The Bright Minds Foundation Announces 2014 Staff and Teacher Grant Awardees

Bright Minds has awarded $14,775 to several Howard County Public School Teachers and Staff during the month of December 2013, which will be used to implement innovative classroom projects during 2014.

The grant program was created to fulfill the need of teachers who developed innovative projects to enhance learning and often tried to pay for them out of pocket.  The program is entirely within the mission of the Foundation, which is to bring private money to support education in Howard County in ways the budget may not always provide.

Staff and teachers competed for grants ranging from $500 - $2000 to implement projects in a number of 21st Century Competency categories, such as Heath and Wellness Awareness; Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurship Literacy; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Information and Communications Technology Literacy and Global and Civic Awareness.  Additionally, to be selected, proposed projects had to show as well that they met the principles of the Foundation:  equity and equality, education innovation and skills for a lifetime.  Funding for the program was provided by community partners and supporters, as shown below.

An award of $2000 was made to Dr. Maddy Halbach of the ARL under the category of Financial Literacy for her program Investing in Your Future which is intended to attract middle school students, who might otherwise not have this vision for themselves, to consider a future career in finance.  Funding for this grant has been provided by the Capital One Bank.

Under the STEM category, and funded by a grant from Northrop Grumman, were  teachers Jennifer Forgnoni of Atholton HS, who received $2000 for her project entitled Examining Earth’s Natural Resources, and  Nancy Smith of Centennial HS who received $878 for her project Renewing Energy Resources. Both programs will purchase supplies and equipment that will allow students to do real world testing in order to gain better understanding of the complex issues involved.

The remaining projects will be funded from the proceeds of a grant awarded to Bright Minds by the Community Foundation of Howard County earlier this year specifically for this purpose.  Under the category of Information and Communications Technology Literacy, $2000 will go to teacher Carly Norris so that her kindergarten class at Deep Run Elementary can participate in the IPad Mini Kindergarten Classroom Lab, which will incorporate IPads in the classroom.  This program is designed to ensure that each student has the same opportunity to learn regardless of their level of access to technology at home.

Three projects will bring enhanced health initiatives to students, under  the Health and Wellness Awareness category:  Ross Chakrian of Waverly Elementary will receive $2000 to purchase heart monitors under his Heart to Heart Monitoring Program, which will allow students the opportunity to measure their heart rates at various times.  Principal Michelle Leader at Waterloo Elementary will receive $1800 for Try It Fridays, a program designed to present new foods to children to widen their experience of nutritional foods every month.  AT the Homewood Center, Suzanne McMurtray will have $2000 for PHIT, Putting Health in Today, a program intended to incorporate vigorous cardiovascular activity into students’ daily routine, including lessons in nutrition and hydration.

Finally, the remaining awarded projects are in the category of Global and Civic Awareness.  A grant of $2000 will go to Patricia Branner-Pierce, a specialist in the Black Student Achievement Program, to purchase keyboard equipment for the Piano for Youth Summer Music Theory and Music Camp, to be used to teach students who are part of the after school centers who wish to learn to play the piano.  Bonnie Branch Middle School Teacher Dawn Wrenn will receive $500 for Black Saga, a program that strengthens students’ awareness and knowledge about the African American experience through various media and activities.

The Bright Minds Foundation is the Howard County Public School Education Foundation.  For more information about programs and accomplishments, and how to support our mission please see www.brightmindsfoundaiton.org.

Questions can be directed to Patricia Sasse, Executive Director at 41-740-0707.