Leon Smith, superintendent of Russellville Independent Schools, announced recently that the district has received a $69,674 grant from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation. Jim Guthrie, division manager of Carpenter Co. in Russellville, presented Smith with the check on July 8.

The foundation, which was formed in 1975 by the founder of the Richmond, Va., based company, meets twice annually to consider grant requests from public charities in communities where Carpenter Co. has had long-time manufacturing facilities. Carpenter Co. has been operating in Russellville since 1969. The Russellville location was the third plant for the company, which now has 56 locations and 4700 employees worldwide. It is the largest maker of comfort cushioning products in the world.

The grant monies will be used for several projects in the district, including five Smart Boards for Russellville Junior/Senior High School; hardback books and magazine subscriptions at Stevenson Elementary School; an I-Pad cart to enhance teaching, learning, and developmental environments for early childhood education; and the purchase of additional Google Chromebooks. The district will match the portion of the grant dedicated to the Chromebooks, and two teachers will be sent for training to become Google Certified Educators.

On behalf of the school district, Smith expressed appreciation for the grant, stating, “I am thankful for the Carpenter Foundation’s continuing support of our schools and their willingness to work with us as we try to provide the best education possible for our students.”