Milton Foundation for Education Launches 2011 Annual Fund Appeal

Building a bioreactor. 

Birding with a birding expert from Mass Audubon. 

Using a video microscope.

Building a roller coaster. 

Learning the movements to Le Carnival des Animaux with puppets.

These are just a few of the experiences students have been able to take advantage of in Milton Public Schools thanks to funds provided by the Milton Foundation for Education’s Teacher’s Grant Program. A key source of funding for the grant program is through the MFE’s Annual Fund, in which the MFE appeals directly to the citizens of Milton for their tax-deductible donations.

In part with money raised in the annual fund appeal, in 2010 the MFE provided more than $40,000 in funding for Teacher’s Grant programs, helping teachers extend learning for all students in all of Milton’s public schools.  

“The MFE’s Annual Fund is a great example of how so many people come together for education in Milton,” said MFE President Margaret Eberhardt. “Every year Milton’s public school teachers come up with a wealth of ideas for ways to use these grants to enrich the curriculum in their classrooms. The people of Milton provide the funds to make the programs possible. MPS administrators are fantastic supporters of the program. And MFE volunteers like me are just lucky to be able to get in the middle and help it all happen.”

Here’s what April Allegrezza, Elementary Music Teacher, had to say about the impact of a Teacher’s Grant program in her classroom:

 “The materials to supplement “Carnival of the Animals” made all the difference in the students learning and remembering of each of the pieces of music.   After sharing their opinions as to which animal’s music we had just heard, I would pull out the puppet and they would go wild over it.  Then, I would read from the beautifully illustrated book and it would bring everything together for the children.  Truly, these materials created an excellent visual component to the listening curriculum, contributing to the student’s memory of the lesson and learning of music.”

According to Eberhardt, “We hope to meet or even exceed the funds we were able to raise for grants with last year’s Annual Fund. If every family with children in Milton’s Public Schools gave $15, we’d raise more than $30,000 – all of which would be used to help our teachers to extend learning for our MPS students.”

Letters have been sent to the MFE’s past supporters and Annual Fund donations can be made seven days a week, 24 hours a day by visiting the Milton Foundation for Education’s website at www.miltonfoundationforeducation.org and clicking on the “donate now” button on the homepage. 

The above release was submitted by Robert Davis, Milton Foundation on Education.