Last year, The Neffs National Bank donated $50,000 to the Parkland School District Education Foundation.

The school district was approved to receive money through Pennsylvania's Education Improvement Tax Credit Program for rigorous, advanced enrichment programs approved by the State's Department of Community and Economic Development.

The bank recently renewed its gift and gave the district an additional $50,000. Under the program, 80 percent of all EITC gifts must go toward state-approved programs, which in this case will go toward funding replacement equipment in the Project Lead the Way pre-engineering classrooms.

Other eligible programs include Advanced Placement courses, an afterschool science enrichment program at the elementary schools, and summer accelerated courses in math for middle and high school students.

The EITC program is a win-win program for all parties involved because it authorizes tax creditsfor businesses that make contributions to educational foundations.

Instead of sending tax dollars to Harrisburg, companies can support the Parkland School District via the education foundation.

To gain the maximum 90 percent tax credit, a company must provide a written two-year commitment of equal funding to an education foundation.

Companies can effectively get a dollar-for- dollar credit for an EITC donation because if a company has not maximized its percentage of charitable donations, they can also deduct their contribution on their federal tax return.

As a special token of thanks for the gift, The Neffs National Bank will receive naming rights to two classrooms in Parkland High School that house the National Engineering Curriculum and Project Lead the Way program.

Funds will be used to help preserve the prestigious program which was started 12 years ago as a partner to the Rochester Institute of Technology's Project Lead the Way National High School Engineering Curriculum.

Unfortunately, much of the classroom engineering equipment is reaching the end of its life and needs to be replaced at a cost of $130,000.

This $50,000 gift will go toward equipment replacement and toward keeping teachers certified.

Two-hundred and fifty students go through the program each year and many graduate with up to 16 engineering college credits under their belts.

The rigorous program gives students a great intro to the field with the hope of inspiring a continued interest in college or allowing the students to choose a different path.

The plan is to put a plaque on the doors of the two Technology Education Classrooms to include recognition for making the program possible.

The plaques will stay on the doors for the next 10 years.