Public schools in three states to receive $500,000 for technology, science and arts from Leonore Annenberg School Fund

PHILADELPHIA, April 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten public elementary schools in three states will receive grants averaging $50,000 from the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, which provides underfunded schools in urban and rural areas with educational resources to make a difference in the lives of young children.

The Leonore Annenberg School Fund's 2016 grants total nearly $500,000 for resources such as art and music programs, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) labs, computers and educational software, a mini-greenhouse, and books for classrooms and school libraries. The schools were chosen in consultation with regional, nonprofit partner organizations: Council for Educational Change (Florida), Center for Arts Education (New York), Public Education Foundation (Chattanooga, Tenn.), and Rural School and Community Trust (other Tennessee schools).

Including the current group, the Leonore Annenberg School Fund has awarded more than $6.4 million over the last nine years to public elementary schools that are in financial need and serve a high concentration of children from families living in poverty.

"While the term 'value added' is too often used in the absence of both context and definition, Leonore Annenberg's grants to public elementary schools are sure to make a clear case for improved teaching and learning," said Gail Levin, Ph.D., director of the program, which is administered by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

The schools receiving 2016 grants are:

• Belleair Elementary School, Clearwater, Fla.: Interactive technology, and books for classroom libraries and the media center. The school will use these resources to improve reading proficiency and learning for all students.
• Pineview Elementary School, Tallahassee, Fla.: Tablet computers, software and books. The school will use a range of print and digital books along with the new media center resources to integrate language arts and science and to improve critical reading skills.
• Saint Clair Evans Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.: Science resources for each K-5 classroom and a science learning lab. These resources will allow the school to emphasize science and provide the tools for scientific exploration for students who may have little background in it.
• Lakeside Academy of Math, Science and Technology, Chattanooga, Tenn.: Two STEM labs, and books for the library and classrooms. State-of-the-art STEM labs will enable students to experience hands-on learning and become creative problem-solvers.
• Taylor Elementary School, Cleveland, Tenn.: Laptops and software for all fourth- and fifth-grade students, including mobile hotspots for at-home use. Laptops will provide students with books and filtered Internet to access articles, videos, and images to conduct research and communicate with people around the globe.
• PS 126M: Jacob August Riis, New York, N.Y.: Full-year arts program. Dance (grades K-2) and drama (grades 3-5) programs will help students strengthen their communication skills while supporting artist residencies and integrating the arts with literacy and social studies.
• PS 5M: Ellen Lurie, New York, N.Y.: Music integration program for grades 4 and 5, extending an existing one-year initiative funded by the School Fund. Teaching artist residencies will culminate in student performances for the school community, and teachers will be provided with resources and professional development sessions to continue this work into the future.
• Bolivar Elementary School, Bolivar, Tenn.: Books for classroom and home libraries. To provide students with reading resources throughout the year, the school will purchase books for classrooms and students, and bring in visiting authors and illustrators.
• Ingram Sowell Elementary School, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.: Classroom technology resources, books for classrooms, libraries, and families, and a mini-greenhouse. The school will implement a STEAM project (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to improve literacy and development in these areas.
• Whiteville Elementary School, Whiteville, Tenn.: Instructional texts and Kindles for classrooms, books, and science resources. The school will invest in classroom computers, resources for a now-empty science classroom, and books for the small school library.

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 overcome challenging circumstances, and career development support to emerging artists. As of June 2016, the Leonore Annenberg Funds will have committed more than $19 million to public schools, college students, and arts fellows.

The Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, provides educational resources of immediate and direct value to schools serving children with great need. Visit 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. For more information: www.leonoreannenbergscholarships.org. 

SOURCE Annenberg Public Policy Center

Related Links

http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org