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Introduction
At the NEA Foundation we are proud of our work, in partnership with local unions and school districts, to close the achievement gaps. And we continue to provide small grants to public school educators nationwide, pioneer progressive and exciting digital arts programs, recognize excellence in education, and support NEA’s Books Across America Library Books Awards.
Small Grants Application Made Easier
The NEA Foundation has introduced a new online grant application system for our popular $2,000 and $5,000 Learning & Leadership Grants and Student Achievement Grants that is making grant application easier than ever. The new system, which was launched in October, is greener because it’s paper-free. It also makes applying for grants more convenient and less prone to user error. Reports from educators using the new applications have been extremely positive. They love it!
For a guided tour and detailed instruction of the new system, the Foundation has posted a video featuring grants manager Jesse Graytock. Applications are accepted, reviewed, and granted three times a year. Deadlines are June 1, October 15, and February 1. Applicants can view the video or link directly to the applications from the NEA Foundation’s web site at www.neafoundation.org/grants.
Working to Close the Achievement Gaps
The Foundation will be extending its signature Closing the Achievement Gaps Initiative in the months ahead. This initiative places educators at the center of school and district reform efforts by building a collaborative relationship focused on student achievement between the local NEA affiliate, school district, and community partners. Click here for additional information, including our Theory of Change and bibliography of research that supports it. The initiative, which is by invitation only, is currently being funded in three sites: Hamilton County, TN; Milwaukee, WI; and Seattle, WA. Stay tuned for details about future sites!
NEA Foundation Supports Public School Libraries
Budget cuts often hit libraries hardest, so the Foundation is especially pleased to announce 50 awards of $1,000 each to public schools serving economically disadvantaged students to purchase books for school libraries. The awards are made possible with support from the NEA, corporations and individuals who donated to the NEA’s Books Across America Fund to bring the gift of reading to students. A complete list of 2009 Books Across America Library Books Award recipients can be found on the Foundation’s web site, www.neafoundation.org.
A Symphony of Success: Gala Celebrates Music Education
Some of the nation’s most talented student musicians enhanced a spectacular celebration of teaching and learning with music at the NEA Foundation’s Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala held February 6 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. Rousing show tunes, inspirational ballads, and old favorites had the nearly 900 guests cheering and singing “Sing, sing a song…” along with Sesame Street’s Bob McGrath, who made it famous.
During the gala, the NEA Foundation announced its new partnership with MENC: The National Association of Music Education and a new grants program for middle and high school music teachers. The partnership with MENC is dedicated to developing the ideas, techniques, and approaches for teaching improvisation. Referred to as the NEA Foundation-MENC Teaching Improvisation Grants, the partnership will offer up to a total of 10 of the Foundation’s Student Achievement or Learning & Leadership grants beginning October 15, 2009. Additional information is available at www.neafoundation.org/grants.
Illinois’s Joseph Fatheree Gets Top Billing
But the highlight of the evening was the announcement that lllinois’s Effingham High School teacher Joseph Fatheree had received top honors, beating out 35 other nominees, and winning the coveted $25,000 NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence.
Hoping to expand the world view of his students who live in a small rural community, this gifted teacher uses 21st century skills and digital arts to engage and educate. Fatheree’s class worked with inner city students in Los Angeles to produce a film that was featured at the September 2008 opening of the United Nations General Assembly in Paris, France. His students have also developed an animated storybook to teach English to African children and created an interactive website for the Illinois State Board of Education.
In his remarks following the presentation of The NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence, Fatheree said, “I have the greatest job in the world. I am a teacher.” And a great teacher at that.
Gala Premieres Student-Produced Videos of Finalists
 In addition to recognizing all nominees at the gala, the Foundation awarded the five national finalists, including Fatheree, The Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence, and $10,000 each. Each of the finalists was also honored with a video, which premiered at the gala, and was, for the first time this year, created by his or her
students with support from the Pearson Foundation. Click here to watch the videos, see photos and names of all the state nominees, or to see and buy photos from the gala.
The other four national finalists were:
- Michael Flynn—a second grade teacher from Southampton, Massachusetts;
- Richard Ognibene—a chemistry and physics teacher from Fairport, New York;
- Stephanie Rossi—a history, psychology, world religions, and indigenous studies teacher from Wheat Ridge, Colorado; and
- Marlene Srock—a first grade teacher from Minot, North Dakota.
In addition to recognizing America’s top educators for their teaching excellence, the Foundation presented special honors to two institutions that are making a world of difference in public education.
Verizon Receives Inaugural Award for Philanthropy
Verizon Communications was honored with the Foundation’s inaugural Award for Philanthropy in Public Education. This award, which is presented to corporations and other entities in recognition of their philanthropic support of public education, schools, and educators, was awarded to Verizon for its long history of supporting quality educational resources and a variety of literacy programs. With an annual giving budget of $76 million dollars, Verizon’s foundation is one of the top 20 corporate foundations.
“The power of the private sector to strengthen public education is critical and clearly recognized by Verizon. When organizations decide to use their resources to support educators, students win,” said Lauri J. Fitz-Pegado, Chair of the NEA Foundation’s Board of Directors, who presented the award to Verizon Communications President and CEO Ivan Seidenburg. “By supporting programs that improve teaching and learning, corporations make a critical contribution to young Americans. This investment will derive benefit to us all in the end, as it leads to a stronger work force.”
Sesame Workshop Receives Award for Outstanding Service
Carol-Lynn Parente, Executive Producer of Sesame Street, accepted The NEA Foundation Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education on behalf of Sesame Workshop, saying, “Since its inception, Sesame Street has encouraged a love of learning that has helped prepare children to enter school. We are honored to accept this award from an organization that shares our commitment to giving all children the opportunity to reach their highest potential.”
Sesame Workshop is the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street, which reaches 120 million children worldwide and is known as the world’s single largest informal educator of children. Sesame Workshop was selected because of its work to make a lasting and monumental impact in early childhood education through its celebrated and truly visionary Sesame Street.
Planning is already underway for the Foundation’s 15th annual gala to be held February 12, 2010 in the nation’s capital. Don’t miss it!
Foundation Awards Stellar Grantees
Each year at the gala, the NEA Foundation recognizes the impact of specific Student Achievement and Learning & Leadership grant recipients. This year, we are pleased to recognize:
- Susanne Rasely - Philipps from East Stroudsburg High School South, East Stroudsburg, PA with the William G. Carr Award. This award recognizes professional development efforts that advance international understanding.
- Jennifer Waisanen from Herman Thorne Bay School, Thorne Bay, AK, with the Hilda Maehling Award, which recognizes professional development efforts that have significantly enhanced the academic skills of additional faculty and staff.
- Jay Steven Vavra, with partners Tom Fehrenbacher and Rob Buenviaje, from High Tech High School, San Diego, CA, received the Christa McAuliffe Award, given annually to a grantee that has exhibited outstanding innovation in teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
Congratulations to all!
Free, Online Service Learning Toolkit Now Available to Educators
Through Greg Mortenson’s best-selling Three Cups of Tea and the Pennies for Peace organization, thousands of educators are inspiring young people nationwide to raise money to build schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now, educators hoping to join this movement can download a free K-12 service-learning toolkit designed to help them create effective penny-raising campaigns as part of their schools’ curricula.
The Pennies for Peace Toolkit was collaboratively produced by Pennies for Peace and the Pearson Foundation with support from the NEA Foundation. It provides a standards-aligned, service-learning curriculum for all grade levels, including classroom activities, fact sheets, maps provided by National Geographic, and videos about life and culture in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The toolkit supplies campaign tools that teachers and students can use to engage their local communities, including letter templates to civic leaders, press release templates, stickers, and flyers. Click here to link to it.
$181,000 Bequest to Teaching and Learning in Technology
The estate of Corene Griffin of Malibu, CA awarded the Foundation over $181,000 to be used to help advance technology integration into classroom teaching. This was a particular area of interest of her daughter Donna Rhodes, who served as the NEA Foundation’s executive director from 1986-1993. To honor the bequest, the Foundation will provide grants to public school educators for this purpose through its competitive small grants program. “These grants will build on the Foundation’s work to help educators provide students with 21st century skills,” said Harriet Sanford, President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “They will help enable students to compete in our global economy and prepare them for college, work, and life.”
Staff News
Harriet Sanford was elected to chair the national board of directors of The NAMES Project Foundation, the international curator of the 54-ton AIDS Memorial Quilt. Her two-year term begins immediately. The NAMES Project Foundation, which is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, works to preserve, care for and use the AIDS Memorial Quilt to foster healing, heighten awareness and inspire action in the age of AIDS.
“The Quilt is an inspiration and a tremendous national treasure that never fails to inspire all who see it to get involved and work to end AIDS,” said Sanford. “In my role at the NEA Foundation, and as the parent of a 13-year-old, I am keenly aware of the fact that new HIV infection rates among teens are very high, and the quilt is an educator like no other. I remain confident in its power and am committed to its ability to help build bridges of understanding for generations to come.”
Michael Paquette is the Foundation’s newest hire and will serve as the Communications Associate. Michael brings a strong background in both media relations and Web content management that ranges from overseeing a large portfolio of clients as an Account Executive at a PR agency to developing tourism Web sites in Latin America for the Peace Corps. Welcome Michael!
Nice Notes
“This is VERY exciting news. Without this grant, I know there was no way we would be able to pilot this wonderful curriculum. Our department is energized and in the face of such dire and impending education cuts, this is most welcome encouragement. I/we look forward to working with you.”
“Thank you so much for this opportunity.”
Most Sincerely,
Laura Larkin
Sequoia High School
Mathematics Department Chair
Redwood City, CA
“Thank You for the good news! Everyone involved in this project was ecstatic upon receiving my "forward" to this email. I can't wait to begin sharing our progress with you.. :)”
Joshua S. Calderon M.Ed.
ESOL Rolling Hills Elementary
Orlando, FL
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