ETHS Parents Engaged, is happy to announce its third round of funding for Wildkit Grants, a program of classroom grants for ETHS teachers. With a maximum amount of $500 per grant, the program was created to encourage creativity in the classroom and to help teachers provide enrichment activities for students.

Six grants were awarded in November, ranging from the purchase of spectroscopes to funding for a college application prep program for first generation students. The total amount awarded was $2000 this year. Donations from parents and ETHS teachers to the PTSA during past years made the grants possible. Grants awarded this year include:

• Spanish teacher Clare Delgado received funding to purchase Spanish language books to enhance ETHS Spanish students’ collaboration with District 65 students participating in “Battle of the Books” literacy enrichment program. Honors Spanish 4 students are required to reach out to Evanston’s Latino community, and these books will facilitate tutoring Spanish speaking elementary school students.
• World History teacher Aaron Becker was awarded funds to purchase photography books and used guitars for his classroom. Mr. Becker uses these non-traditional learning tools to enhance the world history curriculum and to find creative ways for students to learn about different cultures and traditions.
• Ms. Theresa Reed was awarded a grant to help update the music program’s vocal repertoire library. Ms. Reed directs all of ETHS’ choir groups. These funds will enable her to purchase a series of musical scores and sheet music to replenish and refresh this resource for our music students.
• Ms. Tina Tiziano Dreher, of the student services center, received funding to purchase supplies for the College Application Prep (CAP) program. This program will assist first generation students in the college application process starting with research on colleges and universities during junior year through the college application and financial aid process in fall of senior year.
• English teachers Sara Williamson and Julie Mallory received funding to purchase a set of graphic novels to supplement texts used in their Freshman English classrooms. These visual novels will help students connect with classic literature in different ways and make that content more accessible to students.
• Gionmatthias Schelbert, of the Astronomy/Physics department, was awarded a grant to purchase 40 new handheld spectroscopes. These instruments will be used in both Astronomy and Chemistry classrooms to study light and will allow each student to use his/her own instrument in the classroom.

Wildkit Grants Committee members Jane Corey Holt, Rebecca Groble Hull, Maria Widmaier-Senecal and Karen Larkin Young reviewed grant requests, which were submitted electronically through an application form created by ETHS Information Services Manager Midge Stocker. Mary Rodino, ETHS’ Deputy Chief Financial Officer, will assist in the grant funds disbursement.

Donations to fund next year’s Wildkit Mini Grants can be made through the ETHS webstore: https://eths.revtrak.net/tek9.asp?pg=PTSA_Donation

Contact: Jane Corey Holt janecoreyholt@aol.com