Chambersburg and Greencastle Teachers Awarded $11,000 in Technology Grants
September 28, 2017
FRANKLIN COUNTY, PA - The Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation awarded grants totaling nearly $11,000 to teachers in Franklin County for using technology in an innovative way in their classrooms. Teachers received the grants at the Foundation’s annual luncheon on September 28.
Tara Clopper from Greencastle-Antrim High School received a grant for $5,000 for iBuild: Computer Science meets Makerspace. This project-based learning opportunity will allow students in the Occupations in Technology course to research, plan, budget, order, build, image and deploy desktop computers to the school’s media center and/or technology classroom.
Susan Berrier from Andrew Buchanan Elementary School and Lurgan Elementary School in Chambersburg Area School District was awarded a grant of $960 for Dash and Dots Robots Bring Coding to Life. Students who are trained in coding with Code Studio and have completed at least ten levels will be able to create code to control the Dash and Dot Robots. The Dash and Dot robots give the students the opportunity to see actual objects respond to their coding.
Jennifer Jarusewski, Mary Finucane and Melissa VanArsdale from the Chambersburg Area Senior High School received a grant totaling $5,000 for The One Million Pillowcase Challenge. Approximately 600 students will research a specific type of cancer in small groups by finding current online articles on their topic. Afterwards they will present their research to the class, and then create pillowcases to donate to the Pediatric Unit.
“These grants are essential to our communities because it enables us to enhance the learning experiences of our youth through innovative technology in the classroom. We would not be able to provide these grants if it weren’t for our generous business partners and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program,” said Robin Harmon, executive director of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.
The Chamber Foundation has awarded more than $404,000 in Innovative Technology Grants to local teachers since 1999. The Foundation was able to award $10,960 this year thanks to contributions to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program from M&T Bank, Orrstown Bank and Waste Management.
If your business is interested in learning more about the benefits of participating in the EITC program, contact Harmon at 717-264-7101 ext. 205 or rharmon@chambersburg.org.
The luncheon also honored Dr. Michael Doncheski of Penn State Mont Alto and Angela Austin of Summit Health as Volunteers of the Year for their role as co-chairs of the Community Education Coalition’s employability taskforce. Doncheski also serves as the Foundation’s board president, and Austin has been active with the Foundation for many years as a board member and assisting with a variety of programs that address employability.
In addition, board members whose terms end this year were recognized for their service. Retiring directors include Leslie Baker of JLG, Derrick Donnell of PA CareerLink and Georgina Cranston of the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce.
For more information about the Chamber Foundation, visit www.chambersburg.org/ChamberFoundation.
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Tara Clopper from Greencastle-Antrim High School received a grant for $5,000 for iBuild: Computer Science meets Makerspace. This project-based learning opportunity will allow students in the Occupations in Technology course to research, plan, budget, order, build, image and deploy desktop computers to the school’s media center and/or technology classroom.
Susan Berrier from Andrew Buchanan Elementary School and Lurgan Elementary School in Chambersburg Area School District was awarded a grant of $960 for Dash and Dots Robots Bring Coding to Life. Students who are trained in coding with Code Studio and have completed at least ten levels will be able to create code to control the Dash and Dot Robots. The Dash and Dot robots give the students the opportunity to see actual objects respond to their coding.
Jennifer Jarusewski, Mary Finucane and Melissa VanArsdale from the Chambersburg Area Senior High School received a grant totaling $5,000 for The One Million Pillowcase Challenge. Approximately 600 students will research a specific type of cancer in small groups by finding current online articles on their topic. Afterwards they will present their research to the class, and then create pillowcases to donate to the Pediatric Unit.
“These grants are essential to our communities because it enables us to enhance the learning experiences of our youth through innovative technology in the classroom. We would not be able to provide these grants if it weren’t for our generous business partners and the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program,” said Robin Harmon, executive director of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation.
The Chamber Foundation has awarded more than $404,000 in Innovative Technology Grants to local teachers since 1999. The Foundation was able to award $10,960 this year thanks to contributions to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program from M&T Bank, Orrstown Bank and Waste Management.
If your business is interested in learning more about the benefits of participating in the EITC program, contact Harmon at 717-264-7101 ext. 205 or rharmon@chambersburg.org.
The luncheon also honored Dr. Michael Doncheski of Penn State Mont Alto and Angela Austin of Summit Health as Volunteers of the Year for their role as co-chairs of the Community Education Coalition’s employability taskforce. Doncheski also serves as the Foundation’s board president, and Austin has been active with the Foundation for many years as a board member and assisting with a variety of programs that address employability.
In addition, board members whose terms end this year were recognized for their service. Retiring directors include Leslie Baker of JLG, Derrick Donnell of PA CareerLink and Georgina Cranston of the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce.
For more information about the Chamber Foundation, visit www.chambersburg.org/ChamberFoundation.
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Contact:
Amy Weibley, Communications Director
aweibley@chambersburg.org, (717) 264-7101
