Randy Garfield, Jon Wyand, Joe Ryan, Kim Bolduc, Michael W. Crochiere, and Chris Bresnahan at the Gateway Education Foundation board meeting on January 14. (Photo submitted)
HUNTINGTON– At last week’s meeting of the Gateway Education Foundation’s Board of Directors, three students from Gateway Regional High School and their teacher, reported on a trip to the Mark Twain Home and Museum that the foundation had helped fund. The Board also voted to announce another round of Funds For Learning applications, which will enable Gateway teachers and staff to apply for funds to support enhanced educational opportunities for students.
Senior Kim Bolduc and juniors Randy Garfield and Jon Wyand joined high school English teacher Rod Kleber in describing not only Twain’s home but also Twain’s influence on American literature. As Kleber reported Twain once wrote, “I am not an American, I am THE American.”Students emphasized that Mark Twain was important, not only as a humorist and writer but as the first American author to confront differences in race.Students were able to participate in the trip at a greatly reduced rate due to funding from the Gateway Education Foundation. Through its Funds For Learning grant program, the foundation paid the admission fee to the museum for 57 students and 5 chaperones, along with a big portion of the bus fee. Kleber said that the trip is fairly expensive per student and he had considered cancelling this year’s trip until the funding opportunity became available. This trip is the culminating activity for Advanced English III and AP English students following a unit of study on Twain.
Teacher Rod Kleber with the Mark Twain puppet he purchased on the field trip. (Photo submitted)
“Critical thinking is vital as juniors and seniors review literature, analyze and synthesize what they are reading,” Kleber told the board.Students shared their impressions from the trip. Garfield said that he was struck by how ordinary Twain was, when walking through his home. Wyand noted that Twain drew heavily from his travels, his family and his own experience in his writing, and that his home was actually a major part of his life and writing.
Kim Bolduc said the visit helped her “ground” Mark Twain—he had cats, dogs, a home; she was also interested to learn that an arbor-like structure in his den was based upon a mosque.Students shared that Twain’s home was built in the gilded age and contained many items from his travels in Europe.
Treasurer Michael W. Crochiere noted that the foundation was able to fund this trip due to money raised on 12/12/12. Area residents and businesses donated $4650 to the Gateway Education Foundation on Valley Gives Day.
Also at the meeting, the Board voted to extend a second round of applications to Gateway teachers and staff for its Funds For Learning Program.
In the pilot round, the foundation funded the Twain trip, a “Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating” project for the Middle School After-School Program, and a Habitat Mapping and science inquiry project for Littleville Elementary School.Donations are tax deductible and are always welcome to help support the foundation’s mission of enhancing educational opportunities for students of the Gateway Regional School District. Checks may be mailed to the Gateway Education Foundation, 12 Littleville Rd., Huntington, MA 01050. Online donations can be made on the foundation’s website.
