Having fun & getting creative while building fine motor skills

Alert!
New URL for FOLK Information
Greater Worcester Community Foundation
(GWCF), FOLK’s Administrator, has
a new improved website. Please take note
of the new URL where FOLK’s guidelines,
application form, and recent grant
history can be accessed at:
www.greaterworcester.org/Nonprofits/Gra
ntGuidelines/FriendsofLearninginKilling
lyFOLKFund.aspx You can also download
a copy of the most recent edition of
FOLKtales.
FOLK Updates…
FOLK Welcomes New GWCF Staffer
Beckley Schowalter
We at FOLK would like to officially welcome
new GWCF staffer Beckley Schowalter,
who will take over as key contact person
for the Fund. Kelly Stimson, who has been
promoted to Director of Donor Services at
GWCF, will work with Beckley for the 2012
grant cycle to ensure a smooth transition. We
look forward to working with you, Beckley;
and Kelly, congratulations on your promotion!
Beckley can be reached at (508) 755-
0980, ext. 116, or via email at bschowalter@greaterworcester.org
FOLK Celebrates 12 Years of Grantmaking
On March 9, 2011 the FOLK Society celebrated
its 12 th year of grantmaking with a special
reception to honor our 2011 FOLK grant
recipients. Hosted by several FOLK founding
members, the event also brought together
friends and colleagues of the grantees, past
grant recipients, Superintendent Silver, other
Central Administrators, many Killingly school
administrators, members of the Board of Education,
and several Town Council members.
Educators representing the 10 funded initiatives
spoke about their planned projects, which you
can read about below.
Are YOU a Killingly Educator with a great idea to enhance the curriculum
but need a small grant to make it happen? Why not check out our FOLK grant guidelines at
www.greaterworcester.org/Nonprofits/GrantGuidelines/FriendsofLearninginKillinglyFOLKFund.aspx
FOLK in the Local News…
KILLINGLY VILLAGER FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011 A3
BY CLARE HOPKINS
VILLAGER STAFF WRITER
KILLINGLY — The Friends of
Learning in Killingly (FOLK),
awarded 10 grants to Killingly educators
to help them carry out educational
projects Monday, March 10,
at the Killingly Town Hall. “The
reviewers and Advisory Committee
were very impressed with this
year’s project submissions. The projects
were very well thought out,
implementation and follow-up plans
were clear and realistic, and the
projects all strive to inspire a love of
learning,” said Advisory Committee
Chair Janice Ahola-Sidaway.
The FOLK Fund is an educational
endowment fund created
in 1998 by classmates and friends
of the KHS Class of 1966 to promote
innovative school-based
educational projects in Killingly
and inspire the love of learning
in Killingly’s youth. Since its
inception the fund has awarded
$25,700 through 82 grants that
support educational projects at
Killingly schools. Projects in the
past have included environmental
education projects, literacy,
science and art projects, service
learning and citizenship education,
technology, business, communication
and career planning.
FOLK awards grants to Killingly teachers
The Friends of Learning in Killingly Fund (FOLK) recently awarded 10 Killingly
educators with grants to fund different projects. Standing, from left: Barbara
Porter (KCS), Sandra Kelley (KIS), Gale Norman (KCS) Anne Vasbinder (KIS),
Michael Wuescher (KHS), Jennifer Hawkins (KHS), Karen Kent (KMS),
(Seated, from left: Arlene Gauthier (KIS), Julie Corden (KIS), Colleen
Lugauskas (KCS)
“Because FOLK established its endowment
fund more than 12 years
ago and has grown over the years,
we have been lucky that despite the
recent recession, we have been able
so far to maintain our recent funding
level while still ensuring that the
Fund will continue in perpetuity,”
said Ahola-Sidaway.
The fund makes grants up to $250
but larger grants of $400 to $500 are
available for collaborations between
teachers, academic departments or
schools.
This year grants were given to Barbara
Porter (KCS), Sandra Kelley
(KIS), Gale Norman (KCS) Anne
Vasbinder (KIS), Michael Wuescher
(KHS), Jennifer Hawkins (KHS),
Karen Kent (KMS), Arlene Gauthier
(KIS), Julie Corden (KIS), and Colleen
Lugauskas (KCS).
Lugauskas, a grade 3-4 reading
specialist at Killingly Central School,
will be using her $400 grant to help
with the purchase of bicycle safety
books as part of a larger initiative to
promote bicycle safety at the school.
“The money will be used to purchase
a copy of ‘The Bicycle Book’ by Gail
Gibbons for each third and fourth
grade student at Killingly Central
School. In conjunction with the book
giveaway, Danielson Adventure Sports
will be coming on Friday, April 1 to
give a talk about bike maintenance and
road safety rules to our third and fourth
graders. Students will also have the
opportunity to enter a bike safety
poster contest at the school and all
families will have the opportunity to
purchase low cost bike helmets and
safety gear,” said Lugauskas.
Killingly Central school first grade
teacher Porter will be using her $250
grant to help defray transportation and
entry costs for 100 grade one students
to take a field trip to Mystic Aquarium.
“The trip is an important complement
to our science program and study of
animals. Many students do not have
experiences with live animals and this
field trip is a great chance for them to
observe real animals and make connections
to what they have read and
studied about in school,” said Porter.
(continued on p. 4)
Page 2 of 6