YORK EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUNDS GRANTS FOR THE 2023 – 2024 SCHOOL YEAR

The York Education Foundation is proud to fund nine grants totaling $17,081 for the 2023-2024 school year, with three grants at York High School, three at York Middle School, two at Coastal Ridge Elementary School, and one at Village Elementary School.

Peace Path, Amanda Benoit, School Counselor, VES:

A ‘Peace Path’ stenciled onto the playgrounds at VES will provide a framework to assist student in peer-to-peer conflict resolution and solving problems with empathy, compassion, and mutual respect.

Plant Identification Posts, Kathleen Daughan, Special Ed. Technician, CRES:

 Engage with students and community members in building and installing 10 posts with placards referencing plant species found on the grounds of CRES.

Wabanaki Stories, Suzi Young, 5th Grade Social Studies Teacher, YMS: 

Bring the entire 5th grade class to Merrill Auditorium to attend Portland Ovations showing of Wabanaki stories to hear stories, legends, and tales of different indigenous Maine cultures.

Digital Art Support, Amanda Costello, Visual Arts Teacher, YHS:

Fund the purchase of 18 Wacom Intros Pen Tablets for use in Art 1 through AP classes to support animation, filmmaking, graphic design and art as visual arts shift more and more to digital media and technology.

The Tabletop Library, Kerrie Lattari, Library Media Specialist, YMS:

Addition of tabletop role play and strategic board games to support executive functioning, math skills, and soft skills like strategy planning, problem solving, collaboration, communications, ethics, perseverance, and communications.

Archery for Physical Education, Meghan Clark, Teacher/Dept. Head, YHS:

 Funding to support the addition of archery to the PhysEd curriculum. Archery is an atypical, inclusive, low impact sport that students can use and practice throughout their lifetimes teaching them about personal responsibility, patience, perseverance, focus, attention to detail and self-discipline.

Stories Not Yet Told, Meanie Kyer, German Teacher, YHS:

Storytelling boxes with various artifacts to ignite student engagement and provide for creative integration in a truly hands on fashion covering Spanish, German, and French.

Grasping a World of Beliefs, Liza Graziano et. Al, Grade 7&8 Social Studies, YMS:

Establish three classroom sets of objects related to the teaching of major world religions in support of a two month long required World Religions unit.

Display Accessibility, Joseph Peterson, Visual Arts Teacher, CRES:

Provide better art display access for students using portable and flexible panels which are at the students’ eye level so they may properly view and appreciate their work.

Combined grants are valued at $17,081 bringing YEF’s total grants to $275,000!