Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2019

BIGGEST FUNDRAISER TO DATE:  Annual East Greenwich Education Foundation Event Brings In More Than $65,000

Money raised at this month’s “Beach Ball” event will help fund the EGEF’s grants to local schools during the 2020/2021 academic year.

EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND – As the result of what became a record-breaking event, the East Greenwich Education Foundation (EGEF) announced today it raised more than $65,000 at its annual “Beach Ball” fundraiser.

The amount raised this year is about twice what this event typically generates for the EGEF.  The organization’s President, Katie Keeffe, attributes the increase to generous neighbors and to an especially engaged local business community. “This year in particular, the EGEF is honored to be supported by so many local companies,” Keeffe said.

“Sponsorships by local businesses made up about half of what we raised – nearly $30,000,” she explained.  “Local families continue to be the EGEF’s primary support, and this year we were proud to have the help of our friends and neighbors enhanced by small businesses from throughout our town and our state.”

A complete list of sponsors to the 2019 Beach Ball is below.

This was the fourth consecutive year that The Dunes Club in Narragansett played host to the EGEF’s “Beach Ball”, the non-profit’s largest annual fundraiser.  Money raised at this event is used to fund educator-driven innovative and sustainable initiatives in each of East Greenwich’s six public schools.

Ticket sales, as well as a silent and a live auction, were responsible for the bulk of the money raised at the June 7th event – along with a first-of-its-kind fundraiser for the EGEF: a “paddle raise”.  During the paddle raise, guests were asked to make donations to support next year’s EGEF grant funding, and they did so – to the tune of close to $10,000.

“I think that really speaks to how committed the people in this town are to encourage innovative, sustainable, and creative projects in our children’s schools,” said Mandy Lehne, EGEF Treasurer and one of this year’s Beach Ball organizers.

The money raised this month will be allocated during the coming academic year to support projects proposed by teachers throughout the East Greenwich school district.  Educators in every public school in the town will be invited to submit grant proposals to take advantage of this funding, starting in early 2020.

The 2019 Beach Ball was sponsored by Porsche of Warwick; Pawtucket Credit Union; The Preserve at Boulder Hills; Mott & Chase Sotheby’s; Providence Diamond Company; Ceridian; The Platinum Group, RE/Max; Thorpe’s Wine & Spirits; Condesa Restaurante Mexicano; Quonset Dental; Forbes Financial Planning; New England Drywall Company; Watson Materials; Affiliated Insurance Managers; Blueprint 5; Dunkin’; Ocean State Provisions; Oliverio & Marcaccio, LLP;  Allegra Marketing; HarborOne Bank; The Criminal Law Offices of Stefanie A. Murphy; Shaw Search Partners; Twin River Casino; Collaborative Divorce Strategies; Residential Properties; Coast to Coast Promotional Products; and Smile Designers of Rhode Island.

Since its start in 2009, the East Greenwich Education Foundation has funded more than 74 grants, touching every public school in our town and now totaling more than $415,000.  Earlier this summer, EGEF announced that the thirteen funded grants for the 2019/2020 school year, totaling close to $34,000, will bring at least one brand new program or project to every public school in the district.

About East Greenwich Education Foundation

EGEF is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in public education by providing grants to teachers to fund creative, innovative and sustainable initiatives in the classroom. The Foundation supports educational programs at all six public schools in East Greenwich. It is through the generous giving of individual donors and fundraising events such as the annual Beach Ball Gala held at the Dunes Club that enables the Foundation to fund grants.  

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2019

East Greenwich Education Foundation Announces Grant Recipients for Upcoming School Year

Thirteen grants totaling close to $34,000 will be awarded district-wide, touching students in every East Greenwich public school.

 EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND – After an application period that saw a record number of grant proposals submitted, the East Greenwich Education Foundation (EGEF) today announced the thirteen successful grants that have been funded for the upcoming academic year (2019/2020).

​Educators from every public school in East Greenwich submitted applications in March, and each school will be home to at least one funded proposal. The grant awards total $33,821; a list and brief description of each successful grant can be found below.

“We are thrilled to announce that students at every grade level at all of our East Greenwich public schools, from pre-kindergarteners up to and including high school seniors, will benefit from the engagement of their teachers and the generosity of their neighbors who donate to the EGEF,” said Katie Keeffe, EGEF’s President. “Once again, our board was incredibly impressed with the innovative and exciting ideas that East Greenwich teachers came up with this year.”

The town’s educators submitted 24 grant proposals to the East Greenwich Education Foundation this year, totaling $106,914 in requested funding. This was the highest grant cycle to date.

“Selecting grants among so many high caliber applications is never easy, and this year was more competitive than ever,” explained Christine Dembinski, EGEF’s Grants Committee Co-Chair. “Our driving factor in selecting this year’s awardees was how well they aligned with EGEF’s mission of funding classroom and school-wide initiatives that are creative, innovative, and sustainable. We’re thrilled with the array of grants this year and are excited to support such engaging programs in our schools.”

Every grant dollar that EGEF awards comes from the community through individual, family, and corporate donations. The non-profit organization actively fundraises throughout the year.

“We’re so grateful to our friends and neighbors who support our schools through their generosity to EGEF,” added Keeffe. “Whether it’s by attending our annual Beach Ball fundraiser, donating to our Fall Campaign, or just keeping EGEF on their list of favorite organizations, it’s our community that allows us to fund these grants for our town’s children.”

The 2019/2020 grant recipients are:

Executive Functioning: Teaching Skills for Middle School Success (Cole, 6th) Provides executive functioning materials and tools for teachers to help all incoming 6th graders acclimate to middle school, manage time and decrease stress.

Unified CrossFit: Bridging the Gap Between Seasons (Cole, 6th-8th) Provides equipment for Unified Sports athletes to train and spend extracurricular time together during the off-season through cross fit stations and activities.

 Digiscoping (EGHS, 10th) Allows 10th grade students to view and study wildlife from a distance via a spotting scope that zooms and records images with a digital camera.

 “The Amazing (VR) Race”: Virtual Reality to Bring Field Trips Home (EGHS, 9th-12th) Virtual Reality technology that allows Humanities students to “travel” the Globe. Covers 30 VR glasses.

Mindfulness through Meditation in the Classroom (Eldredge, 4th) Integrates mindfulness and guided meditation in the classroom via yoga mats, meditation music, books and other resources.

Social Emotional Support (Eldredge, 3rd-5th) Provides Social/Emotional Learning support via inspirational graphics throughout the school stairwells and hallways.

Have a Voice: Q-Balls (Eldredge, 3rd-5th) Technological balls that when caught, activates a microphone system to amplify a student’s voice. One per grade level.

Bringing Coding to Life (Eldredge, 3rd) Funds 12 Evo-bots, which follow both drawn and computer-generated codes, along with OzoBlockly program, EduApp and STEAM lessons to use with the Evo-bots.

Sphero Coding (Hanaford, 5th) App-enabled robots to be coded with existing Chromebooks. Funds a total of 30 Sphero robots to initially be used in one 5th grade classroom; then spread to the entire grade.

Full “STEAM” Ahead (Frenchtown, K) STEAM center materials to be used in all K classrooms. Consists of large array of STEAM materials and books that will be used to introduce weekly STEAM centers.

Creative Collaboration for a 21st Century Learner in our Library (Meadowbrook, PreK-2nd) Funds white board collaborative tables for the school library to be used during library classes, PBIS assemblies and more.

Peace Corners (Frenchtown/Meadowbrook, PreK-2nd) A classroom safe space where students can go to help self-regulate and express their emotional state. Creates common SEL practice and environment across the district.

“Don’t Run in the Hallways” Sensory Hall Pathways (Frenchtown/Meadowbrook, PreK-2nd) Creates a Sensory Pathway that is adaptable to students needing extra physical activity, mental health support or active engagement. Floor decals in two schools.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 14, 2019

East Greenwich Education Foundation Raises Close to $15K During Fall Fundraiser

That total includes a $5,000 matching donation – the non-profit’s largest one-time gift – from East Greenwich-based Rhode Island Real Estate Services

EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND – Marking the end of one if its most successful fundraising campaigns to date, the East Greenwich Education Foundation (EGEF) today announced it raised a total of $14,436 during the non-profit organization’s Fall Fundraiser. 

The effort kicked off with a pledge from Rhode Island Real Estate Services’ owner Greg Dantas to match, dollar-for-dollar, the first $5,000 raised.  Using that unprecedented commitment as a springboard, the EGEF reached out to the local community and raised $9,436 during the campaign, which ran from November 1st through November 27th, 2018.

“We were thrilled that Greg and his team were so eager to support public education here in East Greenwich,” said EGEF Board President Katie Keeffe.  “It’s exactly that kind of support that encouraged so many other people throughout our town to contribute, too.”

“Rhode Island Real Estate Services is based here in East Greenwich, and we’re proud to support everything that EGEF does to promote innovation and excellence in our town’s public schools,” said Dantas.

“It’s also important to remember that close to $10,000 came from our neighbors – the parents of school children and other local business owners,” Keeffe continued.  “We’re a grassroots non-profit and everyone on our board recognizes how lucky we are to live in a town like ours.”

Money raised during the Fall campaign will be awarded to next year’s grant recipients, supporting projects proposed by teachers throughout the East Greenwich school district.  As in past years, educators in every public school in the town are invited to submit grant proposals to take advantage of this funding.  The application process is open now and ends on March 15th.

“Since the start of this school year, we’ve raised close to $15,000 in support of our grant-making activities,” Keeffe said.  “That’s a remarkable start to our fundraising campaign this year and sets the stage for a really exciting grant-proposal season coming up this spring!”

About East Greenwich Education Foundation

EGEF is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes excellence in public education by providing grants to teachers to fund creative, innovative, and sustainable initiatives in the classroom. The Foundation supports educational programs at all six public schools in East Greenwich. Since its start in 2008, the East Greenwich Education Foundation has funded more than 40 grants, touching every public school in our town and totaling more than $290,000.   It is through the generous giving of individual donors and fundraising events such as the annual Beach Ball Gala held at the Dunes Club that enables the Foundation to fund grants. 

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