- Berkeley Baby Book Project (BBBP) – Berkeley Baby Book Project Pilot Program: $1,200
The Pilot Program will register approximately 140 children aged 0-60 months to receive a free, high quality, developmentally appropriate, new book each month from registration until their fifth birthday from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The BBBP will also offer parent support “Play Book Groups” at a South Berkeley park on Saturday mornings to share research-based early literacy boosting activities and tips. - Berkeley Chess School (BCS) – Berkeley Chess School’s Outreach Program: $5,000
Recipients of chess instruction have shown significant improvement in academic performance, attendance and behavior. The BCS will provide chess instruction to 600 at-risk students at Title I schools throughout the Bay Area. - Berkeley High School – Circles Program: $5,000
This program provides student “respondents” who are willing to take responsibility for their actions with opportunities to repair the harm they may have caused the school community rather than face suspensions. The Circles Program nurtures a climate in which students overcome their mistakes and strengthens their bond to the community, rather than facing removal and stigma. This culture shift reduces transgressions and subsequent suspension–helping to keep students integrated in the school community and focused on learning and growing. - Berkeley High School – First Step Scholarship: $4,000
Every year, Berkeley High School counselors award First Step Scholarships to low-income college-bound seniors to help with initial expenses such as housing and tuition deposits, placement test fees, and transportation. In Dulci Jubilo provided funds for five students to receive an $800 scholarship, helping them to take the first step towards higher education. - Cragmont Elementary School – Mosaic Project: Social Emotional Learning for the Cragmont Community: $4,500
The Mosaic Project aims to provide young people, at a pivotal time in their lives, with a hands-on, social-emotional, educational experience designed to build empathy and leave students with lifelong tangible tools for resilience, and conflict resolution. This grant will support scholarship funding for a week-long Outdoor School for all fourth graders; in-school educational programming for all students, teachers and staff; and a training workshop for parents. - Emerson Elementary School – Art Inspires Us All—Reading, Drawing, Imagining, Learning: $500
The Emerson librarian and art teacher have collaborated to develop this grant, combining art, reading, and library curriculum. The grant will be used to purchase 41 new art books, replacing several of the library’s art collection that are over 20 years old. Emerson students will read these new books and learn about artists that inspire them, then try to create their own art projects. - Kala Artists-in-Schools (AIS) Program: Berkeley Middle Schools Printmaking: $5,000
Kala AIS will partner with teachers and students at King and Willard Middle Schools to bring a professional Kala artist residency to Berkeley students. The project aims to bridge the gap between art education and academic subject areas, providing students with a professional experience with art making that captivates all learners. - LaPena Cultural Center and Composing Together: “Sounds to Space”: $4,000
La Pena Cultural Center and Composing Together will bring three composers to Longfellow and King Middle Schools for applied-learning, collaborative, music composition residency projects. The projects are inspired, and informed by, astronomy and the search for life in outer space. - Malcolm X Arts & Academics Magnet Elementary School – Project Connect: $4,500
Project Connect brings the school community together to close the achievement gap. Targeted students receive academic support after school with their classroom teachers and they participate in a Saturday camp. Parents/Guardians attend six mandatory workshops designed to empower them with the tools and advocacy skills to help children succeed academically, emotionally and socially. - Oxford Elementary School – Supporting Mathematics Differentiation through Adaptive Learning: $2,975
These grant funds will be used to purchase ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces), an on-line, individualized and adaptive math practice and instructional support program. The program will help create opportunities for differentiated instruction at both ends of the curve, allowing teachers with large numbers of students to create learning opportunities for all of their students. - Oxford Elementary School – Long and Strong Summer Reading to Close the Opportunity Gap: $2000
Many students lose their reading growth during the summer break, especially those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. Oxford is committed to reversing this trend and will use the grant to provide 11 books to each of our 25 most economically disadvantaged students to enjoy with their families over the summer. This effort is intended to prevent the “summer slide” and allow all students to return in the fall ready to make more reading strides. - WEE Poets – My Feelings & Me: $500
WEE Poets will produce two different 30 minute television programs entitled “My Feelings and Me.” The two programs will showcase the first and second place winners of the 2015 Art, Poetry and Essay Contest. Ms. Sally Baker, Host of WEE Poets, will interview the winning students.