During the 2016 Taste of Burnt Hills, the 1st Annual Jennie C. Pennington Award was given to Marge Rizzo and Joyce Brown, each longtime educators at the O’Rourke Middle School. They had a vision to encourage middle school students to become active participants in serving the needs of people in their own community. They brought their vision to life…
Grants: Fall 2016
Kevin DeBonis, O’Rourke Middle School Guidance The funds will be used to purchase a 46 gallon Aqua Oasis Aquarium for the Counseling Center. “Research in the journal Environment and Behavior suggests that a fish aquarium promotes the lowering of blood pressure and heart rate. In the world of counseling, especially at the middle school level, there would…
Grants: Spring 2016
David Besozzi and Kim Orlicz, BH-BL High School Social Studies and Science Departments The funds will be used to purchase Atlantis raised relief globes. “Globes are beneficial and practical for both the Global History & Geography and Earth Science courses. Geospatial analysis is an important concept that relates to numerous components of the Earth Science curriculum. A few…
Grants: Fall 2015
David Somoza, Stevens Elementary The funds will be used to acquire a set of microscopes and the equipment necessary to connect a microscope to a projector. Grant: $1,977 Susan Tomlinson and Katherine Kindl, Charlton Heights Elementary Library The funds will be used to purchase 10 wedge-shaped air cushions for students to use on the…
Grants: Spring 2015
Lindsay Armbruster and Lyndsay Stein, O’Rourke Middle School “The funds will be used to purchase tools to assist us in integrating social-emotional learning and mindfulness education into our Health and Science classes.” Grant: $1,459.42 Lindsay Armbruster, O’Rourke Middle School “The funds will be used to purchase 5 balance ball chairs to replace several typical desk chairs…
Grants: Fall 2014
Melissa Thomas, Margaret Kelliher, and Dan Swan – BH-BL High School “The funds will be used by our certified Library Media Specialists to acquire resources in all five schools. Since these resources will be added to the library collections, they will potentially benefit each and every student and faculty member in the district.” Grant: $500 from the…
Grants: Spring 2014
Alison Cuyler, BH-BL Library Media Department “The funds will be used by our certified Library Media Specialists to acquire resources in all five schools. Since these resources will be added to the library collections, they will potentially benefit each and every student and faculty member in the district.” Grant: $500 from the Mary Joan Egan endowment…
Grants: Fall 2013
Tim Brunson, Dennis Harrington, Tod Bucci, and Travis Dillabough, X-Factor Male Mentoring Program The funds will be used to purchase camping gear, rakes and tarps, lawn games, LARP equipment, and NERF guns to support community service activities and team building activities. “X-Factor is an organization that aspires to connect students with social, emotional and educational needs…
Grants: Spring 2013
Kate Zyskowski, O’Rourke Middle School The funds will be used to acquire two Canon EOS Rebel T3i cameras for use by the O’Rourke Middle School Yearbook Staff. As Ms. Zyskowski states, “Learning to use a digital SLR camera will be a privilege and an exciting perk for the yearbook student staff members. The staff is made up of 20…
Grants: Fall 2012
Kimberly Ward, O’Rourke Middle School The funds will be used to buy board games for an after school club designed to encourage appropriate social behavior among and between special education students and the general education population. An additional $100.00 was made available from a direct donation to the Foundation to be used specifically for a Middle School activity. Grant: $200…