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Beulah High School received a $48,928 grant to start a summer program from the Alabama State Department of Education. The grant was written by Clint Cobb, the Agriscience teacher, and Haleigh Jackson, the Assistant Principal. The pair have successfully written grants for the school in the past.

Beulah falls at the poverty level, according to Cobb.

“We sat down and did some soul searching and think-tanking, and decided what our vision was, and where we thought we could spend that money if we had it,” Cobb said. “We said well, this really is something we’ve got to do for our kids.  

He praised Jackson for taking the lead in putting together the grant proposal.

“Miss Jackson turned 12 or 15 pages of handwritten notes and quotes into a masterpiece,” Cobb said.

The grant will fund a one-month summer program, taking place in June for 24 hours a week, based on an agri-science curriculum. 

“That will be for the wood and metalworking, CNC routing metal, plasma cutting, laser engraving, Cobb said, “Having that money is going to enable us to get equipment and train kids  to where they go straight from Beulah High School into the workplace.”

The funding includes a licensing agency, so the kids who complete the program will become certified in the skill. The students will receive two certificates; introduction to CNC Programming and Basic G code Programming for CNC Mills. 

 It also provides the money for staffing, transportation to and from the school, and accommodations during field trips.

“We will also be doing community service projects during the program… we will be going to Auburn University to the engineering lab and also to local businesses, that actually use these metalworking and woodworking skills. So they’ll see firsthand what they’ll be doing, Cobb said.

The school will provide breakfast and lunch for the students as well. There is no cost for the students attending. The program will take students ranging from 7th to 12th grade. Cobb hopes Lee County will continue to fund the program so it becomes a yearly summer enrichment program. 

“We’ve got this opportunity and I hope members of the community encourage their kids to go,” Cobb said. 

Cobb was recognized as the school’s teacher of the year for 2023-2024. He also is a coach for the Junior Varsity baseball team.