Jemison High School received a pair of PEECh grants to help with the school’s band and the library.

Band director Dakota Bromley applied for a grant to get Pyware 3D software.

“We use it to write drill and that kind of thing for our marching band shows,” Bromley said.

According to Bromley, the school normally pays to have someone map out the marching routines.

“Having the software will give us the ability to save that money every year,” Bromley said.

The software will also allow for modifications to be done more routinely and create opportunities for additional adaptations.

“That way we can do it on our own and adjust it on the fly,” Bromley said. “I had been thinking about doing this for a while, luckily it worked out.”

Librarian Lori Farris usually spends grants primarily on adding new books, but lately she has focused on incorporating Makerspace kits that are related to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

“I wanted to elaborate on those STEM activities, because that is what all the libraries nowadays are pushing,” Farris said. “Those do-it-yourself activities that get you to think outside the box.”

Although the JHS library is advancing to offer more than just books, Farris has also not forgotten the importance that books continue to have.

Farris has seen that book series are more popular reads among high school students than stand-alones, especially young adult fiction books.

“That’s probably what I’ll focus on, because if they [students] like it they can go back to it [series],” Farris said.