Tuesday, July 8, is the last day to spread the word and vote for the Watertown Middle School in the $50,000 community improvement contest sponsored by Guaranteed Rate mortgage brokers.

The national contest called the Ultimate Giveback Challenge is based on votes for projects with a community impact. Maria Wood is leading the WMS entry. She explained how the money would be used to fix the kitchen by the gym and turn it into a home economics and life skills space.

The WMS entry made it our of the first round into the semifinals, which ends July 8. There are 50 semifinalists. Ms. Wood made a YouTube video for the semifinal round. To watch the video and vote for WMS, go to http://woobox.com/7cdpb2/vote/for/4147987.

Shawn Malayter, who is the vice president of public relations for Guaranteed Rate, explained in phone call from Chicago how six finalists would be announced July 15. The grand prize winner of $50,000 and help from Ty Pennington will be announced Aug. 1. The five runner-up projects will receive up to $10,000.

According to Ms. Wood, the WMS kitchen wasn’t always a kitchen. It used to be a storage room, but it hasn’t been used for a long time. Recently, the teachers have tried to use it more, but it hasn’t been easy because of the condition of the room.

Ms. Wood said that if WMS wins the contest, the kitchen could be used more for important school events and kids learning life skills. It could also be used for language classes to make cultural foods, or it could be a space for community service projects and Best Buddies.

The WMS kitchen is very messy, but if the fix-up project wins Guaranteed Rate’s Ultimate Giveback Challenge, it never has to stop making a difference in the community, and, hopefully, to the world.

  (To watch the Watertown Middle School video and to vote in Guaranteed Rate’s Ultimate Giveback Challenge, go to http://woobox.com/7cdpb2/vote/for/4147987.)

–July 7, 2014–