Spring Grant Recipients Announced
The Marshwood Education Foundation (MEF) announced the recipients of its spring 2010 grants cycle at the MSAD 35 Board meeting last evening. The grants, totaling $8,850, were awarded to four recipients whose proposals covered a wide array of creative and innovative educational opportunities for Marshwood kids.
“We believe that the intrinsic value of these grants will sustain the strong community support we have received from citizens of Eliot and South Berwick. Each of these recipients has designed a unique, innovative educational project that enhances MSAD 35’s curriculum. These grants will allow our students to experience extraordinary exposure to marine science in a partnership with the Seacoast Science Center; physical education and wellness along a fitness trail; yoga as a method to enhance learning readiness; and a timely song writing project tied to Eliot’s August bicentennial celebration,” Mr. Leathe said.
“The teacher, community and student response to our initial grant projects has been wonderful. We hope many people will come celebrate our second year at MEF’s Oktoberfest at Spring Hill, Friday, October 15, 2010. Later this spring we will launch a direct mail fund raising campaign to help fund future grants,” Mr. Leathe said.
“Finally, everything MEF does is rooted in and grows from innovative, imaginative applications submitted from all our schools. We expect to receive another group of terrific applications during our next grant cycle that will culminate on October 15, 2010. We look forward to being here again in December 2010 to announce those grants,” Mr. Leathe said.
MEF grants awarded tonight:
Rhonda Mann, art teacher at Marshwood Great Works School ($3,000) for her project entitled “A Whale of an Integrated Arts/Marine Science/Community Partnership.” The project uses ocean literacy as the context for teaching 5th grade science, and integrates fine arts, language arts and social studies in a curriculum built on a partnership with the Seacoast Science Center;
Colleen Beausoleil, kindergarten teacher at Eliot Elementary School ($2,250) for her Yoga 4 Classrooms project. The school-wide program uses yoga-based practices to enhance learning readiness, fitness and productivity, and focuses on wellness for both students and teachers;
Mark Taggart, 4th grade teacher at Marshwood Great Works School ($3,000) for his fitness trail project. The funds will be used to build a 2,000-foot long fitness path which will support the school’s physical education program, wellness goals, and community-building initiatives;
Ann Shisler, 2nd grade teacher at Eliot Elementary School ($600) for her Happy Birthday Eliot project. The money will support the school’s local history curriculum by funding a song-writing residency with local musician Sammie Haynes, and creating an opportunity for all students to be involved in the town’s bicentennial celebration in August 2010.
About the Marshwood Education Foundation (MEF)
The MEF is a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt corporation and functions as an independent, non-profit organization of dedicated community members. Two successful fund raising events were held in 2009. The foundation relies on charitable gifts, donations and events to fund two grants cycles each year. Additional information can be viewed at our website: www.marshwood-education-foundation.org.
Editorial contact:
Keri Tice, Secretary-MEF 207-439-6131
mailboxmef@gmail.com
