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Eight months to the day that Norfolk Southern's train derailment disrupted life in East Palestine, the railroad announced a $750,000 grant to support East Palestine school district development.
The grant will be disbursed in $75,000 increments every year for 10 years.
An email from Norfolk Southern on Tuesday explained that the 10-year annual grant is to support development initiatives by the East Palestine City School District and that "the district will use the funds to deepen community engagement, promote scholastic initiatives and pursue additional grants, all with the goal of increasing student enrollment."
With the latest donation, Norfolk Southern's contribution to the village schools tops $1 million. The company made a $300,000 contribution to support the district's academics, athletics, extra-curricular activities and long-term contingency planning in the early days following the derailment.
"We're investing in the long-term economic development of East Palestine, and a critical component is a thriving student population," said NS CEO Alan Shaw. "Our goal is that these funds will help give the district the resources it needs to provide students with a top-notch education, while attracting new students and families to the community."
Shaw also made a personal donation of $445,000 to the district. That money was used to fund the Bulldog Legacy Scholarship to provide East Palestine High School students with scholarships for higher education. The scholarship benefits graduating seniors who seek to attend a four-year university or two-year vocational school. The donation has been placed in a special fund that was created to provide scholarships for students indefinitely and is designed to generate income to support the scholarships year after year. The first scholarships were awarded in May.
Chris Neifer, superintendent of East Palestine City School District, welcomed the latest donation and said the grant will help the district and the community grow.
"Our teachers and administrators work hard every day to make sure our students are receiving the best possible education," said Neifer. "I'm excited to accept this grant on behalf of the district, which gives us greater resources to expand opportunities for our community."
Norfolk Southern reported in Tuesday's email that the company has now committed $95.2 million to East Palestine and the surrounding communities, including $25 million to update the city park, $4.3 million to protect the municipal drinking water, $20 million to create a first responder training center in East Palestine, $500,000 to help economic growth in the village and $2.7 million to the East Palestine Fire Department.