Submitted photo Pioneer Memorial Library children’s activity room. In 2025, the Rotary Club of Elkins provided a grant in the amount of $1,536.61 to develop a creative play/learning area in this room.

ELKINS – The Rotary Club of Elkins has opened its annual grant cycle, inviting all public schools and libraries in Randolph County to make application. Each year, the Rotary Club of Elkins awards grants to local public schools and libraries to improve, enhance or otherwise benefit the local community. Projects will be judged based on the following criteria:

Innovation: The dictionary defines innovation as “new and creative, especially in the way that something is done”. The Rotary Club of Elkins is looking for the use of creativity to solve old problems, simply purchasing “packaged programs” is not considered innovative, but how you utilize the program may be, so be descriptive with how you will execute the program.

Student Involvement: The activity must directly involve and benefit students/young people.

Lifespan: Be sure to include the approximate number of years the project will benefit students/young people; those that can be a benefit for a number of years will receive more consideration.

Evaluation: Include specific and measurable outcome expectations that illustrate the impact of your project; be sure to discuss how you will evaluate the project’s success. Use your evaluation of the project in a way that clearly demonstrates how the grant funds will be utilized.

Budget: The budget template should be completed thoroughly with items to be purchased, suppliers and estimated costs; attaching additional information regarding items (pictures of equipment, reviews etc.) on the budget is encouraged to leave no question about what plans to be purchased, but it is not required.

Past Project Performance: Providing that your school/library has received this funding in the past, share how that award benefited your students/area youth and, if applicable, how this project will continue that work. Grantees who received funding in the most recent award year will receive additional consideration if post-award requirements were met.

In 2025, $11,871.32 was awarded to five schools and two libraries for the following projects:

Beverly Elementary School – $1,598 to purchase Heggerty Bridge to Writing for 2nd and 3rd grades.

Coalton Elementary School – $1,186.71 to complete its Bearcat Book Bin project.

Elkins High School Band – $2,500 to aid in the purchase of a Jupiter Sousaphone.

Midland Elementary School – $750 to purchase various sensory options.

Randolph Technical Center – $2,500 to purchase a Grizzly 3HP Extreme Series bandsaw for the Millwork & Cabinetmaking program.

Elkins Randolph County Library – $1,800 to purchase books, craft supplies and food for its summer reading program.

Pioneer Memorial Library – $1,531.51 to develop a creative play/learning area in the children’s activity room.

This year’s grant recipients will be recognized and receive their awards at the Rotary Club of Elkins International Festival that will be held on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Elkins Rotary Amphitheatre in the City Town Square.

Tickets for the event can be purchased from any Elkins Rotary Club member or by contacting Rotary President Phillips Kolsun at phillipskolsun@gmail.com.

All schools and libraries are invited to participate in this program. Teachers wishing to make an application are directed to coordinate with their school principal; only one project per school will be funded. Applications can be secured from each school’s principal and library directors or by emailing Rotarian Tammie Rizzio at tammierizzio@gmail.com. The deadline for submission of applications is May 1.

“We are excited to see the projects submitted for consideration this year from our public schools and libraries. The work done with these funds is so very important to our student’s and community’s success; we are just thrilled to be a small part of it,” said Rizzio.

Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves. Visit www.Rotary.org to learn more about Rotary International, visit the club’s Facebook page – Rotary Club of Elkins – or contact 2025-2026 club president Phillips Kolsun at phillipskolsun@gmail.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.