SPAULDING EDUCATION FUND ANNOUNCES 2016 FALL GRANT AWARDS
Non-profit
organization thanks the community for their support
For Immediate Release (January 16,
2017) Spaulding Education Fund, a non-profit committed
to advancing educational excellence in the Manchester-Essex regional schools
for over 25 years, is pleased to announce it has awarded close to $15,000 in grants for
their 2016 Fall grant cycle. Successful grant
recipients have created exciting initiatives and found innovative materials to
offer unique opportunities that advance, enrich and enliven the classroom
experience. Grants were awarded to applicants throughout the district and
across all age levels.
To
follow is a brief summary of the Spaulding Education Fund (SEF) Fall 2016 grants that we
are thrilled to fund:
Speech and Debate Team: The grant for
the High School Speech and Debate Team will allow them to participate in the
upcoming Columbia University Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament on
January 20th, 2017. The students,
from freshmen to seniors, will be competing against top-tier teams from across
the country in two debate formats: Lincoln Douglas and Public Forum debate.
From the research and writing skills to prepare cases and then the public
speaking skills to present quality debates and speeches, students will have numerous
opportunities to hone their craft and gain skills that will serve them after
High School as well.
Robotics
Team: The
MERHS Robotics Team provides students a unique hands-on experience through
applied engineering. Students work intensely to design and build a
robot for competitions throughout the region, hopefully qualifying for national competition. This STEM activity also
fosters teamwork and a commitment to excellence among the students.
Graphic
Arts Photo Scanner: As
the High School Art Department moves toward the use of digital portfolios for
their students, a high quality graphic arts photo scanner is a necessary. This cutting-edge piece of technology will
allow students to record and track the development of their work as well as
easily upload their artwork for the college admissions process and submission
of work for contests and juried awards.
It will also allow the students to learn the technology of scanning
their own artwork to help prepare them for a 21st century work life.
Shakespeare
& Co: The three day
Artist-in-Residence program at the Middle School is an exciting opportunity
to bring Shakespeare to life
in an active, imaginative and personally meaningful way. By experiencing a performance of Macbeth and then working in small groups conducted by
Shakespeare and Company to act out the
plays, the students are able to make better sense of the rigorous Shakespeare texts they
are reading in the classroom.
Flexible Classroom Seating: Flexible seating for classrooms throughout the Essex
Elementary School will provide students with alternative options to a
traditional seat and desk. It gives
students a choice in what kind of learning space works best for them, and help
them to work collaboratively, communicate, and engage in critical
thinking. Research has shown that
flexible classrooms empower student choice, increase student engagement, and
improve student participation which
allows teachers to maximize their teaching.
As the
organization’s Annual Appeal comes to close, the Spaulding Education Fund (SEF)
would like to express its sincere thanks to the many members of the community
who continue to generously support and fund this organization. It is only with
their support that we are able to fund these many projects, and the kind of rich learning that our
students experience because of these grants. SEF is a group of parent
volunteers who focus on the mission of assuring excellence in the Manchester
Essex Public Schools by funding programs and resources that open doors to
innovative curriculum-based learning. To learn more or to donate, please go to spauldingeducationfund.org.
