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The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation recently awarded two grants to education initiatives in Roanoke.

The African American Male Program at William Fleming High School received $6,000 from the financial institution and $10,000 was awarded to Greenvale School.

The African American Male Program is a joint effort between Project Discovery and Total Action Against Poverty that encourages black males to complete high school and college.

This is the second year of the program and there are 20 freshman and 20 sophomore students participating. The young men were selected because of high academic achievement coupled with at-risk behavior, such as discipline referrals or truancy. The students in each grade level have been placed in the same homeroom and will stay together through high school. The young men also will take a half-credit course on the role and culture of black males in America.

Project Discovery, a Salem-based dropout prevention and college prep program, matched the grant. The funds will be used to operate the Fleming program.

At Greenvale the grant will be used for scholarships to fund discounted tuition for low-income working families. The private organization in Northwest Roanoke offers day care, before- and after-school care and a Get Well Center for sick children. In 2009, more than 95 percent of the families enrolled there received income-based tuition assistance.

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Home Depot in Roanoke donated tools to the special education department at Glenvar Middle School in Roanoke County. The students in Kathy Mallette's class visited the Hershberger Road store last fall and participated in a craft building workshop. The donated tools will be used to reinforce lessons on tool identification in the life skills curriculum.

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The Roanoke County Prevention Council is accepting applications for the Southwest Virginia Regional Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project Leadership Conference. The event is a team-based leadership experience for middle school youth and sponsoring adults focused on making schools and communities safe and drug-free.

The conference will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. March 27 at Northside High School. Applications are available online at www.preventioncouncil4youth.org.