Nine partners in the Cleburne ISD Adopt-A-School program will be recognized for their work with their adopted campuses during Wednesday’s Cleburne Chamber of Commerce quarterly membership luncheon.

Heritage Trails Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Cleburne Lions Club, Community Bank, Andersen Air Conditioning and Heating, Friendship Circle of King’s Daughters, HEB, Lowell Smith, Jr., Frank and Cyndi Herring, co-owners of Enviroscapes, and RE/MAX of Cleburne have been nominated for the 2009 Adopter of the Year Award, which will be presented during the luncheon at the Cleburne Senior Center.

The guest speaker at the event will be CISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard, who will discuss the district’s development of a long-range strategic plan and the community’s involvement in the project.

More than 40 businesses and civic organizations are participants in the Adopt-A-School program, a longtime project of the Chamber and CISD that brings business and industry together with schools to benefit students and education.

Adopters work with their campuses in a variety of ways, from providing mentors and guest speakers to underwriting special activities and assisting with school events.

“Helping schools is pretty critical, whether you are an adopter or not,” said Community Bank President and CEO Jimmy Campbell.



Community Bank

Community Bank was honored in 2008 with the Adopter of the Year Award for its sponsorship of the accelerated reader programs at Irving and Santa Fe Elementary Schools.

The bank is back among this year’s nominees for its continued support of Irving’s reading program and related activities.

“It’s nice to be recognized for doing the things you do because you care,” Campbell said. “We believe our support of the accelerated reader program is making a difference in student success.”



Heritage Trails Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

Among this year’s Adopter of the Year nominees is Heritage Trails Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which has been nominated by Cleburne High School and C.C. Cooke Elementary.

For the past three years Heritage Trails has joined with the CHS Health Science Technology Program to allow certified nurse aide students the opportunity to perform their required clinical hours in a health care setting.

The facility also offers two $500 scholarships annually to CHS students who have obtained their nurse aide certifications and wish to continue on to nursing school.

As an adopter of C.C. Cooke Elementary, Heritage Trails has been involved in numerous activities and projects, including providing a Cooke Wildcats fence sign for the front of the school.

The facility also involved Cooke students in a pen-pal program with its residents, and kindergarten students were treated to an Easter egg hunt held at Heritage Trails.



Cleburne Lions Club

Cleburne Lions Club, a past Adopter of the Year, was nominated by Adams Elementary.

The longtime partnership between the Lions and the Gators continues to be one of the strongest within the Adopt-A-School program.

Lions report to the campus three days a week to read with students.

The organization also involves Adams in the Lions Drug Poster Contest, giving students the opportunity to receive recognition at the local level and to continue at the district and state levels.

The Lions work closely with the Adams staff in providing eye glasses for needy students.



Mark Andersen

Andersen Air Conditioning and Heating Owner Mark Andersen has been nominated by Irving Elementary for his sponsorship of the Terrific Tigers program, which recognizes academic achievement and good conduct at each grade level.

As a mentor, Andersen has served as a tutor in Irving’s after school tutorials and as a guest speaker to talk with students about the importance of setting goals and staying in school.



Friendship Circle

of King’s Daughters

Another past award winner, Friendship Circle of King’s Daughters was nominated by Cleburne TEAM School for its continued commitment to TEAM graduates in making $200 scholarships available to all who apply.



H-E-B

H-E-B’s work with Santa Fe Elementary second graders places the grocery store among this year’s nominees. H-E-B worked with the second grade to provide classroom instruc /Volumes/Advertising/ FIFI FILES/TR ROP Display_Ads/19/July/145592.eps tion centered on healthy lifestyles.

Accompanied by HEBuddy, a store representative meets with each classroom and provides students with a reusable lunch bag filled with nutritious foods. Students also receive a book about healthy eating.



Lowell Smith Jr.,

Lowell Smith Jr., nominated by the middle school bearing his name, is being recognized for his contributions, which include giving his time. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith volunteer at the school on a weekly basis.



Frank and Cyndi Herring

Frank and Cyndi Herring, co-owners of Enviroscapes, were nominated for the 2009 Adopter of the Year Award by the staff of Marti Elementary.

In addition to the numerous hours the Herrings contribute to the school through PTA and as involved parents, they have made a major contribution to the school through their business in the funding and creation of an Outdoor Learning Center.

The Herrings have also provided landscape services to the school and worked with the Marti Student Council in campus beautification projects.



RE/MAX of Cleburne

RE/MAX of Cleburne was nominated by Coleman Elementary for its longtime sponsorship of the Above the Crowd program, established by James and Linda Wright and their staff. Each six weeks RE/MAX recognizes students in all grades for academic improvement and achievement and outstanding citizenship.

“We are very fortunate to have this kind of hands-on involvement and support for our schools and students,” said CISD Superintendent Dr. Ronny Beard. “Our campuses are able to do so much more with the help provided by their Adopters. They are always on standby to help in any way they can and we truly appreciate their interest in our students and their success.”

For information on the CISD Adopt-A-School program, call the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce at 817-645-2455 or Lisa Magers, CISD director of community relations, at 817-202-1127.