2021-22 Grant Winners

Please note the awarding of the grants for the 2020-21 school year was suspended due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

NO BONES ABOUT IT
Dara Bleacher and Rebecca Bannan – Lakeview

This grant will benefit approximately 45 students at Lakeview.  Regular and special education students will be organized into small teams to review  information  from the  Fundations phonics and reading program. The lessons will use a multi-sensory approach to actively engage students in the learning process. Students will learn and master Fundations phonics/reading but will also learn the importance of effective communication, respect, tolerance, critical thinking, decision making, problem solving, and team work; all important life skills for Kindergarten students.  During “No Bones About it” students will participate in an excavation. Working  in small groups, they will dig for mystery dinosaur fossils and artifacts that will be used to reinforce the concepts taught in the Fundations program.

UKE CAN DO IT!
Kyleigh Bleacher – Woodlyn and Eddystone

Learning an instrument is highly valuable for improved memory, social skills, confidence, creativity and life-long valuable life lessons like dedication, perseverance, responsibility, and taking pride in our work. During a global pandemic, recorders are not the most effective as students have to take off their masks and blow air into their instruments to create sound. Ukuleles would solve both of these issues and allow students to learn an instrument in a supportive, safe environment. Students can learn at their own pace and work together! Approximately 250 students in grade 3 through 5 will have the opportunity to participate in this program.

HEAT PRESS
Kristen Milewski and Kristina Rosato – The Locker

This heat press will be used by students in The Locker to manufacture apparel and non-apparel merchandise. The Hotronix® Fusion IQ® Heat Press will allow us to work with larger items such as blankets and towels and will also be a safer option (due to the swing and drawer function) than the heat press we are currently using for bulkier items. Having this heat press will help our student employees work more efficiently and will allow more students to learn the manufacturing process.

NOBODY PUTS BABY IN A CORNER
Lori Carano – Ridley High School

The Child Development classes have used infant simulators for YEARS to give students the chance to experience real-life scenarios of caring for an infant within the framework of the Child Development curriculum. Students take an infant simulator home either overnight or for a weekend as they learn to interpret the baby’s cries and needs for feeding, changing, burping, or rocking. Grant monies will be used to purchase batteries and other necessary accessories for the computerized babies for the Child Development program. This will give the Child Development classes a total of five working computerized babies.

KILN CREATIONS
Kevin Scott – Ridley Middle School

Working with clay and glass slumping is the pinnacle of 6th grade Art. The unique nature of the clay/glass building and firing process provides an entire month of engaging lessons. Everything from sculpture to ancient history to science is covered. This grant will fund supplies to use with our kiln. Every student will get to experience the opportunity to work with clay. The Art curriculum promises a well-rounded experience and the ability to plan sculpture projects such as ancient tile design and glass fusion ornaments will contribute to that experience.