University Kia representatives Michael Lucente, from left, Arthur Seaton and Maurice Dobbins present $500 to Columbia Elementary School teacher Susan Sanford and Principal Jamie Hill. The schools received $4,500 from Kia. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Columbia Elementary School and special education teacher Susan Sanford have received donations from University Kia as part of the Kia Drive for Education Technology Award program.

Managers at Kia University in Huntsville notified Columbia Principal Jamie Hill about their company’s contributions of $4,500 to the Madison school and $500 to Sanford. University Kia representatives Michael Lucente, Arthur Seaton and Maurice Dobbins visited the Columbia campus to present the donations.

Drive for Education donations allow schools “to have the necessary equipment to provide Madison County children with the best possible educational experience,” University Kia Sales Manager Michael Lucente said in a statement earlier this year.

“Columbia elementary will convene our technology committee in determining the most appropriate usage of the $4,500 donation to impact our students and instructional technology the greatest,” Hill said. “We are so very appreciative of University Kia and their generosity.”

Sanford teaches students in grades 2-4 in the special education program at Columbia. “It was such an unexpected surprise to be given this honor of the Kia Drive for Education Technology Award,” Sanford said.

“I was absolutely shocked that my classroom was chosen and that three of Kia’s representatives (Lucente, Dobbins, Seaton) took the time to present me with this award,” Sanford said.

Sanford currently is evaluating the most beneficial ways to use the money for all students of different cognitive levels in her classroom. “I believe I will be using it toward some form of communication device that could be adapted to meet my special education students’ needs,” she said.

“It is so wonderful that University Kia is able to provide an opportunity of monetary awards each month to individuals such as myself,” Sanford said. “I’m sure other teachers and students will agree that this is such an outstanding program (that Kia) has created.”

University Kia’s address is 6519 University Drive NW in Huntsville. For more information, visit universitykia.com.