McKinley Tech Wins $100,000 AARP Grant

Chancellor Rhee and Mayor Fenty join Principal Pinder and SWEEP Captain Thandiwe Burrell to accept the AARP check.

By Ashley McBride and D'Angelo Rucker

Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee were on hand for the second day in a row at McKinley, this time for the acceptance ceremony for a $100,000 grant to McKinley from the America Association of Retired Persons (AARP). This award is given in seven cities across America, including DC. McKinley competed against Banneker, School Without Walls, and Wilson Senior High School. AARP awards the money to the school with the most community involvement and activities that help bridge the generation gap. What gave us the edge over our competitors was participation in programs like Solid Waste Education and Enforcement Program (SWEEP) and Generation Link, which was sponsored by AARP and National Response Team (NRT).

In the fall of 2005, history teacher Thomas Ammazzalorso sponsored Generation Link. Students worked with senior citizens and taught them how to use e-mail and browse the internet. This marked our first partnership with AARP and NRT. Many McKinley students also participate in SWEEP, which is a strategic alliance with the DC Department of Public Works and District of Columbia Public Schools. Activities include helping senior citizens dispose of toxic waste in their homes.

"About 200 McKinley students have volunteered at least once for SWEEP," said Ammazzalorso. "And we were up against schools that have had about two dozen participants."

McKinley is now planning a program called "Senior to Senior," which will begin in the Fall of 2008. This program will involve the class of 2009 and senior citizens in the community. The purpose of it is to bridge the generation gap through technology.

Not only is Ammazzaloroso the coordinator of these activities, he also took the responsibility of gathering all of the information and composing the grant letter.

The money comes at a time when it is greatly needed, since Chancellor Rhee has frozen all DCPS school assets.

By Anna Kinsman |  February 15, 2008; 10:09 AM ET News
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