FROM STAFF REPORTS

CHELSEA – On Aug. 3, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced that Chelsea Park Elementary School has been selected as an official Alabama Bicentennial School in a ceremony in the Old House Chamber of the State Capitol.

Chelsea Park is one of 200 schools selected to receive this special designation and receive a grant to fund a community project developed by the school.

Launched by Ivey in December 2017, the Alabama Bicentennial Schools Initiative encourages all public, private and homeschool students and teachers to participate in the celebration of Alabama’s 200th anniversary of statehood in 2019.

In early 2018, all K-12 schools in Alabama were invited to submit a proposal that engages in outreach and improvement projects to connect their classrooms with their local communities.

From a competitive pool of nearly 400 proposals, 200 schools were selected to be official Alabama Bicentennial Schools and receive $2,000 grants to support the implementation of their projects. Additionally, 56 schools received honorable mentions and $500 grants.

Schools were chosen through a review process involving committees of local educators, community leaders and private citizens.

Representing all corners of the state, the selected schools have developed a wide variety of projects that will make meaningful contributions to their local communities.

“The Bicentennial Schools Initiative is not only a special way for students to take part in celebrating our 200 years of statehood, but also an opportunity for them to engage within their communities. It fosters a love for the state they call home, and it instills in them the courage to make a difference,” Ivey said.

The Alabama Bicentennial Schools Initiative is presented in partnership by Alabama 200, the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Alabama State Department of Education.

For a complete list of official Bicentennial Schools or for more information, visit Alabama200.org.