Grafton Education Foundation
2014 GEF Grant Award Winners
Our Prize Patrol issued $29,851.74 in grants for 2014
The Grafton Education Foundation (GEF) “Prize Patrol” made 7 stops to surprise this year’s grant recipients. A total of $29,851.74 was handed out to Grafton school district staff members who applied for grants during the 2014 grant cycle for GEF. During the annual Prize Patrol, GEF members show up unannounced in teacher classrooms with an oversized check, balloons and green apples to share the news that their educational grants will be awarded. This year’s grants will impact students at all five public schools in Grafton.
The Grafton Education Foundation raises money throughout the year to fund grant requests. Last year, the GEF gave away $25,000 in grants. In 2011 the amount was $24,000. The GEF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation created to address funding gaps for educational programs throughout the five public schools in Grafton.
Four Year Old Kindergarten - GES,KES, & WES
N. Joynt, K. Sieber, T. Engel,J. Martyka - $19,000.00
The Grafton School District will be fully implementing a 4K program in all three elementary schools during the 2014-2015 school year. In order for this to happen, the Grafton School District will be creating a learning environment in each of the three elementary schools that is child friendly, welcoming, and safe. This grant will provide materials to assist the district in creating these child friendly classrooms and get the new 4K program off to an amazing start.
"Got Veggies?" (School Garden Project - GES
L. Binder - $3,000.00
This grant will get elementary students excited about vegetables! The project will create an indoor
mobile school garden that will give a class the experience of planting,growing, and eating fast
crops such as lettuce or radishes. The harvest will be served in the cafeteria for all students to enjoy.
There will also be an outdoor raised bed garden that will be planted with fall crops such as kale.
This garden will be located west of the GraftonElementary School parking lot, across from the tennis courts.
Memorial Field Trip - KES
J. Heimann - $351.90
Fourth and fifth grade students from Kennedy Elementary School will be visiting the Germantown Veterans Memorial and American Legion Post 1, escorted by their head custodian and veteran Jim Heimann. The students will learn firsthand what veterans do to help their communities.
Creating an Inviting Environment for Middle School Independent Readers - JLMS
N. Pabst, E. Brauer - $1,500.00
Reader's Workshop revolves around the idea that students must be independent readers and thinkers.
In order for that to happen, students must have an inviting environment they can casually and
comfortably delve into their books during independent reading time. To successfully engage
students in active reading, a workshop teacher must remove the institutional feel of a classroom and provide a more true-to-life setting that will inevitably lead to continued reading outside of the
classroom. One way to achieve this space is through the use of familiar seating, such as comfortable couches, as opposed to hard plastic desks and chairs. This grant will provide casual seating to create an inviting environment for independent readers.
Manufacturing Lab Air Compressor - GHS
M. Dodge - $3,850.00
Over the last few years, the Grafton Manufacturing Alliance has been helping GHS manufacturing classes develop increased awareness of manufacturing careers. GHS continues to work towards the goal of providing students learning opportunities to develop careers in manufacturing and engineering through the use of CNC technology. This grant for an oil injected screw air compressor will allow the lab to maintain and run the recently donated Haas Minimill and Torchmate CNC Plasma Cutters.
Professional Writing Camera Equipment - GHS
T. Brogelman, T. Lasure - $1,435.84
The Professional Writing course will offer students more opportunity to study, analyze,and create media. One major component of the 21-st century course will be the use of photography and the study of photojournalism. This grant will provide the students with quality camera equipment to teach these concepts and skills.
Sherlock Bones: Identification of Skeletal Remains Lab Activity - GHS
F. Grant - $714.00
Students will be involved in laboratory activities in which they will not only learn the anatomy of human bones, they will play the role of a forensic anthropologist. Students will apply mathematics, anatomy, and physiology to analyze bone features to determine the gender, ethnic origins, age and height of the skeleton. The Sherlock Bones Kit will allow students to learn anatomy using a hands-on approach.