2011 PACERS Conference
The 2011 PACERS Annual Conference brought together PACERS participants, schools, and communities to celebrate and interpret the year’s work, to plan for 2011-12, and to explain the organization’s objectives and activities to potential partners — including schools and communities, and to others interested in the well-being of small rural schools and communities.
CENTERPIECE ARTICLE
Edward Bell High School hosts Pacers conference
By Jessica Hargett |
Alexander City Outlook
Edward Bell High School and The Camp Hill PACERS Chapter hosted the PACERS Annual Conference Wednesday, April 20 as an opportunity to celebrate all of the good things that have happened in the past year.
PACERS is “a non-profit association committed to sustaining and celebrating Alabama’s rural communities and schools and linking them together to build the good futures they seek. As a statewide caucus and advocate for rural communities, it organizes and supports comprehensive rural education and community development programs of national quality.”
The conference included workshops and reports on the various projects and on the work of local PACERS chapters, including Aquaculture, science and environmental principals, and community documentation through arts and science, which allows students to learn communication, computer, public relations and business skills through learning how to create a community newspaper.
“The conference was great,” said principal Glenda Menniefee. “It was very informative. We had a lot of hands-on activities ranging from newspaper to solar energy, agriculture, gardening and green house. We just had a great day.”
During the conference, Larry Long joined Edward Bell alumni and students in singing “Old Camp Hill”, a song written with students from Edward Bell during his residency at Camp Hill.
He was also presented the Directors’ Award by Jack Shelton, executive director of PACERS.
Along with his award, students from schools across the state were given awards in Aquaculture and the Community Newspaper Project.
Following are the communities and schools who participated: Akron Community School, Pintlala Elementary School. Pintlala, Loachapoka Elementary School, Loachapoka, Section High School, Section, Florala High School, Florala, Harlan Elementary School, Lockhart, Flomaton High School, Flomaton, Steele High School, Steele, Beatrice Elementary School, Beatrice, and Monroe Technical School, Packer’s Bend.
The 2011 conference was hosted by the Camp Hill PACERS Chapter and Edward Bell High School.
The conference started at 8:30 a.m. at Edward Bell with morning registration, and ended approximately at 2:15 p.m.
Conference Pictorial: A look at this year's conference
The following are images from the conference hosted by Camp Hill PACERS Chapter in Camp Hill. Images include performances of Camp Hill Community History songs to images of participants in the 1st Annual Aquabowl.
