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Media Release The Groton Dunstable Education Foundation Announces Grant Recipients and Appoints Dunstable’s Kim Terwilliger to Board Upon completing its third grant cycle this fall, the Groton Dunstable Education Foundation (GDEF) is funding sixteen grants for implementation spring 2005 totaling over $26,000. When the grant deadline closed on November 1, there were eighteen applications requesting more than $45,000. Following a vote by the GDEF Board of Directors on December 6th, sixteen grants were approved for full or partial funding. In keeping with the Foundation’s goal to extend exciting learning opportunities district-wide, individual grants were awarded across several disciplines and multiple grade levels as well as professional development for faculty, an area that has suffered from funding shortfalls in recent years. The 2005 grants will touch all of the GDRSD elementary schools as well as the middle and high schools, and the activities they fund will encompass a broad spectrum of educational issues, including physical fitness, emerging technologies, science presentations, and professional development in the arts. Several grants place special emphasis on expanding and enriching the District’s literature and teaching resources. Over the coming year, GDRSD students will have opportunities to track the progress of their own physical fitness, engage in long distance learning, and pore over books that increase their understanding of math concepts, drama, and non-fiction writing. Teachers, in turn, will have richer resources to draw on in the expanded literature collections and enhanced opportunities to teach history, fine art and drama. For an overview of grants awarded, visit the Grant Applications page on the GDEF website at www.gdefinc.org. The GDEF’s grant program’s mission is to fund those projects or professional development programs that fortify the educational experience in the Groton-Dunstable regional public school system. While the Foundation's vision focuses on academic-- and arts-oriented programs, GDEF considers any proposal which seeks to engage a student's curiosity, encourage a love of learning and desire to strive for excellence, and foster the overall development of the student. Previous grant awards have resulted in wide-ranging impact on the lives of students and teachers, and the Foundation hopes that the programs funded for spring 2005 will be visible to the larger community as well. The Foundation noted that the number and quality of grant applications continues to grow, and expressed its appreciation for the financial support of the towns of Groton and Dunstable, and the generous spirit in which it is given. The GDEF is also pleased to announce the appointment of Dunstable resident Kim Terwilliger to its Board of Directors. With her background as a human resources professional, Ms. Terwilliger has been a key figure on the GDEF Grants Committee, lending her considerable analytical and communication skills to that committee’s day to day operations. She notes that ‘having worked as the grants administrator for the past three cycles, I am excited to join the Board in a more formal role.” The Board looks forward to tapping her creativity as it looks to solidify its broader organizational structure.
Questions or comments, contact Kimberly Flanagan - Director, Communications
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