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WASD Education Foundation awards over $36,000 in grants

Williamsport Area School District ›  |  Posted on

A student is shown conducting a water test in Nick Hessert’s science classroom at WAMS. Last spring, the foundation provided Hessert with funding to support Pennsylvania’s Trout in the Classroom program to give students a hands-on learning experience by raising native trout from eggs to fingerlings in a classroom aquarium. Through caring for the fish and monitoring water quality, students gain a deeper understanding of aquatic ecosystems, conservation, and environmental stewardship. The program connects classroom learning to real-world experiences, culminating in the release of the trout into a local stream.

The Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation (WASDEF) recently approved $36,665 in grant funding to support various district programs and projects in its latest grant rounds for the 2024-25 school year.

Funding from WASDEF’s Annual and Teacher Mini-Grant funds were awarded to support the following:

  • $14,500 to the Williamsport Area High School (WAHS) athletic department to support the purchase and installation of three hydrotherapy units in the athletic training room to assist in athletes’ recovery.
  • $10,000 awarded through a grant from the Woodcock Foundation to support the operational needs of the Strolling Strings at WAHS.
  • $3,500 to WAHS drama teacher Marie Fox to support an upgraded production of the school’s mock crash film.
  • $2,266 to Curtin Intermediate School Assistant Principal Jacob Anderson to create a dedicated space for teacher regulation at the school, supporting the Neurosequential Model of Education (NME) framework.
  • $,1500 to Curtin Intermediate School teacher Jennifer Larson to create a clothing closet to provide students in need with clothing and essential items to support their well-being and readiness to learn.
  • $1,500 to WAHS social studies teacher Matthew DeWire to enhance social studies education through 3D printing The equipment will allow DeWire and his department team to print historical replicas to provide students with tangible connections to the past.
  • $1,317 to Williamsport Area Middle School (WAMS) teacher Kristen Berger to create “Brain Break Carts” filled with games, crafts and fidget toys for seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms, providing materials to support teachers in offering breaks. This initiative aims to help students adjust to the demands of middle school by promoting mental well-being, focus and social skills.
  • $1,000 to Megan Hunter and Heather Way, the district’s mental health and trauma coordinators, to support the district’s mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
  • $832 to WAMS teacher Tracie Anderson to expand NME training with “Mindful Moments” at the start of each class, providing seventh-grade students with strategies to recognize and manage emotional stress. By incorporating flexible seating, fidgets and a calming corner, the effort will aim to help students develop lifelong self-regulation skills, improve focus and relationship-building in and beyond school.
  • $250 awarded through a grant from the Kiwanis Club of Williamsport to support the Hope Squad program at Lycoming Valley and Curtin Intermediate.

Additionally, WASDEF facilitated the procurement of $33,000 to support the creation of an eSports arena at WAHS. Funds for this project were from the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania (FCFP) through Educational Improvement Tax Credit program donations received from C&N, First National Bank of PA, M&T Bank, High Industries, UPMC Health Plan and Woodlands Bank.

“These grants represent the education foundation’s commitment to enhancing the educational experience for every student — whether through advanced athletic recovery equipment, creative arts programming, mental health initiatives or hands-on learning tools,” said WASDEF Executive Director Greg Hayes. “It’s exciting to see how these investments will shape the future of our schools and empower our students to thrive.”

So far this school year, the education foundation has provided more than $67,000 in grant funding to district programs and projects.