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2008 Education Grant Recipents
Each year the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education has made available five $1,000 grants to be awarded to educators who need money to further their program goals.
The P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education, in cooperation with the P. Buckley Moss Society that funds the grants, is very pleased to announce the five recipients of the 2008 Grant Awards. Five award recipients were selected from 49 grant applications submitted from schools across the nation. We are very pleased with the involvement of 49 schools in this year’s grant award program.
We extend special congratulations to our five teachers--Niko Plakakis, Heath Plumb, Nancy Todd, Sharon Stewart and Jill N. Holod-Dunbar whose projects are shared in this posting.
Niko Plakakis, Santa Teresa High School, 6150 Anell Avenue, San Jose, CA 95123
Integrating the Arts and Service Learning
Forty-eight students with severe learning disabilities will benefit from participation in the “Integrating the Arts and Service Learning” program. At Santa Teresa High School, the program will be integrated with a service learning program where general education students spend time with severely disabled students in accomplishing an artistic/academic project. The students will work together developing a large mural that tells the stories of both students’ lives. Each team member’s lives will be entwined on canvas boards. The program will build relationships of 96 students who will share and work together to demonstrate their thoughts, perceptions, and connections.
Heath Plumb, Kennedy Krieger Schools—Montgomery County, 12301 Academy Way, Rockville, MD 20852
Photo 101
The “Photo 101” program will consist of 10 students with autism who will be instructed how to use a camera as a tool to communicate and express themselves. Students will learn how to take photographs, view and select images that can be finished to create a student portfolio using online publishing companies. Each student will use their newly developed skills in taking photographs to complete a wide array of assignments ranging from basic still life images to telling stories with pictures. Images created by student can then be used to assist in the developing of decision-making skills required to edit images. This program will give students hands-on experiences that will provide a creative way for autistic students to communicate and express needs, desires and feelings.
Nancy Todd, Longfellow Elementary School, 432 Stevens Avenue, Portland, ME 04103
Portland—Through the Eyes of a Child
Sixty-five third grade students at Longfellow Elementary School with a wide range of abilities ranging from autism, hearing impairment, special education, behavioral challenges and gifted will be involved in the “Portland—Through the Eyes of a Child” program. These third graders will be given an opportunity to use art as a means for them to explore and study the historic character of Portland, Maine. As students visit historical places in Portland (Longfellow House, Tate House, The Observatory, East End Cemetery and Victoria Mansion) they will use different art mediums to capture Portland and it historical charter. The adaptations to accommodate students’ abilities will be to have several community artists involved who will introduce students to different art forms and mediums and will encourage them to find what art form is comfortable for each student. Students will be given an art kit that contains one disposal camera, watercolors, brushes, drawing pencils, pastels and colored pencils. The students’ photographs will be used to capture the details, nuances, architectural features, artifacts and characteristics of each of the historical sites. The students’ work will be displayed at the school for all students, parents, and community to view.
Sharon Stewart, Grenlock Terrace Early Childhood Center, 251 Woodbury Turnersville Road, Sewell, NJ 08080
Family Clay Time Studio Experiences
Twenty special education kindergarteners will participate in the “Family Clay Time Studio Experiences” program where they will spend time at Family Clay Time Studio. Students will be exposed to ceramics and three-dimensional art and given an opportunity to have a hands-on experience in a studio. Prior to the studio visit, students will learn about art studios, artists, clay, pottery, potter’s wheel, firing, brushes, sponges, stamps and stencils. The students will develop fine motor skills, self-esteem and gain an appreciation for the arts. The students’ experiences would be photographed and students would use the pictures to develop a journal of express thought about their individual experiences gained by participating in the hands-on explorations with three-dimensional art forms.
Jill N. Holod-Dunbar, The Rich Center for Autism at Youngstown State University, One University Plaza, Youngstown, OH 44555
Kids Who Care
The Rich Center for Autism’s “Kid’s Who Care” is a fleece tie quilt-making project that will benefit the children and infants living in the residential program at the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley. Fifty summer program students, with the assistance of the Center’s art teacher, occupational therapist and classroom teachers will work together to complete quilts. The project will also involve the collaboration of parent volunteers. Students’ hand-made quilts will be presented to the children and infants at the Rescue Mission in the fall. The project will reinforce art concepts for children with autism through sensory stimulation. Students will learn about collaborative efforts, the importance of community service and most importantly, each student will gain personal experiences in being a productive part of the community through their artistic efforts. Quilts will be displayed at the Center to demonstrate the importance of community service and to exhibit the students’ talents.
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