Natives for Progress on Tuesday present a $25,000 check to the Public Schools of Robeson County to be used to fight prescription drug abuse among young people. | Contributed photo

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LUMBERTON — The Public Schools of Robeson County received a financial boost Tuesday in its efforts to fight a problem that is growing nationwide — prescription drug abuse among young people.

Natives for Progress, a local lobbying organization of professionals dedicated to “enriching and strengthening” the American Indian community, presented the school district a check for $25,000 to be used to administer programs to educate students about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs. The money was raised at the organization’s recent “Kill the Pill” gala.

“Prescription drug abuse is a problem that is growing,” Aaron Thomas, a spokesman for Natives for Progress, told members of the school board. “It is an issue that has touched our community this year.”

In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the board:

— Recognized elementary and middle school students as winners in the school district’s annual Battle of the Books competition. Winners were recognized in two divisions, elementary and middle. First place schools each received $1,000 to purchase books, while second and third place winners received $600 and $400 respectively.

Winning schools in the elementary division were: Prospect Elementary, first; Fairmont Middle, second; Littlefield Middle, third.

Winning schools in the middle division were: Pembroke Middle, first; Red Springs, second; and Orrum Middle, third.

— Recognized winners of the National Science Fair sponsored by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Winners included Elijah Hammonds, Rhado Locklear, Hailey Burnett, James Locklear and Johnnie Locklear.

— Recognized Dale Scott, an English III teacher at Lumberton High School, for her work with the High Schools That Work Program. The program was established in the late 1980s by the Southern Regional Education Board State Vocational Education Consortium.

— Recognized Ryan McGirt, a math resource teacher at the Carroll Middle School, as the school district’s Certified Employee of the Month.

— Recognized Latonya Hill, a bus driver at Carroll Middle School, as the school district’s Bus Driver of the Month.

— Recognized Keith Jacobs, a teacher assistant at Carroll Middle School, as the Classified Employee of the Month.

— Approved a computer recycling contract with Creative Recycling.

— Approved 18 companies as mental health services providers for the district.

— Approved a three-year auditing contract with S. Preston Douglas Associates.