POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Thirty-five resourceful teachers from across the Hudson Valley now have more than $45,000 in new grant funds to purchase scientific equipment and implement innovative projects in their classrooms next year, thanks to the generosity of donors to the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. Teachers from public, private and parochial schools in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Ulster counties were eligible.
Grants were awarded through:

• The Fund for Excellence in Education for special project and professional development grants to Pre-K-12 teachers at public, parochial and private/independent schools;
• Taconic IPA Science Education Grants in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster provide teachers with opportunities to expand learning in the sciences through the acquisition of classroom and laboratory science equipment;
• Verizon Foundation STEM Grants for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) projects, activities and equipment;
• The Dennis J. Markle Community Service Awards for community service projects, and the David Kennon Moody Award for teaching writing.

Teachers across region receive education grants through the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley 

In Dutchess County, 20 grants totaling $24,700 were awarded, including four grants to teachers at Arlington High School. In Orange County, two grants totaling $2,900 were awarded, and in Ulster County, six grants totaling nearly $6,900 were awarded. In Putnam County, which first became eligible for education grants this year, seven grants totaling more than $11,000 were awarded.
 
“Our grant committees were very impressed with the high caliber of applications received this year,” said Cristin McPeake, Director of Programs. “The sheer ingenuity of our region’s teachers is evident – and it is clear they care a great deal about their students and strive to go above and beyond to deliver impactful educational experiences.”
 
“Donors who have established these education funds with the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley remain passionate about supporting teachers and students, and improving education in the Hudson Valley, especially in this era of school budget cuts and property tax caps,” said March S. Gallagher, Esq., President and Chief Executive Officer. “While we were thrilled to award more than $45,000 for many exceptional programs across four counties – including Putnam County for the first time this year – the demand for grant funds always exceeds the amount available to award. We remain grateful to our generous donors who make it all possible – and we welcome those who wish to augment our efforts by establishing new funds.”

Examples of funded projects below, complete list of grantees follows.
Arlington High School, Dutchess County
Gwen Saylor: Super "Cool" Science Demo
 
In order to demonstrate electricity and magnetism, the funds will be used to purchase materials to demonstrate quantum locking which involves cooling a superconductor with liquid nitrogen and levitating it over super strong NdFeB magnets. The quantum levitation starter kit consists of 300 magnets attached to a flexible steel track which allows a super cooled superconductor to move over the track without friction. A smaller handheld levitator demonstrates quantum locking and spinning on a smaller more interactive scale. The students will investigate the nature of magnets, the relationship between temperature and resistance and the nature of superconductors. Funded by the Taconic IPA Science Education Grants.

C.V. Starr Intermediate School, Brewster Central School District, Putnam County
Danielle Scalera Michielini: Documenting Artwork for Online Student Art Galleries
 
Funds will be used to build an online art gallery for each art class so that students can document, share and critique their work. A space will be set up so that students can document, edit and post their pieces online and then have some authentic conversations about their work and share with their families. Students will learn digital literacy through art and also about how to properly document work using tripods, lighting, and cameras. Funded through the Fund for Excellence in Education.
Leptondale Elementary School, Wallkill Central School District, Ulster County
Scott Brown: Leptondale Engineers of Today Project (L.E.T.)
 
This grant will purchase the necessary materials for students to plan, design and build a prototype to aide persons with disabilities as part of the L.E.T. project. This project incorporates science, math and English language arts with the engineering process. Fourth graders will plan, design and build an interactive academic game designed for students with different disabilities. Fifth graders will plan, design and build a caddie that can be used with a walker. Sixth graders will plan, design and build a “grabber” that will allow its user to easily access items from different vantage points. Funded through the Fund for Excellence in Education.
 
Poughkeepsie Day School, Dutchess County
Brent Boscarino: Underwater ROV for use in Aquatic Science Work
 
Purchase of an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to enhance understanding of animal behavior and distribution in aquatic systems. Students have been volunteering with the NYS DEC eel monitoring and conservation program since 2012, collaborating with both Poughkeepsie High School and Arlington Schools to monitor American eel and river herring populations inhabiting the Hudson River at Fall Kill Creek. The ROV will be used to monitor fish behavior and fyke net avoidance as well as help log water quality data during the sampling season on the Fall Kill. The ROV will be used in early detection and prevention initiatives involving the invasive aquatic invertebrate, the bloody red shrimp (BRS) in the Finger Lakes and Hudson River watersheds. The ROV will enable videotaping and distributing live video feeds from the trout tank for data analysis and observation of tank behaviors as part of the Trout in the Classroom program. The ROV will also be used to help with data logging of temperature, depth and light at all sites sampled as part of the annual sampling of aquatic organisms at Sunset Lake at Vassar College. Funded through the Taconic IPA Science Education Grants and Verizon Foundation STEM Grants.
 
Valley Central Middle School, Orange County
Nancy Rypkema: Probeware for Ecosystem and Studies
 
Purchase of Pasco probeware, which includes carbon dioxide and oxygen sensors as well as the wireless
connections for each. Students will collect data electronically to conduct experiments to mimic the natural
world and the impact humans are having on ecosystems by setting up experiments and monitoring the gas
levels. Students will be able to monitor how photosynthesis changes the gas levels in a container and how climate change can also impact real time data. The probeware will be used for both long and short term collection activities and will show students how scientists can monitor data over extended periods. Funded through the Taconic IPA Science Education Grants.

Complete list of education grant awardees:

Taconic IPA Science Education Grants
Brent Boscarino, Poughkeepsie Day School, Dutchess County
Christine Gillette, Eugene Brooks Intermediate School & Webutuck High School, Dutchess County
Jacob Lawrence, Arlington High School, Dutchess County
Christine Pizer, Poughkeepsie High School, Dutchess County
Maribel Pregnall, Arlington High School, Dutchess County
Samantha Rocario, Abilities First School, Dutchess County
Gwen Saylor, Arlington High School, Dutchess County
Richard Ronzoni, Warwick Valley Middle School, Orange County
Nancy Rypkema, Valley Central Middle School, Orange County

Nicholas Malgieri, Wallkill High School, Ulster County
Grace Johnston, Kingston High School, Ulster County
Dan Weiser, Hudson Valley Sudbury School, Ulster County

Fund for Excellence in Education Grants
William Bussert, Oakwood Friends School, Dutchess County
Jane Cervone, Sargent Elementary School, Beacon City School District, Dutchess County
Megan Cooke, John Jay High School, Dutchess County
Lacey Fredericks, Oakwood Friends School, Dutchess County
Gloria Rosati Peterson, Glenham Elementary School, Beacon City School District, Dutchess County
Amanda Ruhe, Dutchess Day School, Dutchess County
Gwen Saylor, Arlington High School, Dutchess County
William Yager, Millbrook Middle School, Dutchess County
Charles Barone, Mahopac High School, Putnam County
Carolyn Catalano, Matthew Paterson Elementary School, Carmel School District, Putnam County
Amy Kuchera, Garrison Union Free School, Putnam County
Danielle Scalera Michielini, C.V. Starr Intermediate School, Brewster Central School District, Putnam County
Cathleen Rossetti, Kent Elementary School, Carmel Central School District, Putnam County
Amy Hopf, Cahill Elementary School, Saugerties Central School District, Ulster County

Verizon Foundation STEM Awards
Brent Boscarino, Poughkeepsie Day School, Dutchess County
Amy Hudgens, Mill Road Primary/Intermediate School, Red Hook Central School District, Dutchess County
Kimberly Sweck, Arlington High School, Dutchess County
 
Robin Waters, Garrison Union Free School, Putnam County
Laurel Whitworth, Matthew Paterson Elementary School, Carmel School District, Putnam County
 
Scott Brown, Leptondale Elementary School, Wallkill School District, Ulster County

Dennis J. Markle Community Service Awards
Laura Collins, North Park Elementary School, Hyde Park Central School District, Dutchess County
Rhapsody Mancini, Arlington High School, Dutchess, County

David Kennon Moody Award
Barbara Wood, Kingston High School, Ulster County