Donations raised by community members helped fund $60,459 in grants from the North Allegheny Foundation, benefitting students throughout the school district.
The North Allegheny Foundation awards grant applications submitted by school district staff in both the spring and fall. Any district staff member can submit a grant application with the hopes of being funded. The last round of grants awarded in fall 2024 was of a notable size.
“This was on the higher end of grant approvals. The committee appreciated the high quality of grant applications and wanted to fund as many as possible,” said William Mascari, secretary to the North Allegheny Foundation.
The awards are made possible largely by contributions from the community through the foundation’s annual fundraisers.
“The grants committee was able to award such a high amount due to the record-breaking success of both the Trick or Trot and NA Golf Classic this Fall,” said Mascari, who is also a teacher at Marshall Middle School.
The following programs and projects were awarded, beginning with the highest awards.
Innovating with STEAM: Spheros and Crayons on the Go, includes 60 educational robots for students in all grade levels for a grant award of $22,890.
Knowledge Matters: Bringing Simulated Business Experiences from freshman to senior high business classes. Simulations include topics such as entrepreneurship, marketing, management, accounting and personal finance. Grant awarded was $15,400.
Sensory Integration for Inclusion will update and enhance the sensory room at Marshall Middle School for a grant of $7,000.
An emotional support sensory inclusive environment at Ingomar Middle features a sensory room and two emotional support classrooms with materials to support students and their unique individual needs for an award of $2,500.
Table tennis equipment will be part of the senior high health and physical education curriculum. Grant awarded was $2,261.
Showcase and Sustain: Building and Program Improvements for Art Excellence, at Ingomar Elementary, include year-round art displays, professional display materials, props and lighting, and new technology, including 3D printers. Grant awarded $2,000.
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Maintaining Well-Loved Library and ELA Books at the senior high allows librarians and library secretaries to repair and improve damaged and aged book bindings at NASH library. Grant awarded $1,765.
A simulated apartment at the intermediate high school will aid students with disabilities to experience and enhance skills in daily living for a grant award of $1,749, which will cover the purchase of kitchen cabinetry, countertops and a closet system.
Elves R Us at McKnight Elementary provides hands-on learning using digital tools, project-based learning materials, and artistic techniques for fourth-graders in a winter-themed science, technology, engineering, arts and math activity. Grant awarded $1,000.
Immutable You Key Chain allows students at Marshall Middle School to write about their most essential attributes with a word that captures that quality to be engraved on a keychain tag for a grant award of $1,000.
A Student Ambassador Program at Ingomar Middle makes connections between students from different school districts through curriculum-based activities for a grant award of $964.
Amp Up The Jazz Band provides appropriate-sized amps for the Marshall Middle School Jazz Band. Grant awarded $880.
Art Supplies for English 4 at the senior high school will incorporate creative assignments that center around art into the curriculum for English for seniors. Some projects include collage poems, laser engraving, designing and printing stickers, books, pamphlets, flyers, and posters, paintings and chalk drawings for a grant awarded $500.
Wellness Club library at the senior high is a lending cart library of self-help books associated with health and wellness for a grant award of $500.
Sustainable Shopping: Create your Own Reusable Bag Project is a continuation of a project that provides seventh-grade students at Carson Middle School with the Family Consumer Sciences team to purchase vinyl material, drawstring bags and tote bags to supply to students to create a sustainable bag. Grant awarded was $350.
Marybeth Johnson, autistic support teacher at NAI, applied for the grant to complete the apartment with fellow autistic and learning support teachers Jill Majors and Jennifer Mitts. She said the simulated apartment is part of the NAI Life Skills Program. The grant money has already been put to use.
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“The simulated apartment is designed to provide a realistic and engaging environment where students can gain practical experience in essential daily living skills such as food preparation and housekeeping. The apartment is used as a training ground where our students with special needs can develop essential skills for living independently, but more importantly gain confidence and self-reliance,” Johnson said.
Some projects began as early as December while others will be implemented during the summer or next school year, Mascari said.
The North Allegheny Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization governed by a 23-member board of trustees that represent a diverse group of community and business leaders.
Grants that were not funded at this time can apply for the second round of grant funding opportunities in the spring, according to Mascari.