Ottumwa Community Schools was recently awarded two grants from the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation’s Bright Ideas program.
Evans Middle School will receive $22,800 to purchase new exercise equipment, allowing the school to expand physical education opportunities for students. The equipment will be used to create an additional space to rotate all students through. The goal is to provide students with a basic understanding of physical fitness and the types of activities they can perform to have an active and healthy lifestyle. Equipment will include elliptical, recumbent bikes and a variety of machines that focus on specific muscle groups. The equipment will be used in regular and adaptive instruction.
The other grant will provide over $8,000 to support college visits for students. Visits are used to promote post-secondary options that are available to students.
“We are extremely excited and grateful to receive these funds from the Legacy Foundation,” said Superintendent Nicole Kooiker. “Our physical education program at Evans can now expand some of their opportunities for students and we can add some additional college visits into our plan to increase post-secondary enrollment rates of Ottumwa graduates.”