Byram Hills Education Foundation announces 2016-17 Grants
Bringing Nature to Life through the Bruce Museum of Art
The Byram Hills Education Foundation recently announced that it awarded six grants totaling $381,269 to Byram Hills Schools in 2016-17. The grants, which provide state-of-the-art programs and technologies at all of the District’s four schools include three Signature Grants and three Insta-Grants.
“This year’s grants exemplify our mission of funding innovative initiatives that will ensure our local schools continue to be in a position to create 21st century leaders,” said Jason Berland, BHEF Chairman.
Byram Hills School District Superintendent Dr. William M. Donohue said, “The funded projects go beyond updating and enhancing technology. They point the way toward more interdisciplinary instruction, more performance based learning, and a revitalization of the liberal arts.”
2016-17 SIGNATURE GRANTS:
Library 2.0, Coman Hill, Wampus and H.C. Crittenden Middle School, $313,000: The Library 2.0 grant transforms the library experience for all students at Coman Hill, Wampus and H.C. Crittenden. This directed giving grant extends recent 21st Century learning grants and captures the power of media, technology and learning spaces. It integrates STEAM and Makers Spaces, updates presentation technology, utilizes active learning spaces, and connects the library and computer labs.
Professional Development for Global Competency Initiative, BHHS, $32,430:This grant creates a learning community to stimulate and support curriculum development that promotes interdisciplinary global competency. It includes a service-learning component that provides a hands-on, authentic learning environment for students to prepare them for the 21st Century skills needed to be a productive citizen. In the long-term this grant can serve as a model for a professional learning community and help develop a systematic, turnkey approach to the Global Competency Initiative that can be extended to other schools within the District.
TV and Film Curtained Production Area with Cyclorama: A curved green screen wall and lighting system, BHHS $29,934: This grant redesigns a portion of an existing art and film editing studio and equips it with a permanent film and television studio annex. The grant includes a built-in Cyclorama – a curved green screen wall that can be used as a background for any virtual stage or as an unlimited deep space effect. This new area allows students to insert a variety of background or graphics into almost any production. The new production area serves as a functional addition to the existing 
film program and also enhances other programs and projects throughout the high school. It serves as a permanent production annex for any large-scale Bobcat TV/Media Studio project and greatly enhances the creative activities with the existing art and film studio. This grant is generously funded by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.
2016-17 INSTA-GRANTS:
Student Voice Circles: A Leadership and Facilitation Model for Student Learners (BHHS, $2,500): This grant funds a leadership training program to promote cultural diversity and global competence among Sophomore and Junior members of the Student Leadership Board. Students and teachers will receive training on Student Voice Circles – a school leadership and improvement model based on inclusion and equity. This grant is generously funded by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.
Potterbot 3D Ceramic Printer (BHHS $2,500): This ceramic printer allows art students to use CAD software to design unique and reproducible forms and to create more complex forms than typical hand building and wheel forming processes allow. The printer lays “ribbons” of clay quickly and precisely so the resulting art piece can be altered in any way using traditional claywork methods or left intact for firing. This grant is generously funded by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.
Bringing Nature to Life through the Bruce Museum of Art (Wampus, $905): This program brings museum objects and live animals to eight third grade classrooms. The program engages students in an interactive, object and inquiry based learning experience that incorporates both science and art in the classroom setting.
The Byram Hills Education Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that provides financial support to the teachers and school administrators to introduce innovative programs, equipment and technologies beyond what is covered by the school district’s annual operating budget. Since its inception in 1994, the Foundation has awarded 349 grants totaling more than $4.4 million. More information about the Foundation is available at www.byramhillsfoundation.org.
The Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund (DLYMF) – a special fund within the BHEF – honors the life and memory of Debra Leipman Yale (1956-2011). For more than five years (2004 – 09), Debra served on the board of the Byram Hills Education Foundation, including two years as its Chairman. To date, more than $225,000 has been donated in memory of Debra, and the Yale Family has selected twenty-six grants totaling more than $173,000 to be named in her honor. More information is available at www.byramhillsfoundation.org/DLYMF.html.
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