By Gilbert Nicholson / Alabama NewsCenter

It was good news and bad news for Wilsonville Elementary.

The good: The school was one of 107 in Alabama selected for the First-Class Pre-K program in 2018-19. The bad: The state grant for the program didn’t include $10,000 needed for the required playground equipment suitable for 4-year-olds.

The better: Gaston Steam Plant in Wilsonville donated $5,000, while its Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) chapter threw in $1,000 and was instrumental in getting Landscapes company to donate $2,000 in mulch.

The result: Combined with a donation from the town of Wilsonville, the playground equipment is up and teeming with children.

“I can’t tell you the joy our pre-K students have had watching the pieces be delivered and seeing it assembled outside of their classroom,” said Principal Melody Byrne. “This would not have been possible without our friends at Alabama Power. They are like our family.”

Last year, Gaston APSO members:

-Built a sensory room for special-needs students.

-Were a book sponsor for the library.

-Built shading for two playground benches.

-Sponsored T-shirts for Special Olympics.

-Sponsored a fishing trip for special education students.

-Provided and presented awards to students at Awards Day.

-Sponsored Read Across America Day and volunteered to read to the entire school, with The Cat in the Hat, Thing One and Thing Two making appearance.

-Power-washed sidewalks.

-Painted the railing leading to the front entrance.

“Alabama Power is the epitome of a good neighbor to our school,” Byrne said. “It is impossible to put into words the great impact Alabama Power has had on our school. Specifically (APSO board member and maintenance team leader) Justin Bailey and the APSO team are our heroes. They consistently pour themselves into the lives of our students.”

“We like to be involved with our community and Wilsonville Elementary is our neighbor,” said Rhonda Mann, Plant Gaston team leader in maintenance planning. “APSO feels proud to be part of this endeavor as our community is growing. We as a company can help with that growth and help provide the things needed.”

Getting the pre-K program was a coup for Wilsonville, as First Class Pre-K was named last spring as the nation’s highest-quality program for the 12th year in a row by the National Institute for Early Education Research.

The goal is simple: Give students a solid foundation from which to begin academic studies. Studies show students in a high-quality pre-K program score higher on achievement tests; are less likely to repeat a grade, require remedial or special education; and are more likely to graduate from high school, go to college and get higher pay in the workforce. Conversely, they are less likely to be imprisoned or on government aid.

Research conducted by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and UAB shows children participating in the pre-K program are more likely to be proficient in reading and math at every grade level.