Missouri Student Film Festival Receives Support

INFORMATION RELEASE

RURAL SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE/ www.ruralschoolscollaborative.org

CONTACT: Gary Funk, director, 417-848-9083; gfunk@ruralschoolscollaborative.org

November 2, 2015

Mountain Grove, MO High School Teacher Receives Grant from the Rural Schools Collaborative in conjunction with Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) recognized an Mountain Grove, MO High School teacher for receiving a grant through RSC’s inaugural Grants in Place program. Funds for the grant award were provided in part by the Missouri-based Community Foundation of the Ozarks and individual donors.

Mountain Grove High School students and their teacher, Rachel Hamby, were awarded $1,500 to create a student film festival focusing on local history and folklore. This project is in conjunction with Ava High School. Students will research an Ozarks-related topic and produce short films on their respective topics.

The grant award presentation was made during the Ozarks Teacher Corps fall meeting, which was held at the Missouri State University-Mountain Grove campus on October 29th. The Ozarks Teacher Corps is a program of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Rural Schools Partnership, and the Rural Schools Collaborative assisted with facilitating the meeting. Mrs. Hamby also presented her project to the Ozarks Teacher Corps members.

The Rural Schools Collaborative was organized in 2014 and launched in April 2015. RSC believes that community-based instruction, thoughtful collaboration, and targeted philanthropy strengthen the fabric of rural places. Its Grants in Place program is funding 35 innovative projects in seven states.

The organization is currently engaged in eight states with an administrative office in Cambridge, Wisconsin.