Efforts by base, community help make $16.25 million grant possible Published Jan. 28, 2014 By Kendahl Johnson 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- A $16.25 million grant from the Department of Defense for repairs to Wherry Elementary was made possible due to hard work from dedicated individuals at Kirtland and in the surrounding community. The grant is from the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Economic Adjustment and will be used to rebuild deteriorating facilities and improve the educational experience for the approximately 500 children who attend the school. The OEA is distributing $250 million for construction, repair or expansion of public schools on military institutions to address capacity and facility condition deficiencies. The OEA conducted facility condition assessment surveys and rated each qualifying school based on criteria like needs for capacity and condition. Wherry placed 11th on a priority list of these schools. "The base provided installation requirements, regulations and general base information, coordinated environmental impact analysis information and provided critical real property records," said Susan Leitner, functional area staff member for the 377th Civil Engineer Division. "These items were key components within the grant proposal and supported in the final grant approval." For the next year, base and APS employees worked to draft and submit a grant application, with the money to be used to demolish and re-construct the main Wherry school building, renovate more than 10,000 square feet of other facilities, create a new fire access road, and convert land to a playfield. Sherman McCorkle and Hanson Scott, members of the Kirtland Partnership Committee, said the KPC was involved primarily in keeping the communications moving. McCorkle said achieving the grant took "a lot of effort by a lot of people." "The KPC community is enormously grateful for everyone who contributed over the past two years," he said. "I salute the base commanders for their leadership and am proud of what the KPC was able to contribute." Kathy Harper, principal of Wherry Elementary, said she is excited for the improvements the money will bring to the school, and is looking forward to the opportunities it will provide for the children. She said she is grateful to everyone who helped make it possible. U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham also thanked the base leaders for their hard work and dedication in making the grant possible. "I thank Colonel Miller at Kirtland Air Force Base, and Albuquerque Public School officials, for the tremendous support they have provided throughout this process."