Our Webb Elementary School Relationship
In the early 90’s the Rotary Club adopted Webb Elementary as a Club project. It began with volunteers helping at the school with tutoring, building a garden, repairing benches, etc. and the connection has grown from there. The Club continues to support Webb Students with pencils, school supplies, backpacks and volunteers each school year.
Books and reading material have always been an emphasis of the Club’s efforts. Countless dictionaries and thesauruses have been donated to students. Hundreds of books have not only been given to the Webb Library but to each student personally. The gift of a book to a child still resonates a thrill with the students even in this day of technological devices. In 2002 the Board opted to donate a book to the Webb School Library in the name of the guest speaker for the week. This was in lieu of a gift for speakers and included having them sign their names in the book before forwarding it to the library. It is estimated over 900 books have gone to the Webb Library with this program that still continues today.
Long time Rotarian and former President Lisann Peters benefacted to AISD in 2005 a separated reading area at Webb Elementary. Her generous contribution allowed the school to construct a separate reading area for students as well as allowed for the purchase of new books. Her legacy continues with an endowment amount being held as restricted funds in the Arlington Rotary Foundation for future use for the Webb Library.
For several years, records do not reflect the exact beginning, The Rotary Club of Arlington facilitated the attendance of 5th grade students to a 4 day camp experience at Camp Grady Spruce. In conjunction with AISD and the YMCA youngsters were given the outdoor experiences many had never had. In 2020 this program suffered at the hands of Covid and finally AISD budget restrictions and was discontinued. However in 2021 the Club began a program to send students to Camp Thurman for a two day experience.