CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY TO THE CLASSROOM
Greenfield Central School Foundation (GCSF) Educational Enrichment (E²) Grants support programs and projects by G-C teachers within the classroom or in an after-school setting. These programmatic grants are awarded to teachers who are focused on innovative ways to enhance student learning and achievement.
Science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.) for projects from water rockets to robots.
G-C High School science teacher Rebecca Fields organized the S.T.E.M Outreach Program for G-CHS students to take interactive projects into elementary schools to get youth involved in science, technology, engineering and math at an early age.
Funded by a GCSF E² grant, students work together to design, build and test structures from towers to water rockets and robots. With older students as role models, youngsters see S.T.E.M skills in action and build relationships with others who are interested in science and/or technology careers. Elementary-age girls are also introduced to young women who are in the G-CHS Engineering Academy. Projects are challenging and fun, such as creating towers using uncooked spaghetti noodles and marshmallows. At day’s end, the tallest tower stood at 110 cm, or just a little over three feet!
How to recognize it, what to do when you’re a target, and how to get help from the right people.
Planned by “Just Stop It,” GC Junior High School’s anti-bullying club, an entire school day was dedicated to learning about bullying. 700+ students attended classes about bullying, with role-playing activities and documentaries teaching how to recognize it, how to stop it, what to do when a target, and how to report it to the right people to get help.
The day culminated with a public forum for parents led by author Doug Wilhelm, who wrote the popular novel “The Revealers” about bullying at a middle school. An E² grant from GCSF helped cover author fees and travel expenses.
The program was so successful, efforts at GC Junior High School have since continued to promote the “Just Stop It” anti-bullying message.
28 high school studen
ts and 11 junior high school students participated in iLOVEtoRead during the G-C summer program. Those 39 students posted a total of 110 checkouts for an average of three books per student.
As part of the program, summer meetings were held—first, to teach participants how to use an ebook format on the ipads being provided and second, to have students create a video book trailer about one of their reading selections. Watch a student’s trailer for In a Glass Grimmy here.
Building relationships, helping with homework, being positive role models.
The value of role models can never be underestimated. And that’s the premise behind GCSF’s funding of Cougars and Cubs, a mentoring program pairing fourth-grade students with high-schoolers for academic help and guidance.
The brainchild of fourth-grade teacher Rhonda Fada, Cougars and Cubs began as a mentoring program for Fada’s students. Its dual purpose was to provide the younger students with academic help, but also to connect them with role models who demonstrate the importance of staying in school.
Fada believes fourth grade is “a pivotal year for keeping students engaged and helping them see the value of education.”
High school volunteers are available after school two times each week to work together and build relationships with the younger students. Through an E² Grant from GCSF, program mentors use structured time to help students with homework, math and reading, although some play time is included. The ultimate goal is to have mentors available to work one-on-one with all interested youth.
Former Greenfield Intermediate School Principal Jim Bever emphasized that Cougars (named after the G-C mascot) and Cubs is all “about giving these guys a vision of success.”
To review Educational Enrichment (E2) Grant criteria and apply for an E² Grant, click here.
