Paul Salva, president of the Somers foundation, accepted the award at the state consortium’s annual conference on Sept. 30.
SOMERS - The Somers Education Foundation recently received the 2014 Foundation Celebration Award for the state of Connecticut from the Connecticut Consortium of Education Foundation.
Paul Salva, president of the Somers foundation, accepted the award at the state consortium’s annual conference on Sept. 30.
Superintendent of schools Maynard Suffredini and Salva’s fellow board member, Terri Henderson, also attended the conference.
The Somers Education Foundation, celebrating its 10th year of supporting Somers Public Schools, has provided a total of $205,000 in grants for innovative educational initiatives while building an endowment of over $300,000. This year alone, the foundation has provided $37,000 in school grants.
The grants have funded projects including:
• Whiteboard technology and Internet for every classroom at Somers High School and Elementary School;
• iPads which have provided every student with the technology and enhanced the way teachers teach and the way students learn;
• the robotics program at Somers High and the middle school;
• a computer reading literacy laboratory in the middle school;
• a literacy fluency program in the elementary school; and
• professional development grants for teachers to attend training sessions to enhance their classroom teaching.
Joe Erardi, chair of the consortium’s selection committee, said his organization “had dozens of applicants for recognition and the Somers application so proudly represents all others as a hard-working, caring board who are all in for children.”
The Connecticut Consortium of Education Foundations facilitates the creation, growth, and effectiveness of local education foundations across the state. It encourages the 90 education foundations to share and collaborate with each other and with other community-based organizations.
To learn more about the Somers Education Foundation, contact Salva at (860) 749-1147 or visit the website, SEFONLINE.org.