Appleton Education Foundation board members and donors were out and about the last few days delivering grant awards – 32 of them to be exact.

Board members (and in some cases donors/fund initiators) surprised grant applicants. There were tears, hugs, and very smiley students – all the ingredients of a successful grant cycle!

Here is a rundown of grants this fall. Funds came from the Appleton Education Foundation Fund – an unrestricted endowment – unless otherwise noted.

 

Appleton Area School District –

• $1,500 for supplies to launch a hand washing initiative in all elementary schools.

• $1,000 from the Vira and Alan Stoner Education Fund to support 100-150 AASD middle and high school students’ attendance at WE Day Chicago. WE Day is a full day of inspirational speakers and performers – designed to help young people find their passion and then act to improve their community and world.

• $1,000 to bring author Jonathan Friesen to Appleton for student presentations at East, North and West high schools, as well as staff professional development and a community presentation at the Appleton Public Library.

• $500 from the Mile of Music Fund to help purchase electric strings instruments and accessories to be used in all elementary schools.

• $500 to purchase materials for literacy bags for use by Community Early Learning Center families.

Appleton Community 4K – $1,000 from the Bob and Gerri Heffron Family Endowment Fund to purchase iPads for use in Integrated 4K classrooms at Project Bridges within the Community Early Learning Center.

Appleton North High School  – $450 from the Melzer Fund to purchase a Zuma Rocker and Zenergy Ball Chair for students with mobility challenges.

Appleton North and East high schools – $500 from the Stoner Fund to create a support group for students with diabetes.

Appleton East High School  – $1,500 to support a student history project in collaboration with the History Museum at the Castle for East’s 50^th anniversary.

$693 to purchase kit drones and practice drones for East’s new Drone Club. Students compete in Drone Venture – a new competition put on by EAA and Fox Valley Technical College.

$503 for MinecraftEdu software. United States history students will create virtual environments depicting specific battles or wars.

$150 to integrate a beginner yoga class into world history classes that include the study of India, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Appleton West High School – $1,449 to purchase a 3D printer to help biology and genetics students better understand proteins and genetic material by creating 3D structures.

$840 awarded jointly from the Betsy Melzer Endowment Fund and the Connie Pitt Memorial Endowment Fund for a kidney shaped table and Unique Learning System curriculum for use by special education students.

Columbus Elementary School – $500 from the Scheuerman Family Fund to support teacher Taryn McCormack’s goals for universal design learning, including seating and storage materials.

$445 to purchase essential oils and diffusers to assess whether use decreases student anxiety and increases attentiveness and focus.

Edison Elementary School – $1,000 for supplies for two family dinner nights in 2016. A dietician will plan the meals and lead families through the process of creating the meals together.

$500 from the Scheuerman Family Fund for teacher Michelle Mees to purchase student-selected books and seating and storage materials.

Einstein Middle School – $828 from the Heffron Fund and AEF Fund to purchase Playaways – preloaded, secure audiobooks with headphones – to help struggling readers.

Foster Elementary Charter School – $500 to purchase Fitbits to help students learn about health and fitness, as well as global issues related to the health crisis.

Horizons Elementary School – $710 from the Melzer Fund to purchase Expanding Expression tool kits and additional resources to promote vocabulary development for kindergarten students, as well as ELL and speech/language students.

Huntley Elementary School – $602 from the Melzer Fund to purchase Hokki stools for use by students with learning disabilities.

$450 from the Melzer Fund to purchase two Zuma Rockers and a Zenergy Ball Chair for use by students with autism.

Johnston Elementary School  – $550 to purchase a wireless microphone and supplies to help create a calm atmosphere in the cafeteria. This supplements curriculum that was integrated at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

Madison Middle School – $1,500 to create a labyrinth on school grounds. The pathway will increase opportunities for exercising body, mind and spirit. Project will be coordinated by a Madison alum working to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.

$500 for supplies to create the Wildcat Community Closet – a secure storage space for basic needs items to assist the most needy students.

Magellan Middle School – $1,500 from the Co-Curricular Endowment to allow all students who qualify to participate in the 2015-16 Wisconsin Future Problem Solving State Bowl competition.

McKinley Elementary School  – $1,500 from the Ellen Kort Endowment Fund for “The Best Part of Me.” Sixth-grade students will work with a professional photographer, then create poetry to explain why they love themselves. Photographs and poetry will be put on public display and be published in a book for students to keep.

$221 to purchase Playaways to promote independent reading among special education students.

Richmond Elementary School  – $693 to purchase culturally diverse dolls, puppets, and puzzles for kindergarten classrooms to more accurately reflect the diverse makeup of Richmond’s student population.

Wilson Middle School  – $500 from the Mile of Music Fund for materials and supplies to grow Wilson’s theatre department. During spring 2016, the school will produce High School Musical Junior.

$225 from the Stoner Fund to purchase ingredients for healthy recipes that students will create and enter into the Wisconsin Student Chef Competition “Whipping Up Wellness.”

 

The next grant deadline is April 11! Learn more about our grants.