CENTURYLINK AWARDS PHILANTHROPY GRANT TO LOCAL SCHOOL

CenturyLink, Inc. announced today the grant winners from its Middle School Philanthropy program chosen by students at Sawtooth Middle School in Meridian. 

Student Council members, under the direction of advisor Jim Core, researched nonprofit organizations in the Treasure Valley area and chose the St. Luke’s Cares Program, the Women and Children’s Alliance and Big Brother, Big Sister of Southwest Idaho to share the $3,000 grant. The grant was awarded at 2 p.m. today at Sawtooth Middle School.

“CenturyLink is dedicated to enhancing the communities we serve in a meaningful way,” said Jim Schmit, vice president and general manager for CenturyLink in Idaho. “This program is a unique opportunity to enable students to connect with their community in a way that will raise awareness of needs and hopefully plant a seed with them for a lifelong interest in giving back.”

Sawtooth Middle School was one of eight middle schools in Idaho who participated in the program to determine how to each distribute $3,000 among nonprofit organizations impacting their particular community. A total of $24,000 will be awarded to local nonprofit organizations across the state through this program.

The program’s purpose is to increase awareness among middle school students of various needs in their communities. In addition, the program aims to create a lifelong interest in volunteerism and community involvement, develop skills to allocate limited resources and increase civic engagement.

“With the generous donation from CenturyLink, the Sawtooth Middle School student leaders were given the great opportunity to make a real difference in their community,” said advisor Jim Core who oversaw the project.  “After researching the numerous non-profit groups in Meridian, the students, after much debate, agreed on these three.  The best thing is that all of the groups work directly with children in our school and community.  This was something all of the students thought was most important.  Thank you to the forward thinkers at CenturyLink for allowing these students, and all the students here at SMS, to see that giving to those in need is indeed a life-long responsibility.”