Cowan Elementary School, located off State Highway 931 in the Dongola community, just south of Whitesburg, the county seat, serves children from kindergarten through eighth grade. It’s worth noting that Dongola, the school’s physical address, lost its post office, so the school’s mailing address is now Whitesburg.
With a growing student population of about 287, Cowan Elementary School is reaching a significant milestone. For many years, its Family Resource Youth Services Center has been combined with that of West Whitesburg Elementary School. However, the school’s growth now justifies the establishment of its own Family Resource Center, a testament to its progress.
For many years, Donna Sturgill has been the coordinator’s assistant. Sadly, Donna was stricken with a severe illness. In August 2023, the Board of Education hired a substitute for Donna. The sub is Lynn, a retired former coordinator. Thus, Donna started at Cowan with an excellent understanding of our organization.
This is also a high-poverty community, with 77% of the children coming from low-income families. Lynn’s office is packed with items for the children, given as needed.
Lynn’s dedication to the students is evident in her weekend food program. The bags are assembled and ready for Friday afternoon distribution, ensuring the children have enough to eat over the weekend. The clothes closet, a mix of new items and donations, further demonstrates the school’s commitment to providing for its students.
Shoes are so expensive. When she sees a good sale, Lynn tries to buy a few extra pairs. She keeps them on hand when children come to her when they’ve outgrown their current pair.
Then, I enjoyed meeting and talking with a couple of our enrolled children. Jack* is in fifth grade. He is outgoing and has a great sense of humor. Jack comes from a large household consisting of his parents, three sisters, and two brothers. The father is self-employed, working on cars, and the mother is a cashier at a convenience store. The family lives in a modest mobile home, and the parents need help with all household expenses. Justice was enrolled in our sponsorship program last December and is hopefully waiting for a sponsor.
Next, I enjoyed talking with Nicki, who was also in the fifth grade. Nicki is an only child, and her grandparents are raising her. (There is no information about her mother and father.) Carlee’s grandfather works as a pharmacy technician at a drugstore in Whitesburg. Her grandmother is a homemaker. The grandparents are caring and conscientious, but they are struggling financially. Nicki was also enrolled in our program in December, and at my visit, she had just been matched with a sponsor.