For Immediate Release

Needham Education Foundation Awards Over $38,000 In Spring Grants Program

Total NEF Grants Awarded for School Year Exceed $91,000

NEEDHAM, Mass., May 10, 2004 -The Needham Education Foundation (NEF) announced it has awarded 14 Spring Grants, totaling $38,754, to support innovative education programs for Needham public schools in the 2004-05 school year. The grants support the NEF mission of enriching the education experience for Needham public school children.

"Marking the third cycle of grants funded this school year -- following our Autumn Grants and Large Grants programs -- the Spring Grants will touch Needham students in every public school," said Judy Safian, NEF co-president. "These grants complement many of the goals outlined by the Needham public schools, such as improving literacy and language skills, enhancing math and science proficiency, diversity awareness, physical wellness, and many important aspects of social-emotional learning."

Among the grants awarded are an author's visit by Dan Gutman to promote fiction writing at the Mitchell School; a "Safe Surf' Internet safety program at Pollard Middle School; foreign language training for teachers system-wide to promote conversational fluency, as opposed to grammar-based teaching; a children's community theater project at Newman School; and Yoga training for pre-school children to promote mind/body strength (see full list of grants).

The NEF recently awarded two Large Grants of$15,000 each to purchase electronic piano keyboards for the Pollard School and to acquire a mobile technology lab equipped with wireless laptop computers to support science teaching at Needham High School. In addition, the NEF awarded nine Autumn Grants totaling $22,791, bringing the total awarded so far this school year to $91,545.

NEF began in 1990 when a handful of Needham High alumni celebrating their 50th class reunion started a seed fund to pass on their love of learning by underwriting education programs. To date, the NEF has awarded more than $700,000 in grants to support Needham schools.

About the NEF

The Needham Education Foundation is an independent, community-based, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to raise and then distribute monies for the enrichment of public school children in Needham, Mass. Its fundraising programs include the annual Spelling Bee Fundraiser, teacher recognition cards, and a year-end appeal. NEF's purpose is to stimulate innovation and excellence by supporting educational programs that are outside normal public funding and to maintain a permanent fund to implement such programs and activities.

Click to see full list of grants.

Contact:
Catherine Marenghi, NEF co-president
(781) 915-5001
cmarenghi@marenghi.com