Oak Ridge Today

Grants program for school classroom projects discussed Tuesday

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

A board member of a local nonprofit organization that helps schools will give a Tuesday presentation on a program that uses grants to fund classroom projects in Oak Ridge.

The presentation by Cathy Toth of the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation starts at noon Tuesday in the Social Hall of the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church.

“We are well aware of the ORPSEF efforts in the renovation of Oak Ridge High School,” Toth said in a press release. “Most of us are not aware that ORPSEF has quietly been making a difference with a grants program that has funded dozens of classroom projects in every school in Oak Ridge. The grants provide resources beyond what can be provided by tax dollars to help make the critical difference between adequate and outstanding academic experiences and performance.”

[Read more…]

Guest column: Education Foundation seeks to raise $500,000 for teaching grants

Posted at
By 1 Comment

In the past seven years, the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation has awarded more than $322,000 in grants to more than 100 teachers. Because of the grants, at-risk readers are discovering the joy of reading through Kindles. Students are practicing a variety of skills using clicker response systems that provide teachers immediate feedback on what they’ve learned. Special needs students using iPads are pursuing new paths to learn reading comprehension skills.

With these grants, teachers are advancing learning with technology and equipment that wouldn’t be available otherwise in areas of science, art, music, special needs, the manufacturing academy, and foreign language, among others. The Education Foundation’s grants program does not replace public funding, but provides resources over and above what tax dollars are able to fund. It is an investment in our children and educational excellence.

[Read more…]

UT-Battelle donates $50,000 to Oak Ridge science competition

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

UT-Battelle Grant Robots

UT-Battelle has announced a $50,000 donation for the FIRST Robotics and FIRST Lego science competition for Oak Ridge schools. Pictured above are, from left, Thomas Zacharia, Jeff Smith, Martin Keller, and Thom Mason. (Photo submitted by ORPSEF)

UT-Battelle has announced a $50,000 gift to fund the FIRST Robotics and FIRST Lego science competitions for Oak Ridge schools.

The announcement came as part of the capital campaign sponsored by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation to make a “critical difference” by providing additional resources to Oak Ridge teachers and students.

Two of the region’s most popular and fastest growing activities, FIRST Robotics and FIRST LEGO are team competitions that combine the excitement of sports with real-world challenges of science and technology.

[Read more…]

Myricks pledge $25,000 to Oak Ridge schools fundraising campaign

Posted at
By 2 Comments

Tim and Teresa Myrick

Tim and Teresa Myrick (Photo submitted by ORPSEF)

Tim Myrick’s involvement with Oak Ridge High School—as a loaned executive and consultant helping with the reconstruction of the high school and later as a volunteer in advance placement environmental science classes—has convinced him that teachers’ needs in the classroom are sometimes greater than budgets will allow.

Myrick and his wife Teresa believe that grants to teachers will make a critical difference to Oak Ridge Schools. They are pledging $25,000 to the “Making a Critical Difference” campaign for grants and scholarships as they help launch the individual giving part of the campaign.

[Read more…]