CALUMET CITY | Thornton Fractional Township High Schools are accepting grants from Sam's Club and from the Illinois Department of Transportation to help support programs of interest to students.

The District 215 school board voted without opposition to accept $4,500 from Sam's Club, the warehouse superstore that is part of the Wal-Mart retail empire.

Money will be split evenly between T.F. North High School and T.F. South High School in neighboring Lansing to support scholarship funds for students wishing to attend college after they graduate from either of the district's schools.

At T.F. North, $2,000 will go into the scholarship fund, while the remaining $250 will be put into the school Principal's Leadership Fund.

The school board also voted to accept a $1,000 grant from the state to promote the "Operation Teen Safe Driving" program.

Money will be used to pay for projects, speakers and other activities geared toward driver education students, some of which will be organized by the Students Against Drunk Driving program.

Receipt of all grants were approved without discussion by the school board -- all by votes of 5-0. Board members James Gigliotti and Marcia Pavich were not present for Tuesday's board meeting.