PEACHTREE CITY, GA — May 15, 2012 — Each school year Fort Benning’s Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) share top awards with their partners at the Partners In Education (PIE) Annual Awards Banquet in Columbus. As always, Fort Benning’s results were outstanding.

More than 90 Georgia schools and their partners submitted applications documenting their partnership accomplishments during the 2011-2012 school year, according to PIE Program Manager Dana Whaley, with the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce.   The applications were evaluated by an independent panel of judges.

“We are so proud of all Top 10 schools, but I think it speaks volumes that six of the Top 10 were Fort Benning schools, Whaley said. “Wow!”

Dexter Elementary School, under the leadership of Principal Matthew Kralevich and their partners, the 1/10th Field Artillery and the 1/29th Infantry, earned the overall Partnership of the Year Award. According to Whaley the judges said, “This partnership clearly demonstrates that a good partnership for schools does not depend upon financial support. Active involvement in the lives and activities of the students is more impressive. It would be powerful if there was a way to measure the impact this partnership has upon overall student achievement and improvement – also in the development of confidence and character.”

Of the 10 schools named as the Top 10 Partnerships, Dexter and five other Fort Benning schools and their partners were named. The other five schools and their partners are:

• Faith Middle School with Muscogee County School District Career Academy and the Directorate of Emergency Services
• Loyd Elementary School with the 2/58th Infantry and WRBL News 3
• McBride Elementary School with the 192nd Infantry Brigade
• White Elementary School with Officer Candidate School and WHINSEC
• Wilson Elementary School with the 197th Infantry Brigade, the 2/11th Infantry, Big Lots and Embracing Military Families
  
  

Three Outstanding Projects of the Year were chosen and two Fort Benning schools received those awards:

• White ES and Officer Candidate School and WHINSEC were named a winner for success factor #1 – Improving Academic Performance, with their Active Readers Today, Make Healthy Leaders Tomorrow project.
• McBride ES and the 192nd Infantry Brigade were named a winner for success factor #3 – Enriching the Life Experience of the Student, with its Coins and Medals project.
  
  

“I am so proud of the work done by both our schools and our installation partners,” said Georgia/Alabama District Superintendent Lois Rapp. “It means so much to our students and families."

Partners in Education is a program of The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce which began in 1987 as a joint venture with the Muscogee County School District. Originally known as “Adopt-A-School,” its purpose was to improve education by stimulating meaningful business and community involvement in public schools. To date, more than 200 partnerships exist among more than 90 schools.