By: Julie Faruniarz
Did you happen to notice the bright orange Funky Turkey made by The Developing Artist roosting on the front lawn of the Board of Education building last month? Or, did you possibly read about Greenwich High School Innovation Lab students winning prizes in the Virtual National History Day state competition? Or maybe you were part of a community discussion and someone mentioned the AVID college-readiness system and how it is reducing opportunity gaps for first generation students to go to college?
Each of these things have something in common – they are programs funded through the Reaching Out Grants program of the Greenwich Alliance for Education.
Reaching Out Grants are the Alliance’s tool to capture and reward the innovative ideas of our school and community educators – allowing them to “dream big”. These inspired educators know what it takes to “level up” the educational experience for their students, serving as education “champions” who spearhead grant projects once funding is approved.
Over 13 years, we have funded $1.5 million in Reaching Out Grants for projects offered at nearly all of the Greenwich Public Schools, as well as for community agencies including the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, Community Centers, Inc., Family Centers, Greenwich United Way, Horizons at Brunswick, YMCA Greenwich, and the YWCA Greenwich. Thousands of students and families have benefited from these exciting and innovative learning opportunities in the arts, technology, social emotional learning and mindfulness, family engagement, and more.
Some grants were adopted by the Greenwich Public Schools in programming or curriculum, while others triggered a change and became an enhancement to an existing course. Some just simply did not work out, yet provided invaluable lessons and experiences that led to the next big idea.
Bridging the Digital Divide is a prime example of a grant that addressed a critical equity and access issue at a specific time. From 2011-2015, many students lacked computer and internet connections at home. In these early days, technology just was becoming central to classroom and curriculum. Students without computers or internet at home relied on the computer lab at school, the libraries, and the local community centers. Constrained by the hours these locations were open, it could be difficult for these students to complete assignments and achieve academic success. Group projects were nearly impossible for some students. Even once the Greenwich Public Schools (GPS) issued devices to all students, internet access remained an issue. Through it all, the Bridging the Digital Divide Program served these students, ensuring equitable access to both devices and internet. For these efforts, the Alliance was awarded a Turbo Award Honorable Mention by the Harvard Business School Club of Connecticut – Community Partners in March 2013.
In 2014, we awarded the single largest grant award we have ever made to Greenwich High School to accelerate the development of what is now Innovation Lab. This grant funded essential planning time for five teachers to thoroughly research, design and collaborate, in consultation with Greenwich Leadership Partners, to establish all programmatic aspects. Innovation Lab opened in the Fall of 2015 as an interdisciplinary school within-in-a-school at Greenwich High School, leveraging innovative teaching methods, project-based learning and leading-edge technology applications. Our initial investment in Innovation Lab subsequently led to our funding many innovation spaces at our elementary schools and at Central Middle School.
Funding the implementation of AVID in 2008 met a district identified need to purposefully engage students on the college track who were aspiring first-generation college goers. AVID offers a rigorous academic and skill building curriculum designed to bring underrepresented students to the college campus. Greenwich Public School’s budget now includes AVID. There are now 300 GPS students enrolled in the AVID Elective, and more than 200 GPS AVID alumni who are enrolled in or who have graduated from college.
This summer, we launched AVID SUCCESS initiative to offer extensions to the AVID program for students and teachers at Greenwich High School and Central and Western Middle Schools, and for GPS AVID alumni enrolled in college. AVID SUCCESS synthesizes under one umbrella our existing AVID supports – scholarships, mentoring, and Good Money Habits – and adds job/professional skills, family programming, professional development, and more. All of these supports evolved and expanded due to the original grant “champions” who believed in AVID and knew that it would make a significant and lasting difference in the lives of their students.
The 2020-2021 Reaching Out Grant application is now available on our website at www.greenwichalliance.org. The website also features descriptions of previous grants, as well as those that are active in our schools right now. Our Reaching Out Grants Committee is looking forward to reading new applications in March and learning what incredible ideas new and returning “grant champions” have in mind for 2021-2022.
We are deeply grateful to our education supporters across the community who donate, and to the organizations and foundations who have contributed toward our grants over the years – Confidence Foundation, CT Office of the Arts, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, First County Bank Foundation, Heidenreich Foundation, and Junior League of Greenwich.
