The Huntington Foundation recently donated more than $46,000 to the Huntington School District to fund eight Star grants sought by faculty members for innovative projects in several buildings.
Trustees accepted a donation in the amount of $46,616.23 during a public meeting last week in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium. Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education President Alice Marie Rorke was on hand for the presentation along with several of the organization’s officials and representatives from its youth board.
“The Foundation’s generosity is beyond appreciated,” Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “The grants recently bestowed will help our staff to further develop their innovative practices and engage our students in hands-on, inquiry-based, tactile and kinesthetic learning. A tremendous thank you to HFEE for its ongoing partnership and relentless support for the district.”
The eight grants will cover costs associated with the following initiatives:
• Flower Hill Primary School; Sensory Classroom
Applicant: Teachers Doreen Ellis, Karen Grosso, Kristin Kopf, Gabriella Escorbores
A grant in the amount of $2,734.82 will cover the purchase of stability ball chairs, NeoRock stools and seat cushions.
• Flower Hill/Washington Primary Schools; Coding with Spheros
Applicant: Teacher Assistant Angela Sementilli
A grant in the amount of $1,299.90 will allow for the purchase of Spheros robots.
• Flower Hill Primary School; Talk technology for parent translation
Applicant: Social worker Gisselle Soto
A grant in the amount of $2,101.50 will fund the purchase of Talk System microphones, transmitters, receivers and accessories.
• Huntington High School; Greenhouse repair
Applicant: Teacher Lori Kenny
A grant in the amount of $194.82 will provide for the purchase of a programmable thermostat, scraper, draft blocker, shelving rack and accessories.
• Huntington High School; HHS Recycles: The Green Bin Project
Applicant: Teacher Nicole Cooper
A grant in the amount of $2,131.50 will cover the cost associated with the purchase of 90 trash cans of various sizes for use in the school’s recycling program.
• Huntington High School; Large format printer for Virtual Enterprise classroom
Applicant: Teachers Paige Tyree, Suzie Biagi
A grant in the amount of $4,148.63 will allow for the purchase of a large format printer, color ink cartridges, a print head replacement kit and paper rolls.
• Huntington UFSD (all schools); Curriculum Connections with Makerspace
Applicant: Assistant Superintendent Beth McCoy, library media specialists
A grant in the amount of $19,943.46 will provide for the purchase of 3D pens, area rugs, bean bag chairs, Bee-Bots, storage cubbies, Keva planks, Knex, Magna-Tiles, Snap Circuits, bookcases and various craft supplies.
• Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School; Active Education: Move, Pedal, Achieve
Applicant: Principal Donna Moro
A grant in the amount of $14,061.60 will cover costs associated with the purchase of single pedal desks, standing desks and tabletop standing desks.