Education Foundation of Eagle County awards equity grants to local schools
EAGLE COUNTY — The Education Foundation of Eagle County Board of Trustees recently announced 2017-18 school year grant awards in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); equity and staffing; and arts and music benefiting students at seven Eagle County Schools and district wide.
With contributions from community donors, volunteer hours, business sponsorships, particularly from Vail Health, the town of Minturn, WinterWonderGrass Festival and Alpine Insurance Agency of Edwards, and community support of Foundation events and programs, the organization awarded more than $23,000 for essential and innovative education programs.
The following schools are receiving funding:
• Eagle Valley Elementary School: Staffing to teach STEAM lessons to kindergarten and first grade four days per week.
• Gypsum Elementary School: Purchase a classroom set of ukuleles, as well as supplies for Eagle Valley High School woodworking class to design and build a mobile storage cart for the instruments.
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• Avon Elementary School: Third grade students to participate in an art exchange with students in Ghana facilitating the school’s International Baccalaureate curriculum.
• Homestake Peak School: 3D printer for eighth-grade science to encourage active learning in the classroom.
• Berry Creek Middle School: Supplies for an on-campus sculpture garden to engage families.
• Eagle Valley High School: Industrial arts funding to repair a CNC machine and teacher training.
• Red Canyon High School: STEM CombatBot materials for robotics curriculum encouraging the opportunity for students to participate in regional, state and national robotics competitions.
• Exceptional Student Services: Funding to create transportable Maker Space STEM supplies, giving significant needs students across the district access to project-based learning; and money to purchase math resources for elementary and middle-school students who are learning at a rapid rate.
• Learning Services: In support of district-wide math program, Add+Vantage Math Recovery kits with in-depth teacher training in math pedagogy and content
“It’s my honor to congratulate all of the grant recipients and thank all of those who applied,” said Amy Lewis, executive director of the Education Foundation of Eagle County. “It was a competitive grant cycle in which we received a wide range of thoughtful and creative requests from teachers, administrators and staff.
“This was the second year we have been able to offer STEM grants, with the support of Vail Health. We are excited to continue growing this partnership that supports our students and helps our teachers elevate classroom experiences to achieve student success.”
“Vail Health is proud to support (the Foundation) with funding for STEM programs,” said Vail Health President and CEO Doris Kirchner. “We believe STEM curriculum is vital to a child’s education and hope to inspire a passion for these subjects. We applaud the teachers who have applied for STEM grants and support them in educating tomorrow’s leaders.”
About the Foundation
The Education Foundation of Eagle County supports the creation and delivery of an excellent learning experience for all pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade Eagle County public school students by providing funding for specific tools, technology and staffing. Through local and state advocacy efforts, the Foundation strives to bridge the gap between what is expected of students and teachers and the severely lacking state resources available to rural mountain school districts.
The grassroots nonprofit organization works to provide sustainable funding sources for our schools through public grants, corporate giving, and private donations. The Education Foundation of Eagle County also advocates for local and statewide legislative reform by mobilizing community engagement to recognize and reward excellence in teaching. To learn more, visit http://www.efec.org.
