FBI adopts Morgantown Elementary School, evacuees
Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 30, 2005
NATCHEZ &8212; The FBI is now working with Morgantown Elementary, but it&8217;s not like it sounds. There are no background checks and no fingerprints, only caring hearts and a few extra supplies.
The FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., wanted to help hurricane victims and was matched up with Morgantown.
&8220;We supposedly have them for the entire year,&8221; FBI Training Technician Tonja Jean Price said. &8220;It&8217;s not a foster program, it&8217;s an adoption program.&8221;
Price is leading drives at the academy for clothing, personal items and money.
&8220;I&8217;m trying to get together as much stuff as I can possibly get,&8221; she said.
Price said she hopes to send out the first shipment of items next Thursday and wants to follow with more things, especially around Christmas.
&8220;We didn&8217;t want to just donate money to a fund,&8221; she said. &8220;Because you don&8217;t know where it goes. We wanted to have something specific we could donate to.&8221;
The National Education Association&8217;s Web site led them to the adoption program and to Morgantown. Principal Fred Marsalis said his school has about 100 evacuees.
&8220;It&8217;s really touching when people just call you on the phone and all of a sudden you are talking with someone in Quantico, Va. &8212; you have to ask where is this &8212; and they want to help,&8221; he said. &8220;It just shows what people want to do.&8221;
Morgantown has given at least three uniforms to each new student, plus supplies. Now, jackets and coats are needed. The donations will be from future agents in a 17-week training program in Quantico.
&8220;Everyone&8217;s all excited,&8221; Price said. &8220;We actually have something concrete. All the money and items collected go directly to that school.&8221;
Morgantown has also been adopted by a school in Randolph, Mass.
The district has about 450 evacuees still enrolled. Most are expected to stay the full year.