SCASD Education Foundation Awards First Student Opportunities Grants

As donor support continues to grow, the State College Area School District Education Foundation recently awarded its first Student Opportunities Grants to provide direct support to teachers and students for new learning experiences.

A total of $7,516 was awarded across the district for several new projects.

“Educators in our district are eager to bring innovative opportunities to their classrooms and students, and the foundation is thrilled to be able to make their ideas reality,” said Doug Loviscky, foundation president. “Many worthwhile proposals were submitted and we look forward to funding more opportunities later this year and for years to come — thanks to support from our community.” 

The foundation was established in 2015 as a separate charitable organization for private fundraising for student experiences and learning opportunities not regularly supported in the annual district budget. It allows businesses to make contributions to the district through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which lets businesses earn tax credits in exchange for charitable contributions to approved organizations.

It also hosts the new Maroon & Gray Society banquet fundraiser and garners support from individual donors. The opportunities grant program is just one of the ways the foundation plans to support student experiences. The inaugural banquet, for example, supported new uniforms for the State High Marching Band.

The 2018-19 Student Opportunities Grant Program award recipients and their projects are, according to a foundation press release:

• 3D Printer & Filaments – Jessica Jeffries: The STEAM program at Gray’s Woods Elementary School will receive funds for a 3D printer and filament package to be used in a collaboration with Park Forest Middle School and Mount Nittany Middle School Technology Education departments. Middle school tech classes will develop the programming for 3D printed projects selected by elementary classrooms. The collaboration between elementary and middle school students promotes student engagement, learning, innovation and creativity.

• Design Thinking – Jeffrey Tranell: The sixth grade STEM program at Park Forest Middle School will receive funds to bring the Carnegie Science Center traveling road show to students at school. The show, ‘Solar Quest: Living With Our Star,’ is complemented by multiple hands-on, small group adventure stations that run throughout the day. The traveling show gives students multiple opportunities to experiment with concepts that are part of the curriculum or topics that enrich the curriculum.

• Emily Arrow Skype Call – Jamie Ramey: Teachers at Easterly Parkway Elementary School will receive funds to host a Skype call for first and second graders with Emily Arrow, a former music teacher who takes popular children’s books and creates inventive songs. These songs make classrooms joyful and link literacy and music in powerful ways for young students.

• Solar Quest:  Living with Our Star – Timothy Dzurko: The Technology Education Department at Park Forest Middle School will receive funds for a CNC Laser Cutting System to design, create and assemble objects that have practical uses. Thanks to the system’s versatility, laserable materials will include metal, acrylic, wood, leather, glass, brick, cardboard and paper, fabric and more. A CNC Laser will provide students of PFMS with the opportunity to discover their inner innovator.

• MindUP Curriculum – Jen Grube & D’Anne Saylor: Ferguson Township Elementary School will receive funds for a mindfulness program. The grant will establish a network of teachers to share experiences with the MindUP Curriculum and mindfulness practices in their classroom. It will also support students across all curricular areas and students will develop skills needed to have a better relationship with stress. Students will build awareness, develop self-management, increase their focus and grow in confidence.

• One Book, One School, One Community – Brittany Snavely: Lemont-Houserville Elementary Schools will receive funds to support the One Book, One School, One Community initiative for the 2018-19 school year. The initiative culminates in day-long event during which students, faculty and staff will interact with experts from Carnegie Science Center’s Science on the Road. This program will reinforce the STEM-based concepts studied as part of the month-long exploration of the hands-on book, ‘Architect Academy.’

• Unified Bocce Program – Clairen Percival: State College Area High School will receive funds to partner with Special Olympics Pennsylvania to implement Interscholastic Unified Sports programs, which bring together students with and without disabilities to train and compete as a team, representing their high school. Bringing the program to State High will promote social inclusion and embrace diversity. The Special Olympics Interscholastic Unified Bocce program will give students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to compete for their school the chance to represent State High in athletic competitions.