The Tyrone Renaissance Education Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference at Tyrone Area High School.
Solely based on donations received by area businesses, individuals, and school teachers, members of Renaissance create a budget each school year to provide teacher mini-grants and student appreciation materials.
The Renaissance officers for the 2003-04 school year are: president, Elaine Hershberger; vice president, Robin Cushion; treasurer, Sally Chamberlain and secretary, Peg McNitt. The Renaissance homeroom advisor is Leah Dobrowlski.
Students who are members of Renaissance homeroom spend the beginning of each school day with Dobrowlski. During this time, students plan for different activities that are held throughout the school year, such as teacher appreciation days, cookies and drinks for parent-teacher conferences, and special candy days for the student body, just to name a few.
Items that Renaissance are planning to provide to the school this year include: perfect attendance awards for students, the Renaissance Star Program for students, sundaes and candy for the student body, a teacher appreciation luncheon and a teacher appreciation showcase.
The item that is probably most recognizable from Renaissance is the student identification cards. Students receive a gold, orange or black card based on their grades. This card can then be used for discounts at local businesses and for special sundaes and other student appreciation activities at the school.
Renaissance also provides many items for seniors each year. Those students with high scores on their SATs receive a mug from Renaissance. The picture of the senior honor group that is placed in front of the main office is provided by Renaissance. Also provided by Renaissance is two senior scholarships and the valedictorian/salutatorian medals.
The group also provides items to middle school students each year, including the individual agendas that each middle school student receives and the middle school science fair medals.
Also provided by Renaissance each school year are six curriculum development grants for teachers.
For example, a mini-grant was approved for Karen DelBaggio’s eighth grade accelerated reader program. Once students in this program read so many pages, they are rewarded with a gift certificate from a local business.
Another mini-grant was approved for the sixth grade Mexico Day, where the students experienced the language, music, games, food, and arts/crafts of Mexico. Another mini-grant was approved for Beth Dutrow’s science class in which they constructed a butterfly garden in the school courtyard.
Anyone interested in helping out The Tyrone Renaissance Education Foundation by contributing time or financial help is urged to contact one of the current officers or the high school office.
