West Madison Principal Dr. Daphne Jah, second from left, accepts University Kia’s $4,500 donation from general manager Arthur Seaton, second from right. Sally Bruer, coordinator of middle school instruction, and Kia sales manager Maurice Dobbins also attended the presentation. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – University Kia in Huntsville has donated generously to two elementaries — one in Madison City Schools and one in Madison County Schools.

West Madison and Monrovia elementary schools each received $4,500 for technology upgrades with University Kia’s “Drive for Education” program.

In addition, University Kia donated $500 for “Drive for Education Teacher of the Month” to West Madison third-grade teacher Allyson Word and Monrovia second-grade teacher La’Tasha Webster.

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. “This month, we’ll donate $10,000 to support that goal. We intend to contribute to local schools every month.”

Lucente’s son attends West Madison.

“It was a wonderful surprise to me and Allyson Word to receive this gift from University Kia,” West Madison Principal Dr. Daphne Jah said. Lucente contacted Jah two days before the April 4 presentation.

West Madison’s technology committee, composed of teachers, parents and students, will debate the best purchases for technology needs.

Jah expressed much gratitude. “Technology is ever-changing and expensive. We have been doing small fundraisers all year to purchase items. However, most money has gone towards maintaining what we have,” she said.

Replacing bulbs and even projectors isn’t cheap, Jah said. “This donation will greatly help us to now upgrade our technology,” she said. Word may purchase materials that support Alabama College & Career Ready Standards.

On April 4, University Kia General Manager Arthur Seaton and Sales Manager Maurice Dobbins visited West Madison to present checks to Jah and Word.

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