Donation will fund school field trip

View larger image Sarah and Richard Bell have made an additional contribution to Winchester Education Foundation. Dennis Grundman/Daily

Gift from Adams Family Foundation to help send sixth-graders to Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

By Candace Sipos -- csipos@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Daniel Morgan Middle School sixth-graders will have an opportunity this year that they missed out on in 2011.

Thanks to a $75,000 donation from the Adams Family Foundation, the entire class will take a field trip to historic Harpers Ferry, W.Va., in April.

The contribution brings the total amount raised by the Winchester Education Foundation to almost $8.7 million, according to Executive Director H. Russell "Russ" Potts Jr.

The stage at the Patsy Cline Theatre at John Handley High School has been named in memory of Fern and Doug Adams, parents of Sarah Bell, who addressed the very students who will benefit from the donation during a Tuesday news conference.
"It is when we engage students, mind, heart and soul, that we are witness to our greatest reward," she said, standing next to her husband, Richard.

Although the students weren't able to go on the field trip last year because of "challenging weather," according to Bell, the school principal and superintendent discussed recent economic concerns.

"During these extraordinary financial times, Daniel Morgan has been forced to review the opportunities that we are able to offer our students," principal Sarah Kish said. "Due to budgetary constraints, hands-on opportunities such as field trips have been limited the past several years."

She noted that Mrs. Bell has volunteered "endless hours" at the school over the past two years, mostly to help disadvantaged students. Mrs. Bell is particularly interested in supporting fine arts and sports programs at the school and is involved with the PTO, Kish said.

"This is all about you," Superintendent Rick Leonard said, looking out at the crowd of students. "It is to benefit you and it's one of a kind."

Potts pointed out that the donation is the first to go directly to a city school other than Handley, which has needed more funding largely because the building recently required a complete renovation.

The Adams Family Foundation will determine each year how to spend the remaining dollars of the contribution within the city school system.