With the second grant cycle for 2024-2025, the Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools will have awarded more than $80,000 to benefit students at all grade levels across the district.

The Foundation for West Hartford Public Schools has announced its commitment to award $80,000 for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, an increase of $10,000 over last year’s campaign.

The Foundation holds two grants cycles open to certified West Hartford public school teachers for every school year. The first grant cycle ended in May, funding 30 grants totaling $37,102 for the 2024-25 school year. The second cycle opened in June and will close on Oct. 16.

Second round grant winners will be notified in December with funds available in January for the second half of this school year.  All grants support educational projects, programs, and initiatives that enhance and enliven the classroom experience for all West Hartford Public School students.

Grant recipients from the first cycle will begin instituting their programs this fall, benefiting the town’s full range of elementary, middle, high, and post secondary schools. Each grant recipient has demonstrated a need not funded by the school budget that will reach beyond the everyday classroom curriculum and make exceptional learning experiences a reality.

Some of the grants awarded for this year include: Papasavas Family Grant: In-School Dragon Parade Celebrating Lunar New Year for Multicultural Community, Catherine and Martin Woods Family Grant: Zooming In – Enhancing Biology through High-Tech Microscopy, The Family of Robert F. Edmunds, Jr. and Mary Louise Edmunds Grant: Hip Hop Hooray – Wellness Activities for Everyone, Alexander M. and Catherine Maus Wright Grant: Expanding the Digital Music Experience, Goldbeck Family Grant: Purposeful Mathematics Play in Kindergarten, TRIUMPH Grant: DASH Robots – A STEM Experience.

For more information and a full list of grant recipients, please visit the Foundation website at www.fwhps.org.

Foundation President EJ Greenspan is looking forward to seeing the “Grants-in-Action” again this fall while the organization focuses on fundraising efforts for the next academic year.

On Nov. 7, the Foundation is hosting its first ever free Movie Night, presenting the 2023 Universal Picture movie “Migration.” This limited seating family movie event will be held at the Charter Oak International Academy and is free and open to the community. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. screening. Pizza and drinks will be available. Please RSVP to secure your seat at the Foundation’s website, www.fwhps.org.

“Every school year provides opportunities for West Hartford Schools to elevate the learning experiences of our students, but the constraints of the school budget always present challenges,” stated Greenspan. “The Foundation’s mission is to provide additional funding beyond the school budget, empowering our outstanding teachers  with innovative tools and programs that elevate the learning experience and take our students to new heights.”

With committed and experienced leadership and community support, the Foundation has provided over $2 million in grants to teachers and schools – from Pre-K through grade 12 as well as post-secondary programs. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about the Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.fwhps.org and follow on Instagram @foundation4whps and on X @foundationWHPS.

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