Manila High School ALE awarded $3,000 Youth Literacy Grant by Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Rodney W. Lancaster, Manila ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) teacher at Manila High School, applied for and was awarded a $3,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The grant will be used to help students improve reading skills.

"The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is pleased to support the literacy efforts of Manila High School and Mr. Lancaster," Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chairman and CEO, said. "The Youth Literacy grants are awarded annually at the start of the school year so the funds are in place to have an impact on reading education and support.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation's Youth Literacy grants are awarded to assist with implementing new or expanding existing youth literacy programs; to purchase new technology or equipment to support youth literacy initiatives; or to purchase books, materials or software for youth literary programs.

Lancaster said the students will benefit from the grant. The grant will be used to expand technology in the ALE classroom. They presently have six computers. It may be used to purchase Nooks and iPads for the ALE reading programs.

"Our goal is to read 100 books this year," Lancaster said. "The iPads and Nooks will help us reach our goal. It will blend the instructional technology and direct input from instruction. I am very happy our school was selected for the grant."

The ALE has a maximum of 15 students per period without an aide. With the grant the students will be able to have one on one technology access.

In August, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation awarded grants totaling more than $2 million to 564 nonprofit organizations, community groups, schools and libraries throughout the United States. It is estimated that approximately 315,000 youth will be served as a result of these grants.

Since its founding, Dollar General has been committed to supporting literacy and education. To further this support, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation was established in 1993 to improve the functional literacy of adults and families by providing grants to nonprofit organizations dedicated to the advancement of literacy.

For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation or for a complete list of grant recipients, visit www.dgliteracy.org.

Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with 10,000 stores in 40 states.