Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

Over the past two weeks, we have announced the winners of the Top School Fundraiser grants. This was an amazingly rewarding experience for us here at TSF, and we feel so privileged to been of assistance to these wonderful schools.

The only challenging part of the entire process was actually narrowing down our top choices from so many commendable applications. We are still blown away by both the quantity and the quality of the requests we received.

Over the next two weeks, we’re going to highlight five of the many schools who deserve honorable mentions. The first school we’d like to shine a light on is Tattnall Square Academy in Macon, Georgia. Tattnall is a private school with students who range from eighth grade to twelfth grade.

Their goal is to purchase two “Active Slates” which are similar to a computer tablet that a teacher can use for dynamic class presentations. According to the video, the active slates really bring learning alive in the classroom. The video interviews were conducted by Robbie Burns, Director of Development and a Tatnall graduate himself. The producer and director was sophomore Jonathan Jones.

In part, we selected Tattnall because of their use of video technology, which really impressed us. We thought our readers would both be entertained, as well as gain an insight into the high level of sophistication our young people have in this ubiquitous medium. Please take a minute to watch the short video the Tattnall students created for this grant request. With the creativity and drive that they showed us, we know they are going to find great success.

Thank you, Tattnall, for sharing your dreams and passion with us!

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As I announced on Tuesday, the final grant winner is Wadesboro Elementary School in Wadesboro, NC.  Upon reading their proposal we recognized a fine example of a school and community rallying around a problem to find solution.   When we spoke with Ms. Mary Ratliff,  Principal of the school, we were even more encouraged that that they’d see progress toward their goals.

The problem the school faced was low achievement in the area of science.  Here’s how Principal Ratliff described the problem and what they are dong to solve it:

The current focus on Reading and Math in North Carolina has led to a deficit in Science instruction.  Our students scored very poorly on the Science EOG (End of Grade Test) 2007-2008.   Our teachers and students are heart-broken due to WES scoring 5% on the state science EOG.

We would like to create an atmosphere of wonder about the world of science.  The Science Learning Center Lab would enliven academic instruction by providing hands on experiments and observations.  The lab would be housed in a vacant classroom and would provide living habitats for students to explore.  We would like to include an aquarium, work stations, science kits, terrariums, plants, and technology in order to encourage inquiry based science teaching methods.  This will promote students’ understanding of inquiry based teaching, and the environmental factors that influence change.

The school has already obtained microscopes donated by a planetarium in the area.  The Top School Fundraisers grant of $1500 will provide equipment to round out the science lab including instructional materials and supplies for science experiments.

One of the reasons that we were so delighted to award the grant to this school is that they continue to work toward providing a quality education for students despite circumstances.  The economy has been tough on the area, and the community is now facing high unemployment due to the closure of several textile mills.  The school is classified as a Title I School, since 88% of the students receive free or reduced lunch. Principal Ratliff says that despite all this, “Our citizens have a history of hard work and resiliency” and the future will be hopeful.

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Last week we began announcing the winners of the Fall 2008 Grant award program.  Today I’d like to recognize the final school that will be getting a grant, plus five runners up.  Coincidentally it’s another North Carolina School.  This time it’s the elementary school in Wadesboro.

I’ll write a special article for Wadesboro as well as each of the honorable mention schools soon.  For now here is a list of all of the schools that won.

Congratulations!

Grants awarded to these schools:

1. Fuller GT Magnet Elementary in Raleigh, NC – $2000 for 5th Grade trip to Washington DC
2. P.S. 168/M.S. 203 in Bronx, New York – $2000 for computers
3. Wadesboro Elementary School, Wadesboro, NC – $1500 for science lab equipment

These schools are recognized with an Honorable Mention. Each will receive $100 toward their project:

1. STAR Prep Academy, Culver City, CA – Computers
2. Loma Verde Elementary, Novato, CA – Elmo projector
3. Poinsettia Elementary, Carlsbad CA – Library books
4. Tattnall Square Academy, Macon, GA – Active slates
5. Will Rogers Learning Community (Elementary), Santa Monica, CA – Art Projects

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I am happy to announce the next award recipient is P.S. 168/M.S. 203 in Bronx, New York.  This school serves children from Kindergarten to 12th grade who have disabilities, such as autism, emotional disturbances and learning disabilities.   Many of these students also face other personal struggles as well.  95% of the students are on the free or reduced lunch program.

Teacher Nicole Sivilich who applied for the grant said, “Students with these disabilities are more likely to learn using computer technology over the standard lecture classroom teaching. We would like to see more of our students increase their social and learning skills using technolgy.”

Unfortunately this school is severely lacking in working computers.   High school grade students need computers for preparing for state tests, doing research and writing papers. Children in grades K-2 use a reading program called Preventing Academic Failure and practice basic reading concepts like sight words. While this $2000 grant may only provide a few computers, the school is also applying for other grants as well.

Teachers and administrators at Bronx schools have shown resourcefulness in other areas as well. 23% percent of schools in the Bronx are without a gym or safe area to have physical education.   Some schools are doing fundraising on their own to get a gym while others like PS 168 are using other available facilities.

The Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF), a non-profit based in Queens, which has received funding from the City Council to connect schools with nearby – and often underutilized – community centers. In the 2007-08 school year, the program served 2,000 students from 40 schools in Brooklyn and Queens. And in December, two Bronx schools – PS 168 on Morris Avenue and PS 754 on Jackson Avenue – enrolled. Students are bused to Bronxdale Community Center on Rosedale Avenue in Soundview, where they play basketball and other sports in what is a state of the art gymnasium.

From: Educators Seek New Ways to Put Physical Education on the Menu

Just like with the challenge of providing physical education and play time, Principal Rosa Nieves Greene and her staff are being resourceful to get the technology to aid student learning in the classroom.  Congratulations P.S. 168/M.S. 203; may you be encouraged in the great work you are doing to help children in your community!

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I’m pleased to announce that the first recipient of the Top School Fundraisers grant program is Fuller GT Magnet Elementary in Raleigh, NC. The fifth grade class is planning their first school trip to Washington, D.C. They have been doing fundraising all year in order go on this trip. They’ve had a movie night, sold donuts, sold coupon books and even Jim’s favorite, the bake sale.

Parent volunteer Julie Henry, who also works for the local NBC station, helped students create this video:

This Top School Fundraisers grant in the amount of $2000 will provide scholarships to students, so that every child in the class will be able to go on this trip. Congratulations fifth graders and have a wonderful time in DC!

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