Freehold Township Education Association Announces Over $16K in Grant Awards

The Freehold Township Education Foundation (FTEF) announced over $16,000 grants during the Freehold Township Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.  The awards included the FTEF’s William J. Setaro Building Blocks for Innovation Grants as well as corporate grant programs that the organization’s grant funding committee pursued.

“What (FTEF member) Ann (Novotny) and the grant writing committee do is find grants and match teachers and their desires with corporate grants,” FTEF Chairwoman Gail Reilly said.

The corporate funds included $700 field trip grants from Target to C. Richard Applegate Elementary School, West Freehold Elementary School and Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School. In addition, Joseph J. Catena Elementary School received a $2,000 arts grant, which will go towards sound equipment to help put on a school play.

Lowe’s awarded C. Richard Applegate Elementary School a $4,500 grant to build an outdoor classroom space.

“There’s a portion of the campus at Applegate School and we thought what a great opportunity to capitalize on that space. With Ann’s writing skills and some vision from my staff, we have some seed money to put together an outdoor sustainable classroom where you will see outdoor instruction space, a weather center, perhaps a butterfly garden, a compost bin—a completely sustainable space,” said C. Richard Applegate Elementary School Principal Rebecca Winters.

The foundation’s William J. Setaro Building Blocks for Innovation Grants were presented to West Elementary Freehold School and Marshall W. Errickson Middle School. West Elementary Freehold School Media Specialist Beverly Pagels proposed a Battle of Monmouth history to-go project, for which the school received a $2,000 grant. Marshall W. Errickson Middle School staff members proposed a project called iCollaborate; the multi-phase program would incorporate iPads in education, Reilly said. The proposal received a $6,000 grant.

In addition, the foundation recognized the winners of its student chalkboard drawing contest. Over 100 entries were received at the Graeme Preston Memorial Soccer Tournament where the contest was held. The winners were: Molly McNamara, Aaliyah Rocourt, Ty Casconne and Karlie Korz.