(Photo above: Facebook Prineville Data Center Building 2 | photo by Alan Brandt)
15 local nonprofits and schools were awarded a total of $100,000 via the Facebook Prineville Data Center’s 2016 Local Community Action Grants to support projects that put the power of technology to use for community benefit, help improve education at all levels, encourage the community to participate in local activities, and bring diverse new opportunities to the area.
Since 2011, Facebook has donated $1,165,000 to Crook County schools and qualified nonprofits through its Community Action Grants program and local donations, including the support of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
A letter has been sent to recipients with details, including an invitation for them to attend a reception and tour at the data center on Thursday, April 28.
2016 Facebook Prineville Data Center Local Community Action Grant Recipients
Advantage Smiles for Kids – $9,000 Provide orthodontic treatment for low-income, at-risk children in Crook County. The Brace Place of Central Oregon will match the award as in-kind treatment.
Central Oregon Council on Aging – $2,000 Bringing the TECH (Teen Elder Computer Help) program to Crook County. TECH pairs high school students with seniors, age 60+, in computer classes where seniors learn to use digital devices and the internet, and youth gain valuable volunteer experience for use in college admission and job entry.
Crook County High School Computer Science Department – $6,000 Funding annual licenses to the CODEHS digital classroom, the online program that serves as the primary content for CCHS’s Intro to Computer Science elective class. Additionally, the grant will support a Professional Development Membership for the course instructor.
Crook County High School English Department – $13,000 Purchase 64 Chromebooks for two CCHS English classrooms, which are currently without access to computers.
Crook County High School – Stadium Upgrade – $15,000 Funding for a new sound system and football scoreboard for the stadium, replacing a system that is over 30 years old. The stadium is used year-round for school sports, community fundraisers and graduation ceremonies.
Crook County High School – Swivl System – $6,500 Purchase 10 Swivl devices and 10 iPod touch devices, to upload class sessions so students can see the class online. Swivl is a video collaboration tool, a lecture capture platform, an observational coaching solution, and a video conferencing portal.
Crooked River Roundup – $5,000 Funding to upgrade computers, network systems and training programs.
Humane Society of the Ochocos – $10,000 Upgrade technological systems for increased staff productivity, more effective online communication and fundraising, and other digital system upgrades.
Junior Achievement of Central Oregon – $9,000 Deliver Financial Literary Education Classes to an expanded number of middle and high school classes over the next two school years.
Kiwanis Club of Prineville Summer School Program – $3,500 Provide summer school opportunities for under-performing K-3 students.
Oregon Mayors Association – $2,500 Help fund the “If I Were Mayor” contest, which includes elementary, middle and high school students.
Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association – $2,500 Bring the Central Oregon Country Music Gathering to the Crook County Fairgrounds for the first time (September 8-10, 2016). This is a community event and is open to the public free of charge.
OSU Open Campus Juntos Program – $6,600 Establish a Juntos program in Crook County – an OSU extension effort that helps Latino high school students graduate and attend college.
Prineville Music Theater Camp – $4,000 Help develop a comprehensive website for the kids’ music camp.
Runaway Stage Theatrics – $5,000 Support this year’s production, which will get the playhouse up and running on its own via ticket sales. RST, a nonprofit theatre organization, provides opportunities for cultural development through community theatre, including High Desert Dance Arts, Crook County High School, Ochoco Players and other community groups.
Applications for 2017 grants will open October 1, 2016.
Guideline details: https://www.facebook.com/help
