(Friday, December 11, 2015) the staff and student population at Hoover Middle
School received a nice surprise -- thanks to local businessman Rattan Sekhon
and his wife, Manjit.
Sekhon
owns and operates the Comfort Inn & Suites, 6778 Telegraph Road. He and
another business partner are also developing the old FIA Building, located next
to the Taylor Meadows Golf Course, into the Meadows Convention Centre.
Hoover
Principal Michelle Tocco runs one of the most successful afterschool tutoring
programs in the district, but thanks to declining funding, has had difficulty
making ends meet. While more than a quarter of the school's enrollment
participates in the afterschool program, Tocco noted that the funds to provide
the snacks for the program are running out.
City
of Taylor Economic Development Director George Sutherland, Adminstrative
Assistant Kimber Dorton and Communications & Marketing Director Karl Ziomek
met with Tocco recently, toured the afterschool program and set about the task
of gathering funds for the snack program. The trio, under the direction of
Mayor Rick Sollars, have been meeting with various Taylor School District
educators in an attempt to help improve areas where possible.
In
stepped Rattan Sekhon, who met with Sutherland and agreed to fund snacks for
the program for $2,000 annually.
The
afterschool snacks are an important part of the program. The middle school
schedule begins early in the morning and students often eat early lunches. By
mid-afternoon, they are hungry and need something to get them through the
tutoring program, which is taught by grant-funded teachers throughout the
building.
The
Sekhon donation was made during the annual Christmas Concert by the school's
musical groups, which put on a tremendous hour-long vocal and instrumental
presentation, capped by music from "Star Wars" introduced by a light
swords duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.
Joining
Rattan and Manjit Sekhon in a photo at the end of the event were Supt. Diane
Allen, Sutherland, Tocco, Dorton and her daughter, Bailey.
For a complete photo album, click here.
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