The Girard School District Foundation awarded three innovative grants in 2016-2017. The grants are designed to encourage faculty to develop and implement projects which will enhance and enrich educational programs and be a direct benefit to our students.
Congratulations to the following faculty and staff:
Fall 2016
Research has shown that physical activity has a direct correlation to intellectual functioning and academic achievement. With that in mind, the Girard School District Foundation was pleased to award two innovative grants this school year to the Health and Physical Education Department.
Enjoy The Outdoor Adventure, Scott Russell (GHS)
Girard High School has been offering students an Outdoor Adventure Course for several years. This course allows students to explore local and regional resources as they participate in a variety of outdoor activities such as rock climbing, backpacking, geocaching, mountain biking, fishing, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. This course not only encourages exercise and a love of outdoors, it builds leadership skills, a sense of community, and helps raise interest in the environment. Enrollment in this course has doubled causing expenses to grow along with it! The GSD Foundation was able to assist the District with sustaining this important initiative.
Hearty, Healthy Hearts, Kailynn Noon (EVES)
This project was designed to be an extension of the classroom by utilizing technology in the gym/fitness room area. The GSD Foundation was able to assist in purchasing additional Polar H7 Heart Rate Monitors to accommodate every sixth, seventh, and eighth grade student to track his/her heart rate throughout lessons. Students will be able to identify and apply ways to monitor and assess the body's response to moderate to vigorous physical activity. Participants should see a direct correlation of exercise intensity to exercising heart rates with the ultimate goal of improving cardiovascular performance and optimizing time on task in each student's heart rate zone.
Spring 2017
Carnegie Science Center 6th Grade Field Trip, Frank Beachly (RAMS)
RAMS was awarded a Carnegie Science Center grant for the entire 6th grade class to visit the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. The grant will cover admission, interactive science activities, live demonstration show, lunch, and a stipend toward transportation. The GSD Foundation will assist with busing costs.
First Lego League Mindstorms Robotics, Sandy Donnelly (RAMS)
RAMS has two First Lego League robotics teams. Their current robot and software have been retired by Lego, making it difficult to stay competitive with the latest Lego system on the market. GSD Foundation assisted in the purchase of the new EV3 Mindstorm System.
Multi-disciplinary Disney Nature Field Trip, Jill Bashline (RAMS)
Fifth grade teachers have designed multi-disciplinary activities about endangered species in China. Students will use research-based skills, analyze researched information to draw conclusions, create a data poster, write an informational piece, and utilize technology and satellite imagery to analyze the effects of natural disasters on habitats around the world, etc. The students will travel to Tinseltown to enjoy the Disney Nature Earth Day movie, Born in China. Some of the activities will be completed before the viewing, while others will be based on topics introduced in the movie.
STEM – Space Balloon (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Megan Panic (RAMS)
This STEM – Space Balloon project will be the culminating activity of learning scientific methods, engineering processes, and space science topics. It will also include technical writing and soft skills. The students will work in teams to design and build a prototype of a craft to attach to a balloon that will be launched into space to collect data. It must withstand atmospheric pressure and maintain a speed that will allow the craft to enter different layers of the atmosphere. The prototypes will be tested, with the winning design being selected for the actual launch from the GSD soccer field. Intermediate Unit 5 representatives will assist during the first year of this project.