STEAM Labs, Scholarships: Manchester Golf Outing Funds Education

MANCHESTER, NJ -- All three Manchester Township elementary schools will be outfitted with STEAM labs thanks to $32,500 in grant money presented to the township school district at the 10th annual Manchester Township Educational Foundation Golf Outing.

Nearly 100 golfers participated in the outing at Eagle Ridge Golf Course that was hosted by the MTEF and The Hesse Companies.

In addition to the golf, there was dinner and an awards banquet with prize baskets and awards, thanks to local businesses, organizations, and sponsors who helped make the day a success. The funds raised at the event benefit Manchester Township School District students.

Funds raised by the golf outing have been used for donations of technology equipment to Manchester schools, including iPads, Kindles, computers, projectors and MOBI computer tablets. Classroom and school grants have also included musical instruments, art supplies, math and science materials and donation for district-wide WiFi.

At the outing, $32,500 in grant funds were presented to the district for the creation of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) labs at Manchester Township Elementary School and at Whiting Elementary School, along with some additional items for Ridgeway School, which created its STEAM lab last year, the foundation said.

Last year, a Genius Lab at Manchester Middle School was created and the foundation hopes to pay for a similar project at Manchester Township High School next year, officials said.

In total the foundation has given out more than $150,000 in school and classroom grants. It additionally has helped provide $168,000 in scholarship money to 99 Manchester graduates .

The foundation thanked the following sponsors: event sponsor, The HESSE Companies; EyesFirst Vision Center, New Horizon Lighting, Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home, Kenneth T. Palmer Law Office, Oliverie Funeral Home, InVision EyeCare, KST Contracting, Maser Consulting & Engineers, Lakhani Eye Associates, Seaside Park Service Center, Lakewood Enterprises, Environmental Resolutions Inc., PKF O’Connor Davies, Manchester PBA#246, Amando V. Riccio Attorney at Law, Manchester Accounting Services, Retina Care Center, Monmouth Retina Consultants, Physicians for Adults, Members of the Manchester Board of Education, Spiezle Architectural Group, Donovan’s Bar & Grill, Acacia Financial Group, T&M Associates, Gregory McGuckin Attorney at Law, Nicholas Ott Memorial Fund, Century 21 Action Plus Realty, JNL Electrical Service, Luigi’s Restaurant, Avenue to Broadway, Center State Engineering, Brown & Brown Benefit Advisors, Manchester Family Golf, Herr’s Foods, Ocean Eye Institute, Cooper’s Florist, ShopRite, OceanFirst Bank, our gift prize donors, school staff, golfers and volunteers.

The foundation is looking for new members to continue its efforts to support the schools. There are monthly meetings -- the next one is Sept. 18, and there is one on Oct. 16. Both are at 5:30 p.m. at the Manchester Township Municipal Building courtroom.

For more information, check the website at www.MTEF4Kids.org or call 732-856-8331 or email them at ManTwpEF@gmail.com .

Photos provided by the Manchester Township Educational Foundation: Representatives from the Hesse Companies, Larry Kiesel, Britt Raynor and Marty Ryan, at the recent Manchester Township Educational Foundation/Hesse Companies Golf Outing. Hesse is the event sponsor. Second photo: Seaside Park Service Center’s golf foursome at the golf outing.