The Munster Education Foundation (MEF) is pleased to award nearly $11,000 in grants to six different programs within the School Town of Munster. The grants were approved by the foundation’s board members in October, at the close of the foundation’s first grant cycle for the 2015-2016 school year. Grant recipients were awarded their funds at the November 9, 2015 monthly meeting of the School Board.
Grants were provided for two academic organizations, The 2015/2016 FIRST Robotics Team and DECA. Each organization received $2,000 to help cover competition fees for this year. Students from the Robotics Team joined their coach Catherine Mazeikas, at the school board meeting to receive their grant dollars. The students presented MEF with a thank you card and an invitation to follow their build progress at the team’s photo sharing site.
The MHS Band was awarded $1,500 to help with replacement of marching baratones and tubas. Although the band has other revenue sources, such as Band Backers, the scope of needs the band currently has in addition to the number of students who benefit from the band program within the district, made providing support dollars an easy decision for MEF’s board members.
All high school students will benefit from a grant for the College and Career Exploration and Information System used by the high school guidance department. “A major benefit to this program is the depth of the system as well as the ability for students to set up and access their own portfolios,” commented Peter Gregory, MHS Guidance Counselor.
Eight grade students at Wilbur Wright Middle School will benefit from a Literature and Thoughts Unit which will enhance the 8th grade Language Arts curriculum and all fourth graders throughout the district will benefit from the $1,525 awarded to help produce the annual Indiana’s Birthday Celebration. These dollars pay for the workshop speakers and materials used throughout the day.
Munster Education Foundation is a group of parents, educators, business people and citizens who care about the quality of our community’s schools. Since its inception in 1992, MEF has awarded more than $225,000 in grants proposed by teachers and administrators to enhance learning in Munster’s classrooms. For more information on the foundation, visit www.munstereducationfoundation.org