The Worth County School, in a special ceremony Tuesday, celebrated the Land and Water Conservation Program that has led to improvements at both the football and softball fields and educational improvements, including the Outdoor Classroom. The Worth County band opened with the playing of the National Anthem.
Former Superintendent Dr. Linda Gray Smith, now the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources at Independence, came back to speak at the gathering. She said that it was a "wonderful example of people working together" and thanked Senator Brad Lager, Congressman Sam Graves, and Representatives Mike Thomson and Casey Guernsey for their support. She said that Chris Bucklin of the DNR had gone out of his way to help the school, including putting the school in contact with other successful programs. Janice Borey and Julie Tracy wrote many of the grants, Jonnell Cook did a lot of the work for the softball field, while Chuck Borey was the project manager.
"This is more than about people playing football," said Dr. Smith, noting that people from the community use the track all the time. Elaine Mullock, who represented the community, said that she had used the track since 1982, when she first came to Worth County. She said that working out on the track was preferable to the hilly terrain elsewhere. Money for the school improvements was done through federal, state, and local funding as well as private donations. Dr. Smith quoted Bucklin as saying that while not everyone would get to Yellowstone or Rocky Mountain National Park, everyone can benefit from outdoor conservation programs in their own communities. The latest such example is the Nature Trail in Grant City, which will link up the Pool Park, Skating Rink, and Swimming Pool with the Ball Diamond without people having to walk through traffic.
Ms. Mary Chapman noted that her Kindergarten class uses the Outdoor Classroom to learn about how to take care of plants as well as photosynthesis; they get in extra exercise from digging dirt as part of their project as well. Assistant Principal Chuck Borey, who also serves as the Athletic Director, said that the upgrades helped athletes better themselves as well as prevent injuries. Elaine Mullock said that people from the community use the track regularly, including Harold Fletchall, who was one of the Grand Marshals of the recent Grant City Sesquicentennial. Fletchall, who is 80+ years young, stays in good health by walking a mile on the track every day. She said that her sons, Eli and Alex, would not have had their success in athletics without the track upgrades that the Land and Water Conservation Program provided for the school.
The Land and Water Conservation Program, which funds recreation programs and protects national resources around the country, operates on an annual operating budget of up to $900 million. The money is spent very frugally, with the program reaching its spending cap only twice in its 50 year existence. The current mandate runs through 2015, when it must be renewed by Congress.
Student Jacy Gabriel closed the gathering by singing "America the Beautiful."
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