Kump Education Center annual report 2022 | News, Sports, Jobs – The Inter-Mountain
Each year various City of Elkins agencies present progress reports to City Council, and ours is due today.
Our very effective Communications Director Nanci Bross-Fregonara has prepared a fine report this year, and she has added necessary information that I have not always included. First she introduced our KEC Board Members: KJ Shaffer, President; Priscilla Gay, Treasurer; Judy Guye, Secretary; Joseph Arbogast, Andrew Carroll, Crystal Krause, Robert Wilmoth and Laura Santmyer.
Thanks to them all for keeping me on track and for bringing up new ideas.
Nanci summarized educational projects: “In 2022, the Kump Education Center [KEC] continued to work hard for the benefit of local school children, provide professional training to educators and attract new visitors…. KEC continued to partner with Randolph County’s summer school SOLE program, Davis & Elkins College, YMCA and WVDNR to provide quality hands-on learning opportunities in math, reading and science. It also worked with the Elkins/Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, Elkins/Randolph County Tourism office, and AFNHA …. With financial assistance from Citizen’s Bank, the KEC offered after school Targeted Tutoring for area fourth and fifth graders focusing on reading and math. In the summer, the KEC provided lessons and tours of the Gov. Kump House for YMCA day campers and students in the Randolph County SOLE summer school program…. KEC received “a WV Humanities Council mini-grant providing funds for creating interpretive materials and signage for a week-end “Something Old, Something New” open house…. 90% of those surveyed gave their visit experience the highest rating. During Forest Festival, the KEC offered public tours for Sunday afternoons featuring memorabilia from the Kump family 1930s collection. These opportunities attracted members of the Forest Festival royalty and many first-time visitors. The wetlands area was used by the WV DNR Master Naturalist Program for instructional purposes and several tree care workshops sponsored by the Elkins Tree Board took place in the City Tree Nursery area and the Kump House heirloom apple orchard. Students in the Elkins Middle School Project Isaac program learned about the history of the Forest Festival, the Kump House, tree growth rings, and tree identification by exploring the grounds. Nationally known lecturer on math learning disabilities [Dr. Honora Wall] provided workshops for area educators thanks to memorial gifts honoring Dr. Sam Roberts. The annual Davis & Elkins College Education Research Seminar returned in-person to the KEC.”
“Infrastructure Improvements: The new pavilion, partially funded by the City of Elkins, has already been used by students and provides a much needed outdoor venue for event presenters.
“Thanks to financial support from the Randolph County Commission and the Kump House Trust, steel handrails and a railings are being installed at the formal front entrance.”
For more information see our new website: kumpeducationcenter.org.