JOHN COFFELTEditor

Dot Foods awarded Westwood Middle School a $5,000 grant on Wednesday, Sept. 11 that will help fund the school’s incentive program Rocket Rewards.

According to program sponsor, Dr. Nicole Carney, Rocket Rewards, which is set to go into place around Sept. 27, is designed as all-encompassing program to recognize students by cultivating a school environment that rewards students for good behavior, attendance and grades each quarter.

As planned, a student with good behavior having received zero office referrals for an entire grading quarter could be rewarded with 15 minutes of phone time and a private lunch with a friend.

Incentives will be determined for academics, attendance and behavior to reward students who continually perform, the one who have improved and to encourage any students who need to cultivate their abilities for improvement.

The program was designed to reach the broadest segment of the student population.

Dot Foods Human Resource Manager Julie Foster said the grant is part of the company’s charitable program that works to support as much as it can, but education requests are generally approved.

“We want to go over budget this year and really try to give back,” she said. “We made a challenge for ourselves to exceed our budget and we’re halfway there.”

“I’m from Manchester, born and raised,” Dot operations support manager Allison Hester said “Having Dot here and being a part of what they are doing in the community is huge.”

Hester said Dot Foods is different from businesses who say they want to be a part of giving to the community but might not be so willing when it comes time to open the checkbook.

“What better than adding to education, athletics and all the things of the future – Manchester community leaders and parents,” Hester said.

“I went to school here,” she said. “I’m very passionate about the city schools.”

The Dot Foods representatives connected with Manchester City Schools during a recent Manchester Chamber luncheon and suggested to Carney to apply for a grant.

Foster said she was impressed with how inclusive the program was.

“We try to empower anyone we can,” she said. “This is very inclusive to every student in this body.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.