BRAGGS, Okla. — Just one graduate at Braggs Public Schools is responsible for decades of improvements in the district. The latest grant is providing new security upgrades.
WATCH: Braggs graduate donation provides decades of district improvement
From tornado warnings to intruders, the first-ever school-wide intercom system has made it to Braggs.
"Ease of communication throughout the district,” said Clayton Vaughn. “We can get ahold of anybody at any point in time now.”
First-year superintendent Clayton Vaughn walked me through the system and the new benefits that come with it.
"Most of the time we would have to stand in the hallways and just yell, hey, we've got tornado precautions going on, and so this is just way nicer,” said Vaughn.
Vaughn says the new system is nicer and safer for the 150 K-12 students on campus.
"We definitely needed an upgrade on our technology,” said Vaughn.
The Braggs School District Foundation provided a $92,000 grant for the intercom, new laptops for teachers, and new desktops for administration and staff.
"It gives you a really good sense of pride,” said Melinda Goodnight. “Wildcat pride."
Melinda Goodnight is the secretary for the foundation and helps manage its investments.
"Sometimes the smaller schools are overlooked, and Lorena Walker made sure this school was not overlooked,” said Goodnight.
Lorena Walker is the Braggs alum who, upon her death in 2002, left $530,000 to the district.
"Just one graduate, one funding source, and it's still in business today,” said Goodnight.
For more than two decades, the foundation, through its benefactor, has been outfitting Braggs Schools with a lot of different things like new books for the library, 50 Chromebooks, smartboards, STEM supplies, 21 laptops, 19 desktops, and $106,000 in scholarships.
"It just keeps on growing,” said Goodnight.
Gayla Kizzia, member of the Foundation and the school board, says it’s all about student success.
"We're doing everything we can, trying to make sure that all students are learning and being given every opportunity that other schools are giving their students,” said Kizzia.
The grant, presented to the district in May, is the single largest project the Foundation has ever funded. August will start their first full school year with the intercom system.
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