Heart of America Foundation representatives and about 60 volunteers from AbbVie descended on Dallas ISD’s T.G. Terry Elementary School on Tuesday, June 27, to refresh the library and several other spaces.
Completed work was celebrated by Principal Alicia Bradley, Trustee Joyce Foreman, Carter feeder pattern Executive Director Earl Jones, officials from Heart of America and AbbVie and children attending Space Camp at the school.
The library is the site of the greatest transformation. The walls are now a bright green, surrounding new tables and chairs. A former storage closet has been transformed into a “makers’ space,” an area filled with tools to spark student creativity and creation. Additionally, new iPads and a 3D printer will offer opportunities for students to learn and experiment.
Also receiving the volunteers’ attention was the teachers’ lounge, computer lab and auditorium stage that got new paint, and hallways with freshened bulletin boards and inspirational signs.
The effort also includes the donation of 250 books to the library, as well as books for students to take home after school resumes.
Heart of America works to find partners and foundations to support library makeover projects. T.G. Terry was chosen from a small pool of applicants for 2017-2018. This particular makeover included technology, which is not usually the case. AbbVie, a pharmaceutical research and development firm, performed the work at Terry as part of the company’s “Week of Possibilities” global volunteering program.
Tom Hayden of Dallas ISD’s Partnerships department, thanked Heart of America and AbbVie for their unwavering support of the district.
“With the support of our longterm partner Heart of America in collaboration with the AbbVie Foundation and the Dallas ISD, we have been able to close educational gaps by providing everyday practical solutions and tools in the classroom t0 our most under-served populations,” Hayden said.
The renewed library comes on the heels of T.G. Terry Elementary winning the Read to the Final Four contest.
