2018 Annual Grant Award Recipients
The Naperville Education Foundation is pleased to announce that this year we awarded grants for 13 projects in the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and STEM categories. We also bestowed five WOW! Prize Awards. WOW! Prizes are given to the proposal writer for an application that really “knocked the socks off” of the respective evaluation committee!
Recipients of this year’s grants are giving invaluable educational experiences to Naperville 203 students and the NEF Board of Trustees recognizes them for their outstanding proposals. Together, we are providing exceptional opportunities for our children. NEF’s Annual Grant Award program has been in existence since 1993 and has funded a total of 892 projects. These projects represent an investment of more than $1,000,000 to enrich student-learning experiences.
Grant applications are due after the start of the new year and are reviewed within each category by a committee comprised of NEF Trustees, district staff and community volunteers. The committee makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Please join us in celebrating all of our grant recipients who are listed after each proposal name along with all of the schools that will be touched by each grant!
Recipients of this year’s grants are giving invaluable educational experiences to Naperville 203 students and the NEF Board of Trustees recognizes them for their outstanding proposals. Together, we are providing exceptional opportunities for our children. NEF’s Annual Grant Award program has been in existence since 1993 and has funded a total of 892 projects. These projects represent an investment of more than $1,000,000 to enrich student-learning experiences.
Grant applications are due after the start of the new year and are reviewed within each category by a committee comprised of NEF Trustees, district staff and community volunteers. The committee makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Please join us in celebrating all of our grant recipients who are listed after each proposal name along with all of the schools that will be touched by each grant!
Beebe Dine 4 the Better
THE DONALD G. SCHROETER PRIZE*
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CATEGORY
Karen Amundsen and Ella King
Beebe Elementary School
No students should have to eat or be on the playground on their own. Too often students sit alone or play by themselves at recess and it doesn’t have to be that way. A fifth grade student, Ella King, saw an article about a high school in Boca Raton that has implemented a very similar program called “We Dine Together.” The purpose of this project is to make all students feel welcome and encourage empathy in students.
Can You See Me Now?
STEM CATEGORY
Melanie Reicher and Adam Schmitt
Madison Junior High School
Digital Microscopes at Madison will provide students with the technology to take an ordinary microscope activity and turn it into extraordinary. A digital microscope is basically a standard microscope with a digital camera built into the head and an LCD display screen for multiple viewers to see at the same time. The USB port in the base connects to the students’ Chromebooks, allowing students to upload what they are viewing and manipulate their data technologically.
Engaging and Empowering Hispanic Families through Cultural Responsive Collaboration
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CATEGORY
Maribel Guerrero
Mill Street Elementary School
This project will foster Social and Emotional Learning among Hispanic students and parents, and provide professional learning opportunities to address parents and students in a cultural relevant approach that will make an impact in the community.
Maker Lab
STEM CATEGORY
Josh Stumpenhorst
Lincoln Junior High School
Lincoln Junior High will be creating a Maker Lab within their Learning Commons as a space for students to use creativity and innovation to create, tinker, build and enhance their learning. The addition of the resources will provide a wider range of maker activities for all students to engage in. A robust makerspace will be usable for all students during lunch and study hall but also a natural partnership with current curricular areas. Math and Science classes will be able to utilize the resource to enhance and authenticate current activities and lessons.
Playing like a “CHAMP” with Watch Dog Dads
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CATEGORY
Karen Leffelman
Highlands Elementary School
The purpose of this program is to provide Watch Dog Dads with educational games to promote positive student social interactions, while practicing math and literacy skills in a small group. The educational board games, which target standards of learning, will be selected by the K-5 teachers based on the needs of their grade level curriculum. The CHAMP model: Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, and Participation will emphasize using encouraging words, playing fairly, taking turns, listening to others, and following directions in the engaging format of board games.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING CATEGORY
Global Scholar EdTalks
ALAN D. KRASHESKY LITERACY PRIZE*
Seth Brady and Randall Smith
Naperville Central High School
This project creates a TED Talk-style opportunity for District 203’s students to teach the public what they’ve learned about people and the world as they worked to complete Illinois Global Scholar capstone projects in STEM or the humanities.
Mindful Moments in the Early Childhood Classroom
Megan Hafer and Stephanie Budrow
Ann Reid Early Childhood Center
Mindful Moments Kits for the Early Childhood Classroom will be developed to support and enhance the current socialemotional (SEL) curriculum in the early childhood setting by aiding in teaching and implementing mindfulness practices with young children.
SUCCESS at KJHS
Shawnita McClure and Regina Rogers
Kennedy Junior High School
SUCCESS stands for Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to help Strengthen Students. SUCCESS at KJHS will focus on mentoring underrepresented students through coaching, workshops, and social activities. SUCCESS will address the achievement gap by helping gear students toward their preparation for college readiness at an early stage which will result in helping increase test taking skills.
The Eagle Has Landed – Welcome to Elmwood School
Victoria Hegranes
Elmwood Elementary School
Students join the Elmwood community throughout the year. To continue to improve and grow the school culture and climate, they will initiate a program to welcome new students to Elmwood and make them feel comfortable in their new school. This will also provide a leadership role for current students to increase self-esteem.
Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) transition program – Jefferson Junior High
Laurel Anderson, Ebony Baker, Annette Herrera
Jefferson Junior High School
Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) is a junior high orientation and transition program that pairs 6th grade students with 8th grade WEB Leaders to promote social-emotional and academic success. Two Jefferson Junior High School Counselors would receive training in the WEB curriculum, thus expanding preventive supports to students. This is the junior high equivalent of the LINK Crew program, which already exists at NNHS and NCHS
STEM CATEGORY
Math and Science in Motion
THE DONALD G. SCHROETER PRIZE*
Kimberly Lukawski, Ronnie Wu,Marianne Keefe, Karen Olson, Brian Glasby,Amy Eissens, Mallory Hashiguchi, Julie Keleghan, Lindsey Lichtenberg
Lincoln Junior High School
Math and science becomes active by utilizing technology and interacting with graphs and sound waves. Students will get moving in math class as they utilize motion detectors, graphing programs, and Chromebooks to analyze qualitative graphs, proportional relationships, quadratic functions, piecewise functions, systems of equations and the distance formula. Students will also have the chance to collect and interpret quantitative data during the Forces and Fields unit such as velocity and acceleration on an inclined plane and analyze sound waves in science class by utilizing the microphones and motion detectors.
STEM Integration through Choice-based, Student-led Learning in the Visual Arts Curriculum
Ann Ossey
Kennedy Junior High School
The purpose of this project is to provide opportunities beyond the traditional art making mediums like pencil, paint, clay, and paper within the visual arts curriculum. Visual arts will serve as the catalyst for STEM integration. Students will have the opportunity to engage in media arts and 21st century skills that will prepare them for STEAM careers through the use of 3D printing, green screen technology, iPad apps, light painting tools, and small circuitry.
To Infinity and Beyond
THE DONALD G. SCHROETER PRIZE*
Kim O’Neill
Ann Reid Early Childhood Center
This project is to provide early childhood students with handson learning opportunities in STEAM with Legos that support inquiry-based and active learning. The STEAM Park Lego product will allow students to use their natural curiosity to plan and design while exploring, experimenting and playing. The purpose is to develop students understanding of cause and effect relationships, making predictions and observations, problem-solving, and creating representations
* The Donald G. Schroeter Prize has been generously funded through the Donald G. Schroeter Memorial Restricted Fund established by Paul and Beth Schroeter. The Donald G. Schroeter Prize funds NEF Annual Grant Application proposals selected by the family.
Donald and Phyllis Schroeter were original supporters of NEF
Donald and Phyllis Schroeter were original supporters of NEF
Please visit www.nef203.org this fall to learn more about submitting an application. We accept grant proposals from:
- Naperville 203 Students
- Naperville 203 Teachers and Staff
- All applications must be associated with at least one D203 school.
- Teacher/student collaboration is strongly encouraged.
- Grants are not awarded for fundraising efforts or storage materials.
The Naperville Education Foundation’s (NEF) mission is to “encourage creativity, innovation and excellence in our students.” Since its founding in 1992, NEF has served as the philanthropic arm of Naperville 203. By supplementing our school community with private donations, we enhance education and programs for all students. With generous community support, NEF is able to provide financial resources that provide exceptional opportunities. We are inspired by the potential inherent in all children to thrive and be enriched by their experiences in school
