The Appleton Education Foundation has approved grants totaling more than $30,000 to support creative programs and projects that enhance the education of Appleton Area School District students.

Thirty requests received funding. All grants were awarded from the Appleton Education Foundation Fund – an unrestricted endowment – unless otherwise noted.

Appleton Area School District –

• $2,000 will support a collaboration among AASD, the Fox Valley Symphony, Lawrence University, Expressive Therapies and the CP Center. Students with special needs will receive five music experiences over 10 weeks, increasing their musical expression and their feelings of social connectedness with peers.
• $2,000 to support a visit by Sharon Draper, author of Stella by Starlight. Draper will visit AASD students in fourth through twelfth grades.
• $1,000 from the Vira and Alan Stoner Education Fund and Appleton Education Foundation Fund to support two leadership retreat opportunities for English Language Learners at the high school level.
• $936 from the Betsy Melzer Endowment Fund and Bob and Gerri Heffron Family Endowment Fund for seating and sensory equipment to support students with significant communication deficits, sensory differences, and special education needs.
• $797 from the Melzer Endowment Fund to purchase low vision simulator goggles to help staff, students and community members better understand what it is like to live with a vision impairment.
• $662 from the Melzer Endowment Fund to purchase equipment that will offer deep pressure input for students to help calm them.

Badger Elementary School – $2,000 from the Mile of Music Fund and Appleton Education Foundation Fund to fund students’ attendance at “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters” (an adaptation of a Zimbaweian folktale) at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. This will conclude a schoolwide arts-integration project about southern African countries.

$960 from the Stan and Phyllis Thatcher Family Fund and Appleton Education Foundation Fund to purchase an Ozobot – a smart toy robot that helps students learn coding and practice computational thinking.

Berry and Horizons Elementary Schools – $1,970 to purchase Lego WeDo kits for use during library media classes. Hands-on activities will reinforce STEM skills taught in the classroom.

East High School – $2,000 from the Co-Curricular Endowment Fund to support Inspire from Within – a training program for student leaders and coaches to identify and maintain a growth mindset, overcome setbacks, and influence others positively.

$1,000 from the Stoner Education Fund to purchase a 3D printer for the school’s Makerspace in the library media center.

Einstein Middle School – $500 for “Dancing Through the Decades.” Students will research a decade and then learn a dance from that time period.

Foster Elementary Charter School – $500 for students to create books focused on bullying prevention.

Highlands Elementary School – $700 to support a new Readers’ Café. Students will have an inviting, supervised space to read during indoor recess and after school.

Houdini Elementary School – $633 from the Melzer Endowment Fund to purchase Hokki stools.

$460 from the Scheuerman Family Fund for supplies to start a new after-school activity that supports literacy skills through the use of Legos.

Huntley Elementary School – $1,389 from the Mile of Music Fund and Appleton Education Foundation Fund to purchase ukuleles as a way to introduce string instruments and help increase dexterity, music literacy and confidence.

$1,300 to support a new Block Party initiative. AASD’s Birth-Five Outreach team will host events for parents and young children to demonstrate how blocks can enhance children’s math, social and physical skills.

Kaleidoscope Academy – $500 from the Scheuerman Family Fund for a robotic camera that follows a tracking device worn by a teacher. Videos of lessons can be shared with students who are absent from class.

Madison Middle School – $874 from the Thatcher Fund to purchase a Kelvin Structure and Materials Tester to test the strength of model bridges.

$550 from the Ellen Kort Endowment Fund to support storytelling workshops that will encourage students to use poetry and hip hop to express themselves.

North High School – $2,000 for tools and supplies to introduce glass fusing into the art curriculum. In addition, local artist and entrepreneur Mary Jo Weidert of Wild Apple Gallery will present to both art and marketing students.

$2,000 for an Indoor Growing Machine to be used in the at-risk program. Students will produce up to 60 pounds of green leafy vegetables to consume at school and share with family.

$2,000 from the Co-Curricular Endowment Fund to support Inspire from Within – a training program for student leaders and coaches to identify and maintain a growth mindset, overcome setbacks, and influence others positively.

$500 from the Heffron Endowment Fund to cover startup expenses for a student-run café. Students with Autism, intellectual disabilities and those in speech and occupational therapy programs will benefit from this real world environment.

$475 from the Heffron Endowment Fund to purchase speakers and Bluetooth dongles to improve attention and communication for special education students.

Richmond Elementary School – $446 to purchase materials and supplies for Family Game Nights – math games will be sent home with students to continue learning outside of the classroom.

West High School – $358 for materials needed for students in child development classes to create hands-on activities for children ages 0-5. West students will work in collaboration with AASD’s Birth-Five department.

$238 to purchase portable equipment that will allow physics students to analyze industrial scale motions and forces.

 

The Appleton Education Foundation, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, has awarded more than $4.2 million in grants since its founding in 1997.  Grants provide accessible, flexible funding for creative and innovative programs not covered by the school budget.  For more information, please call (920) 832-1517 or visit www.appletoneducationfoundation.org