New funding for innovative programs

From left: Marissa Hall, kindergarten teacher; Leah Cox, third-grade teacher; WASDEF Executive Director Greg Hayes; WASDEF Board President Dr. Brooke Beiter; and Jenny Day, third-grade teacher.

The Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation (WASDEF) approved over $27,000 in grant funding to support various district programs and projects in its first grant round for the 2024-25 school year.

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

• Williamsport Area High School to support the launch of Link Crew, a year-long high school transition program designed to help freshmen feel comfortable throughout their first year. The program, which will launch during the 2025-26 school year, trains juniors and seniors as mentors, called Link Crew Leaders, who guide and support freshmen as positive role models, helping them adjust and succeed in high school.
• Cochran Primary School teachers Leah Cox, Jenny Day and Marissa Hall to fund the school’s Mindful Meadow effort. The Mindful Meadow will offer a peaceful space for students to decompress, manage stress, and learn regulation skills and strategies. It will also be designed to promote mental health awareness and teach students valuable self-regulation skills to foster a more positive and supportive school environment.
• Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School music teacher Lori Nelson to fund Drumming Up the Fun, a music curriculum designed to teach rhythm skills to young children through engaging drumming activities. By focusing on a sound-before-sight approach, the curriculum will help to enhance students’ playing techniques, improvisation and respect for percussion instruments. The curriculum incorporates World Music Drumming ensembles that can be performed individually or alongside songs and chants.
• Lycoming Valley Intermediate School sixth-grade teacher Jamie Lasecki to support two innovative, hands-on learning opportunities for students: Storm Drain Valuable Removal and Building a Prosthetic Leg. The Storm Drain Valuable Removal will create a scenario in which valuable items were accidentally dropped in a drain at an amusement park, and students will create tools to retrieve these items before the park closes. In Building a Prosthetic Leg, students will be tasked with building a prosthetic leg and completing an obstacle course wearing the leg.

“These grants reflect the education foundation’s ongoing commitment to fostering educational innovation and student well-being across the district,” said WASDEF Executive Director Greg Hayes. “By supporting initiatives that enhance both academic and personal growth — whether through mentorship programs, mental health resources or hands-on learning experiences — WASDEF is helping to create a more supportive and engaging environment for all students.”