Earlier this week, Newton Community School District superintendent Steve McDermott announced the Iowa Speedway Foundation would be making a donation toward the one-to-one iPad program at Newton Senior High School.
The donation of $10,000 will ensure that all four grade levels at the high school are able to participate in the one-to-one program. The one-to-one program brings modern technology into every aspect of the learning process by equipping each student with his or her own iPad tablet computer.
NHS isn’t the first school in Iowa to take this technological leap, but it is far from the last. And those who have taken this approach to modernizing their educational process have seen immediate, amazing results.
This isn’t the first time the Iowa Speedway Foundation has donated to a local cause. In recent months, it also has donated to Shoes That Fit, St. Nick’s Christmas Club, local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts units, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Jasper County Freedom Flight. According to director Debb Smith, Iowa Speedway Foundation also purchased a “Home for Haiti.”
“Most of our funds are raised by 50/50 ticket sales during our race day,” she added. “We have not-for-profit groups come in to sell the tickets. The Iowa Speedway Foundation splits the profit of the sales with the group selling the tickets.”
Local non-profit groups who partner and prosper from the race day 50/50 drawings are: Center for Art & Artists, American Legion Riders Post 232, Jasper County Museum, YMCA of Newton, Paws & Effect, Firefighter Tribute Sculpture Committee, Newton Rotary, Hogs 4 Dogs USA, and Outdoors Without Boundaries. These groups benefit equally with the Iowa Speedway Foundation whenever you purchase a 50/50 ticket.
“We also have a couple other events during the year, one of which is our ‘Purses With Purpose’ event being held in the Newton Club on Thursday, Feb. 7,” Smith said. “We also partner with Progress Industries Foundation on our ‘Rubber Meets the Road 8K Run/Walk’ in the spring of each year.”
Iowa Speedway Foundation also partners with the Marion County Humane Society on a “track walk” event held during the August Nationwide Series race weekend each year.
Like any business entity, the Iowa Speedway has a bottom line it must maintain to remain viable.
But, it is a strong ally of the Newton community, as well. The Iowa Speedway Foundation is one of many ways it reaches out with a helping hand, and for that, they deserve our gratitude.