KEYS Grant Making

KEYS received many varied grant requests for their October 2006 grant cycle, numbering 25 in all.  These requests were all from schools or youth serving organizations in Kosciusko County wishing to improve their educational endeavors with new materials or programs. 

The grant requests were submitted for KEYS to recommend support and funding.  The KEYS mission statement is:  “To work together to positively impact and improve education in our community by providing aid, now and for future generations.”  Every application that was sent to KEYS was reviewed by this criteria in order to be recommended for funding or not. 

Some of the grants that received full or partial funding include: 

§       Ms. Nicki Baker of Edgewood Middle School- She requested copies of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank for her students to learn about the Holocaust.

§       Mr. Randy Polston of Harrison Elementary School- He requested copies of The Fred Factor, to use these books to motivate and train the WCS staff.

§      Ms. Michelle Harter of Lakeview Middle School- She requested aerobic dance platforms to use in her Physical Education classes.

§      Ms. Valery Ahrens and Ms. Janet Bowser from Wawasee High School- These teachers requested bracelet-making materials for the special education students to make and sell in order to develop their vocational skills.

§      Mr. Roger Brady of Syracuse Elementary School- He requested audio cards for a language master machine to help special needs and ESL students practice language skills.

KEYS also recommended funding $800.00 to our Headstart project that we will conduct this December.  The funding will provide educational games, learning materials and books for the young children at Headstart.  KEYS also recommended funding of $2,000.00 for “Read Across Kosciusko County,” our large county wide project to encourage reading, conducted early next year. 

The grant requests KEYS received this cycle called for many different projects or programs in order to improve education in our community.  KEYS recommended funding for 20 different projects totaling $15,377.38 for educational purposes.

To learn more about KEYS and KEYS grantmaking, visit the Community Foundation’s website: www.kcfoundation.org or call 574-267-1901.