Ephrata schools accept grants, donations
R. HANS MILLER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year AGO
Rachel Boruff, left, and Julie Jenne, Parkway Pizzaz Lego Robotics Team Advisors, ask the Ephrata School Board for approval to take their team to national competition in New Jersey during Monday's Ephrata School Board meeting. Technology was a focus for multiple grants and donations to the district this week.
COURTESY PHOTO/EPHRATA SCHOOL DISTRICT/SARAH MORFORD
Managing Editor Rob Miller is a 4-year U.S. Army veteran who grew up in Western Montana in a community about the size of Soap Lake. An honors graduate of Texas State University, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Brandee, and their three dogs, Draco, Pepper and Cinnamon. He has one son, William. During his free time, he enjoys photography, video games, reading and working on the house he and his wife bought in Ephrata. He is passionate about the First Amendment and educating communities. | February 27, 2025 2:40 AM
EPHRATA – The Ephrata School Board met Monday and tackled a variety of issues and heard updates from various campuses and district staff.
Financial items of note included the investment of about $2.9 million in addition to funding received from the state to ensure staffing needs are met in the district. A statement from the district said the funding is necessary to provide competitive salaries to educators and other essential student support staff.
The board approved the acceptance of two grants totaling $50,000. The first is a $30,000 Perkins Reserve Grant to support career and technical student organizations. Funding from that grant will help programs like the Future Business Leaders of America, Future Health Science Professionals, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America, the Technology Student Association and SkillsUSA to extend their learning programs outside of traditional classrooms. That includes travel expenses for students competing at state and national conferences this year.
The second grant comes in at $20,000 from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to put toward career and technical education programs. The district intends to use the money to upgrade the Ephrata High School Business Lab. Funding will also go to support Computer Science courses. Starting next year, students will also be able to enroll in Engineering and AI essentials for high-growth careers in IT and tech.
Other funding accepted included a $954 donation from BSN Sports in the form of dumbbells for the EHS weight room, about $5,300 from Weinstein Beverage for a new scoreboard for the EHS junior varsity baseball field, and $2,400 to help purchase new backstop padding for the EGS baseball and softball fields from the Tiger Boosters.
The total project cost for the backstop maintenance is about $5,145 and will be covered by the EHS Extracurricular budget.
ARTICLES BY R. HANS MILLER
Suspect in 2022 murder of Moses Lake woman expected to change plea
EPHRATA — Juan Gastelum, 31, of Hermiston, Ore., the suspect in the March 2022 killing of Yanira Cedillos, is expected to change his current plea of not guilty to a guilty plea. Prosecutors in the case have requested that a plea change hearing be set for March 3, according to court documents.
Counselors help students plan ahead at Ephrata High
EPHRATA — Planning for the future isn’t something freshmen in high school gravitate toward, but the four guidance counselors at Ephrata High School point them in the right direction to get their futures planned.
Multiple projects coming to Ephrata in ‘26
EPHRATA — Multiple civic projects are coming to Ephrata this year as spring starts to waive at us from the not-too-distant future. Park upgrades, sports facility improvements and roadway upgrades are among them, according to Ephrata City Administrator Ray Towry.