Just imagine:

• Building a bioreactor.
• Birding with a birding expert from Mass Audubon.
• Using a video microscope.
• Building a roller coaster.
• Learning the movements to Le Carnival des Animaux with puppets.

Milton students can. These are just a few of the experiences students have been able to take advantage of thanks to funds provided by the Milton Foundation for Education’s Teacher’s Grant Program. This grant program is principally financed by the MFE’s Annual Fund. The fund relies on  the citizens of Milton for their tax-deductible donations. You can help!

In part with money raised in the annual fund appeal, in 2010 the MFE provided more than $40,000 in funding for Teacher’s Grant programs, helping teachers extend learning for all students in all of Milton’s public schools.

“The MFE’s Annual Fund is a great example of how so many people come together for education in Milton,” according to MFE President Margaret Eberhardt. “Every year Milton’s public school teachers come up with a wealth of ideas for ways to use these grants to enrich the curriculum in their classrooms. The people of Milton provide the funds to make the programs possible. MPS administrators are fantastic supporters of the program. And MFE volunteers like me are just lucky to be able to get in the middle and help it all happen!”

Here’s what April Allegrezza, Elementary Music Teacher, had to say about the impact of a Teacher’s Grant program in her classroom:

“The materials to supplement “Carnival of the Animals” made all the difference in the students learning and remembering of each of the pieces of music.   After sharing their opinions as to which animal’s music we had just heard, I would pull out the puppet and they would go wild over it.  Then, I would read from the beautifully illustrated book and it would bring everything together for the children.  Truly, these materials created an excellent visual component to the listening curriculum, contributing to the student’s memory of the lesson and learning of music.”

According to Eberhardt, “We hope to meet or even exceed the funds we were able to raise for grants with last year’s Annual Fund. If every family with children in Milton’s Public Schools gave $15, we’d raise more than $30,000 – all of which would be used to help our teachers extend learning for our MPS students.”

Letters have been sent to the MFE’s past supporters, and a newspaper ad and email are planned. Annual Fund donations can be made 7 days a week, 24 hours a day by visiting the Milton Foundation for Education’s website at www.miltonfoundationforeducation.org and clicking on the “donate now” button on the homepage.