2020-2021 Excellence Grants

Celebrating their 26th year, the Amherst Education Foundation (AEF) announces its Excellence Grants for the 2020-21 academic year. Totaling $26,845, AEF’s 2020-2021 Excellence Grants are spread throughout the Amherst Elementary Schools, the Amherst Regional Middle School, and the Amherst Regional High School.

CLIMATE CHANGE CARNIVAL: THE DATA IS REAL, BUT SO ARE THE SOLUTIONS!
Lead Grantee: Kerrita K. Mayfield, PhD
Grant Amount: $4,050
School: Amherst Regional Middle School
Description: A Climate Change Carnival where 8th and 7th grade students present the problems of Global Climate Disruption, create and demonstrate possible solutions to the crisis of Global Climate Change, participate in hands-on workshops, and hear from a local and national keynote who is doing climate change work. 

ELEMENTARY GARDEN PROGRAM: SUSTAINABLE EXPANSION 
Lead Grantee: Jennifer Reese
Grant Amount: $8,450
Schools: Crocker Farm, Fort River, and Wildwood
Description: Enhance sustainability of the current Elementary Garden Program by providing professional development and scaffolded support to K-2nd grade teachers as they assume shared responsibility of teaching the garden curriculum, piloting of a summer intern program, and enabling expansion into the 4th grade.

LOGIC PRO X FOR MUSIC PRODUCTION
Lead Grantee: Todd Fruth
Grant Amount: $3,500
School: Amherst Regional High School
Description: Providing real-life experience and skill sets to students considering music production as a career path through the use of Logic Pro X software and a daylong workshop at a recording studio.

 MAKING HISTORY - DEVELOPING STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND ENGAGEMENT IN SOCIAL STUDIES, AND ENRICHING THE CURRICULUM
Lead Grantee: Ruth Killough-Hill
Grant Amount: $5,100
Schools: Fort River, Crocker Farm, and Wildwood
Description: Will expand the number of K-5th grade teachers who can attend undoing racism trainings and use what they learn to enrich social studies lessons using alternative histories of marginalized voices and project-based learning activities. 

RAISE THE CURTAIN – CROCKER FARM READER’S THEATER CURRICULUM LIBRARY
Lead Grantee: Brenda Crowley
Grant Amount: $5,745
School: Crocker Farm
Description: Strengthen equal access to grade level concepts and materials by creating a curriculum library of differentiated multi-level plays and supporting instructional materials that will enable grades 1-6 students to work together in small groups to present short theater performances to their peers while increasing their ability to read.