose duties were to string telephone lines for military outposts, said he was at the southern end of the battle that started badly when more than 200 American soldiers and officers were captured, injured or killed. The tide turned the next day for the Americans as they rescued the captured soldiers and eventually won the battle.

Houell and 96 other World War II veterans from Oklahoma were recognized at an Honor Flight ceremony

May 3 for their military service. The next day, the veterans boarded a plane that took them to see the World War II monument and other war memorials in Washington, D.C. The ceremony was held at Rose State College’s Performing Arts Center.

The Honor Flight mission is to transport World War II veterans to the nation’s capital so they can visit the memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices. Current estimates show less than 3 million of the 16 million soldiers who served in World War II are still living. Officials with the Honor Flight network say their goal is to take all living World War II vets to see the monuments.

Prior to the May 3 ceremony, the 88-year-old Houell said he was excited to see the war memorials.

“It’s wonderful,” he said. “I missed the last one (Honor Flight) because I was in the hospital. I’m just thrilled. I look forward to seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Washington monument, the U.S. Capitol and of course the World War II memorial. It’s the reason we’re going.”

Donald Aycock of Lawton served with the 18th Field Artillery, which he said was the only rocket unit to serve in Germany. He was among the thousands of soldiers who landed on Normandy’s beaches on June 7, 1944, as part of the D-Day Invasion. Later in the war, the 18th Field Artillery became embroiled in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, where more than 24,000 soldiers were killed, injured, captured or went missing.

“I wouldn’t want to go through it again, but I’m proud of what we did,” he said.

Aycock, who turns 90 on October 7, said he went to Arlington Cemetery 30 years ago, but has never seen all of the memorials in Washington, D.C.

“I applied (for the Honor Flight) last year, but I wasn’t old enough,” he said with a smile.

GENERATIONAL PRIDE

Aycock said he’s proud to have been part of the generation that fought in World War II.

“I lived through some pretty scary deals,” he said. “I came back without a scratch.”

Last week’s flight was the third for Oklahoma veterans. Another one is scheduled for October.

Gov. Mary Fallin attended the May 3 ceremony and she thanked the World War veterans for their “commitment to this nation.”

“Thank you for fighting evil and standing up against it,” she said.

Rep. Gary Banz (R, Midwest City) and his wife, Linda, are two of the organizers. Before introducing each veteran, Linda Banz said, “So why do we do this? I’m going to give you 97 reasons.”

Each veteran stood as his name was called and Linda Banz read aloud their hometown, the military branch they served in and the major military honors they received.

“In God’s providence, you are here representing those you served with and those who did not come home,” she said.

The audience applauded continuously for about 10 minutes as the veterans, some in wheelchairs and other aided by walkers, were escorted into the college’s Performing Arts Center, and seated for the ceremony.

As an added tribute, the Townsend Elementary School choir sang “Thank You Soldiers” to close the ceremony. Midwest City Mayor Jack Fry served as the event’s emcee.

Oklahoma Honor Flights was organized in 2009 as an official affiliate of Honor Flight Network. Oklahoma became the 31st state to begin an organization to support the national effort. Since its inception in 2005, the Honor Flight Network nationwide has transported 35,996 veterans to the war memorials in Washington, D.C.

top Audience members applaud World War II veterans during a ceremony at Rose State May 3.

bottom Gary Banz

tfarley@eastword.net