Nine public schools awarded total of $450,000 by Leonore Annenberg School Fund

PHILADELPHIA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nine public elementary schools in three states will each receive a $50,000 grant from the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, which provides underfunded schools in rural and urban areas with much-needed resources to make a difference in the lives of young children.

The Leonore Annenberg School Fund's 2017 grants, which total $450,000, will furnish schools with resources such as theater and dance programs, computers and educational technology, library upgrades, and new books and e-readers for classrooms and libraries. The schools were chosen in consultation with the nonprofit partner organizations Council for Educational Change, Center for Arts Education, Public Education Foundation, and Rural School and Community Trust.

These awards mark the 10^th and final year of grants from the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, which will have given a total of $7 million to 91 public elementary schools that are in financial need and serve a high proportion of children from families living in poverty.

"For a decade, the Leonore Annenberg School Fund has sought to create new learning opportunities for public elementary school students," said Gail Levin, Ph.D., director of the program, which is administered by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. "We are grateful for the steady, hands-on support of our regional partner organizations, the commitment and passion of teachers and staff in each school recipient, and especially the children who gave joy and meaning to our collective efforts."   

The schools receiving grants in 2017 are:

• Gertrude Edelman/Sabal Palm Elementary School, North Miami Beach, Fla. New educational technology will support the implementation of the i-Ready program, an individualized instructional program in reading and math (Partner organization: Council for Educational Change).
• Sallye B. Mathis Elementary School, Jacksonville, Fla. Laptop computers, software, video recording devices, and a 3D printer will encourage interdisciplinary instruction and provide students with opportunities to synthesize information across disciplines (Council for Educational Change).
• Pioneer Park Elementary School, Belle Glade, Fla. Tablet computers and educational technology will support student-centered learning in classrooms and the media center, and will foster interdisciplinary instruction (Council for Educational Change).
• East Ridge Elementary School, Chattanooga, Tenn. Library upgrades and program enhancements will allow students at all levels to benefit from a new "Synergy Station" with updated reading materials, literary technology, and new seating (Public Education Foundation – Chattanooga).
• DuPont Elementary School, Chattanooga, Tenn. Remodeling and repurposing of the existing library into the "Epicenter of Learning and Collaboration" will provide students with new books and e-readers, a "Mealtime Conversation" learning lab, and areas dedicated to technology and collaboration (Public Education Foundation – Chattanooga).
• PS 196K: Ten Eyck Elementary School, Brooklyn, N.Y. Integration of theater and dance programs with social studies and literacy will help improve students' language, creativity, confidence and problem-solving, and provide the chance to learn about theater production (Center for Arts Education).
• PS 516K: Sunset Park Avenues Elementary School, Brooklyn, N.Y. Theater and dance residencies will be connected to literacy and other classroom subjects, providing opportunities for increased cross-disciplinary learning, particularly for English language learners, and exposure to the arts (Center for Arts Education).
• Carter's Valley Elementary School, Church Hill, Tenn. Shared and classroom literacy materials, Chromebooks, and iPads will allow the school to transition to a blended, project-based environment, which will integrate literacy and content to provide more opportunities for learning (Rural School and Community Trust).
• Hancock Elementary School, Sneedville, Tenn. Shared and classroom literacy materials, Chromebooks, and iPads will allow the school to transition to a blended, project-based environment, which will integrate literacy and content to provide more opportunities for learning (Rural School and Community Trust).

The school fund is part of the Leonore Annenberg Scholarship, Fellowship and School Funds, which also provide four-year college scholarships to high school students who have demonstrated academic excellence and overcome challenging circumstances, and professional development support to early-career artists. As of April 2017, the Leonore Annenberg Funds will have committed more than $22 million to college students, public schools, and arts fellows.

The Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. For more information: www.leonoreannenbergscholarships.org.

About Leonore Annenberg: Leonore Annenberg (1918-2009) was U.S. Chief of Protocol for President Ronald Reagan and wife of the late Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg. Mrs. Annenberg established the grants to support her lifelong commitment to public service, education, and the arts. All grants are made on an invitation-only basis, in consultation with a partner organization.

SOURCE The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania