Recycling bins to start a school recycling program, more diverse books for school and classroom libraries, and math games during indoor recess are among the 16 proposals awarded funding from the recent Westerville Education Foundation (WEF) grant cycle.
The 16 projects, which total $16,050, support innovative and creative projects that enhance education for students in Westerville City Schools. The WEF awarded more than $68,000 to educators this year.
WEF grants are supported by the foundation’s general grant fund, Alliance Data Card Services and the Dr. George Tombaugh Fund.
The most recent grant recipients include:
$3,500, funded by the Alliance Data Fund for projects supporting English Language Learners
Provides iPads for ELL students to learn English, creating high learning outcomes.
$580, funded by the Dr. George Tombaugh Fund
Provides recycling bins for classrooms and supports the creation of an official recycling campaign through the school’s National Junior Honor Society program.
$500, funded by the Dr. George Tombaugh Fund
Supports the school’s equity goals by helping teachers create culturally responsive lessons and discussions in the classroom.
$800, funded by the Dr. George Tombaugh Fund
Provides free resources for students that are multicultural and equitable and helps meet the social, emotional, physical and academic needs of Cherrington’s students.
$2,210, Golden Butterfly project funded by the community
Provides ukuleles and recorders in Robert Frost’s music room, expanding musical opportunities for 4th and 5th grade students that were put on hold by the COVID pandemic.
$865, Golden Butterfly project funded by the community
Provides fishing equipment and supplies for an outdoor lab where ecology students can assess the composition of pond water and learn the basics of fishing.
$2,000, Golden Butterfly project funded by the community
Provides equipment, supplies and food for lessons that teach students basic life skills of food preparation and cooking, washing/drying and folding clothes, ironing and basic banking skills.
$500, funded by WEF sponsor
Provides math games during indoor recess time.
$200, funded by WEF sponsor
Supports books for a #ClassroomBookADay project, where Miller will read diverse books each day to her students.
$650, funded by WEF sponsor
Supports a collaboration with physical education and music where students will learn essential music skills such as steady beat and the ability to accurately perform rhythms in music class while practicing coordination and motor skills in physical education class.
$450, funded by WEF sponsor
Provides opportunities to increase daily living and job skills for students by teaching them valuable skills such as sorting, matching and following directions in order to gain independence and be productive members of society.
$500, funded by WEF sponsor
Provides equipment and materials for the Digital Warriors Gaming Club to create a retro arcade game using a video game emulator housed inside an arcade cabinet.
$675, funded by WEF sponsor
Provides electronic resources for World Language teachers to use to grow interpretive reading skills among their students.
$465, funded by WEF sponsor
Supports efforts to launch a Spread the Word week at Blendon, which celebrates inclusion and culminates with students signing a pledge to create an inclusive and equitable environment at Blendon.
$405, funded by WEF sponsor
Supports Walnut Springs Mentorship Groups’ campus visit to Otterbein University, the culminating activity for a year-long mentorship experience between middle school students and college students.
$1,750, funded by WEF sponsor
Provides resources for songwriting lessons to empower and amplify underrepresented student voices.
This work is possible thanks to community support from numerous individuals as well as WEF sponsors. They include: Alliance Data, Mount Carmel St. Ann’s, Dr. George Tombaugh Fund, Westerville Sunrise Rotary, TRIAD Architects & TRIAD Facility Solutions, WASA - Westerville Amateur Soccer Association, Nichols & Company, CPAs, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Education First Credit Union, DCTS - Dayton Cincinnati Technology Solutions, T. Marzetti Company, The Weinhardt Family, Stifel Public Finance, Rich & Gillis Law Group, Northstar Family Dental, HR Imaging Partners, Garber Electric, Charles Schwab Westerville Branch, Birdie Books, Westerville ACE Hardware, Wanner Metalworx, Vertical Communications, Ultimax, Smart Business Systems, Salaita Orthodontics, Osborn Engineering, Meyers Family Dental, GHM General Contractors, G2, Arthur J. Gallagher and Martha Sweterlitsch.