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The Brundidge Rotary Club has long been a supporter of education in general and the Pike County Schools in Brundidge specifically.

On Wednesday, the Brundidge Rotarians presented a check in the amount of $1,000 to Rodney Drish, principal of Pike County Elementary School.

In making the presentation, Rotary President Markeith Blakely expressed appreciation to Drish for the outstanding educational opportunities available at PCES and for the strong support the school receives from the faculty, students, parents and the community.

Over the summer months the “village” has come together in a beautification project that has actually “transformed” the campus. The Rotary donation was given in support of and appreciation for the combined efforts of school and community.

Drish accepted the donation with grateful appreciation.

“I am totally in awe of the community’s help,” he said. “Parents, kids, teachers and members of the community all pitched in to do what needed to be done,” he said. “I had intended to bring photos. The campus has been transformed and I invite everyone to come see what a difference all the hard work has made.”

Drish said everyone is excited to be back in school and the campus beautification project will be encouragement for the students to be respectful and resourceful. Being so, has pay-offs, he said.

“As we make sure that learning takes place, we also want our students to be respectful and resourceful and we encourage that,” Drish said. “This year, the students who demonstrate those qualities will have their names entered in drawings for different things–maybe a burger from McDonald’s or a free haircut here in town or to get their nails done. That should be a morale booster for our students.”

The school year 2021-2022 will be a challenging time, the PCES principal said.

“We are taking every precaution to keep our school safe. We will begin scanning our students when they arrive and, if they have any symptoms of the coronavirus, they cannot be in school,” Drish said.

Teachers and students will wear masks and teachers rotate classrooms, rather than students.

“We are doing everything we know to do,” Drish said. “We ask for prayers for our school, all schools. We can’t get enough of that.”