Trustmark Bank recently donated $1,000 to support Butler County Schools’ 2014-15 academic competitions.

Dr. Tera Simmons said the system has tried to increase the number of academic competitions in the district, and the donation will help make this possible.

According to BCSS Superintendent Amy Bryan, the donation will help defray the costs for county-wide competitions this year, including a reading fair, science fair, math tournament, art, spelling bee, poetry recitation and a scholars bowl.

Simmons, who spoke at length about two of the competitions, said the science fair for students in grades 6-12 for the district will be held this month, and that the winners will compete at the regional competition at Auburn University in March.

For the art competition, students compete in a school competition for grades K-12, where school winners will be declared. The district winners will then have their artwork on display at the state capital in Montgomery through the month of February.

“Then they’ll go on a field trip,” Simmons said. “This money will allow us to transport students to see their artwork and see the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art.”

Simmons said when the students return to Greenville after their trip to Montgomery, they will stop in at the High Horse Gallery.

“This really helps us encourage students to excel academically through competition,” Simmons said.

The scholars bowl will take place in March, Simmons said.