HUNTINGTON – The Gateway Education Foundation has notified all district staff members that applications are now open through its Funds for Learning program.
All staff were emailed with application forms attached.
To date, the Gateway Education Foundation has raised over $35,000 and funded 19 classroom projects, along with improvements to the Gateway Performing Arts Center (through the Rob Shipman Memorial Fund) and last year’s 50th anniversary celebration.
“We were able to release a new round of applications this month thanks to the many staff, parents, alumni and community members who donated to the Foundation on Valley Gives Day,” said Shirley Winer, president of the Gateway Education Foundation.
Awards have ranged from $265 to a high of $2750. Projects have included field trips to the Bodies Exhibit in New York City and Mark Twain Museum in Hartford; an ‘ecologist in residence’ from the Hitchcock Center to lead an ecosystems study of school grounds; several literacy and summer reading programs; a history/engineering study of the Keystone Arch Railroad Bridges; glass fusion art classes, visits from Mt. Everest climber/author/photographer Ed Webster, Grammy winner Joseph Firecrow, and ‘Tractor Mac’ author/illustrator Billy Steers; an organic, heirloom garden at the high school; a student musical, “Really Rosie” for Chester Elementary School; materials to support wind energy and robotics units of study; a half-million minute reading challenge for the elementary schools; a field trip to Becket Chimney Corners for a day-long experience in collaboration, leadership and responsibility for the Jr. High; and establishing a Model United Nations Club at the high school.
“These projects make great use of donor contributions,” noted Wendy Long, the Foundation’s clerk. “One dollar paid for one elementary student’s participation in this year’s ‘Million Minute Reading Challenge’, a year-long project which includes pep rallies, guest readers, take-home books for students, and several BINGO for Books nights with parents. Joseph Firecrow, a Northern Cheyenne fluteman and winner of several Grammy and Nammy (native American music) awards for his recordings, visited Gateway at a cost of $1.75 per student.”
Applications for funding are due on Tuesday, January 20 at 4 p.m. Funded projects will be announced in late January.
Donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible and may be made any time of the year by sending a check made payable to the Gateway Education Foundation to 12 Littleville Rd., Huntington, MA, 01050.
