WESTFIELD – The Westfield Foundation for Education (WFE) completed its annual grant cycle by awarding more than $15,000 to 12 projects in schools across the City.
“WFE received many excellent grant applications this year from almost every school,”said WFE President Janine Queenin. “Because of community support, we funded $15,000 in grants to provide innovative learning opportunities for Westfield schoolchildren. We’re thrilled to fund so many great projects.”
Projects were funded at the elementary school, middle school, and high school levels with grant awards ranging from $280 to $1,500. WFE grants will fund a variety of activities, including a new Archery program at Westfield Technical Academy, a GeoCaching program and club at South Middle School, a 3rd grade garden at Munger Hill Elementary School, and a Master Jazz class for music students in middle school and high school.
“Teachers have embraced our mission of fostering excellence in the classroom through creative learning,” said Mrs. Queenin. “WFE grants fund projects outside of the school budget, bringing unique experiences to the classroom. The kids are the real winners here.”
(WFE) is an all-volunteer organization, established in 2013 with the goal of providing Westfield schoolchildren with robust, challenging educational experiences in mathematics, sciences, athletics, and the humanities.
Through privately raised funds, WFE awards grants to teachers and community members inspired to bring innovative school-based projects to Westfield schools.The grant program serves the entire school district and is available in all 12 of the City’s public schools.
WFE continues to seek volunteers from the community who are interested in supporting Westfield Public schools.Visit www.westfieldfoundation.org for more information about volunteering or donating funds.
2016-2017 WFE Grant Recipients:
Elementary School Grants:
Munger Hill Elementary School: WFE will fund a garden project and collaboration between a 3rd grade classroom and Westfield Technical Academy’s Horticulture program. The project includes a visit to the WTA beehives and Horticulture shop.
Southampton Road School: The grant will fund outdoor science tables where kids will learn about the natural world through fun and educational hand-on experiments.
Middle School Grants:
South & North Middle School: WFE will help fund a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC for students who participate in the after school art club at NMS and SMS.
South Middle School: Grant funding to start a new GeoCaching program and club at SMS.
South Middle School: Students in the English as Second Language program will visit Nature’s Classroom in Becket for a hands-on learning experience.
High School Grants:
Westfield High School: The WHS PE department will use grant funding to update the Adventure Education program which teaches team-building, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Westfield High School:The WFE Art Department will work in collaboration with the Opioid Task Force to launch “Caps for Cause,”a fundraising effort where students create unique works of art to auction off in support of the Task Force.
Westfield Technical Academy: The WTA PE Department will use funds to start an archery program at the school.
Westfield Technical Academy: The grant will help fund a visit by Allied Health Students to the Ether Dome Museum at Massachusetts General Hospital where students experience simulated operating room procedures.
Multi-School Collaborations
WHS, WTA, SMS, NMS: The Jazz Improvisation Project at the City’s high schools and middle schools will allow music students to participate in a master jazz class. Students who participate will take part in a city-wide performance on International Jazz Day.
WHS, WTA, SMS, NMS: Young writers across the district will have the opportunity to participate in the Youth Writing Adventure at UMass Amherst. Students attend writing seminars and workshops with an opportunity to be published through the Western Mass Writing Project.
District-Wide Grants:
District-Wide: Band students in grades 5 -12 will participate in workshops and mentoring programs that culminate in a citywide“It’s Band-Tastic” performance.
