Lawrence Township Education Foundation awarded more than $51,000 in funding for 20 innovative programs throughout the township’s public schools.
The grants, awarded to district teachers, will provide funding for projects and programs that are outside of the regular budget. Projects cover a broad range of disciplines including athletics, reading, language arts, history, environmental science, speech therapy, music and the arts.
To enhance the track and field facilities and improve safety, LTEF awarded a grant for a new shot put circle for student athletes at Lawrence High School and Lawrence Middle School.
Additionally, athletic grants will provide new lacrosse equipment and pedometers for Lawrence Intermediate School students.
In the Art and Poetry category, Lawrence Middle School won a grant for Project VOICE. The program provides students with the opportunity to use poetry as an instrument through which they can explore and better understand the culture, their society and ultimately themselves.
In the spring, LMS plans to host its first Arts Festival showcasing student-created visual arts, literature, video and technology for families and the community.
LTEF grants will provide Eldridge Park Elementary students the opportunity to work with children’s author Dan Gutman.
Additionally, grants will fund summer reading programs for LIS fifth graders and Slackwood Elementary School students. Younger students will receive writing journals and reader response sheets for their new summer reading program.
Language Arts grants will also provide an assortment of illustrated novels and audio CDs of classic literature at LHS.
Through Speech grants, Ben Franklin Elementary School will receive technology tools to help facilitate early language stimulation in non-verbal children as well as reading devices to assist students with vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.
Grants will also fund iPads for LIS’ English as a Second Language program and a Smart Board will help facilitate the development of language and speech skills of students. For students with physical challenges, the Sensory Lending Library at LIS will be enhanced.
LTEF is a nonprofit organization that fosters educational excellence, creativity, and achievement in Lawrence Township Public Schools. Since 1992, it has funded more than 550 programs in the Lawrence schools with grants in excess of $2.6 million.
More information, including a complete list on grants, is online at ltefnj.org.
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