The Trenton Educational Foundation (TEF) is putting mice in the hands of students at Hedke and Anderson elementary schools after approving a $1,600 grant request from the technology staff.
Longtime educators Stephen Kowalski and Michelle Sorenson submitted a proposal for size-appropriate mice for use by kindergarten, first- and second-graders to boost computer literacy skills. Using a mouse that better fits their small hands will help them strengthen motor skills necessary to maneuver the device, used to move the cursor on a computer screen.
It was one of four grant proposals awarded by TEF for its fall grant cycle. Awards totaled $9,133.50, according to Jeanine VanAuken, chairman of the organization’s Grant Committee, and pushed the cumulative total of grants to $70,000 awarded since 2009.
Also at Hedke and Anderson, students in the deaf/hard of hearing program will benefit from the Early Explorers reading program being introduced through a $2,499 TEF grant.
Mary Sinz from Hedke and Melissa Behnan from Anderson submitted the proposal after receiving a sample of the reading program last year. Sinz said that particularly in special education, teachers are always looking for ways to make instruction meaningful and relative to their students’ lives.
“We loved what we saw, and knew these books would be incredibly useful for our instruction and students because it focused on the key aspects our students specifically need – language, vocabulary and comprehension,” said Sinz.
The Early Explorers non-fiction texts will allow her and Behnan to teach useful and meaningful vocabulary to the 41 students in the program while working on content goals, reading fluency and comprehension. Additionally, the program’s approach to language and vocabulary progression will build the reader’s confidence, increase their level of thinking and ensure comprehension of what they have read.
At Arthurs Middle School, TEF awarded $2,500 for Google Chromebook applications to support the Google Classroom program TEF helped get off the ground several years ago, said Van Auken.
Another $2,500 grant was approved for efforts at Trenton High School (THS) to foster school pride and unity through peer mentoring.
The Advocates Creating Conversations that Engage and Support Students (ACCESS) program will be used by the Be The Change Team that exists to promote a safe school environment for all students.
Stacey Marcum, Career Center Specialist at THS, said the program will directly benefit an estimated 50 students who transition into a new school setting each year. Guided by the Be The Change team, mentors, selected by an application process, will be matched with new students who share interests and shared experiences. Together they will attend activities throughout the year, providing peer support after the first week of school, encouraging the involvement in a wide range of activities.
Those activities extend beyond orientation, lunch-buddy days and student mixers to sporting events and after-school clubs, said Marcum.
“The year-long component of the program is also what makes it stand out from other new student programs,” she said. “The new student isn’t lost in the shuffle after the first week of school and ultimately we would like to see new friendships blossom and build a stronger school community.”
Funding for the grants is raised through TEF activities, such as the Signature Event held last month (see related article on Page 1-A), and Tailgate Party held each fall. TEF awards grants in the spring and fall, in an effort to support innovative ideas that cannot be supported in the school’s budget. They have ranged from a few hundred dollars to the maximum $2,500, enhancing every department and every school in the district.