WILMINGTON — Each year the Wilmington Schools Foundation (WSF) grant program provides the opportunity for teachers and support staff to receive funding for creative and impactful ideas for the classroom and the educational environment.
In 2014, the foundation initiated The GIFT Campaign, its first formal donation attempt at asking school employees to make contributions via payroll deduction for just one month. Since then, the success of the campaign has been monumental, truly proving that educators and support staff are a vital component in making Wilmington City Schools an academic and community powerhouse.
According to Foundation President Steven Haines and Executive Director Chastity Flannigan, in preparation for the 2016-2017 school year, “the Foundation Grant Committee reviewed nearly 40 grant proposals with a total dollar request of over $42,000. This record number of proposals underscores the importance of the WSF in its mission to fund innovative teaching materials and educational experiences for students that are typically not part of the school-wide general budget.”
In total, the Wilmington Schools Foundation awarded 26 Foundation Grants totaling $28,000, funding educational endeavors for all schools and reaching all students. It is the largest grant investment in the history of the WSF.
According to Haines and Flannigan, “these funds will aid the school district’s new technology long-term goal of affording all students access to Chromebook technology by assisting in purchasing additional Chromebook computers for all three elementary schools.”
Grants were also awarded to classroom teachers to purchase, in part, the Museum in a Box, Watch Me Grow science project, flexible seating, Pete Reptiles in-school field trip, Brain Pop software, Music Around the World band concert, chemistry lab equipment, potter’s wheel, and a variety of books for reading circles and after school book clubs.
The steadfast generosity of the Wilmington community, alumni, and school employees has enabled the Foundation to make a big investment in the future education of Wilmington’s students by providing teachers and/or support staff with funds to purchase the extras that will extend and enhance student learning for years to come.
For more information about the Wilmington Schools Foundation, please visit the district webpage at http://www.wilmington.k12.oh.us and click on the Foundation tab.
Information for this article was provided by Diana Miller, who coordinates communications for several area schools.
