Westborough – The Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce recently awarded 23 mini-grants to local educators totaling $8,483.59. Grants were awarded for special and worthy projects that benefit students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The chamber’s mini-grant program is designed to support the development of innovative teaching ideas and increase student motivation and enthusiasm by providing funds for instructional experimentation and enrichment activities.
Since the mini-grant program’s inception, 398 grants have been awarded totaling over $120,559.59. Funding for the grants is dependent upon donations from chamber members. Donations have been made from private individuals, businesses and corporations in the region. The 27 grant sponsors were:
Platinum Sponsor: Berkshire Bank; Gold Sponsors: Avidia Bank, Marlborough Savings Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, PENTA Communications, Inc., St. Mary’s Credit Union, SMOOK Architecture & Urban Design, Inc.; Silver Sponsor: Alexander, Aronson, Finning & Co., Hair Cuttery; Bronze Sponsors: Aalanco Service Corporation, State Rep. Matt Beaton, D-Shrewsbury, Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Centers, Central One Federal Credit Union; Cox Tutoring Group, Cumulus Global, Datachem Software, Inc., Digital Federal Credit Union, Glick Nissan, Marlborough Hospital, Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union, TCG Network, Webster Five; Copper Sponsor: UniBank, B2B CFO (Leo Casey), SNI Companies/Staffing Now, Swiftec IT; and Unique Sponsor: Barrett Family Wellness Center/Cox Tutoring Group.
The 2014 mini-recipients are:
Algonquin Regional Vocational High School School in Northborough: Catherine Burchat, chemistry teacher
Armstrong School in Westborough: Karin Puffer, music teacher
Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School in Marlborough: Paul Airoldi, automotive technology teacher, Kate Myer, social studies teacher
Fales School in Westborough: Pamela Yanco, music teacher
Floral Street in Shrewsbury: Robert Wilson, art teacher
Hastings School in Westborough: Ellen Harvey and Sara Neilson, ELL tutors
Melican Middle School in Northborough: Melissa Jameson, 7th and 8th grade math teacher
Neary School in Southborough: Karyn Fisher, 4th grade teacher
Oak Middle School in Shrewsbury: Stacey Militello and Jessica Crosby, 8th grade science teachers
Parker Road Preschool in Shrewsbury: Catherine Dowling, assistant teacher
Proctor School in Northborough: Heidi Schwehr, 4th grade teacher, Sylvia Pabreza, reading specialist, and Joanne Giancola, librarian and Margaret Donohoe, principal
St. Bernadette School in Northborough: Michelle Davis, Peg Lien, art teacher, Mary Anne Jezierski, grades 6-8 social studies teacher, Linda Boyer, 5th grade math and science teacher and Teresa Dillenkoffer, technology teacher
St. Mary’s School in Shrewsbury: Melissa McElreath, physical education teacher and Michael Moakley, grades 5-8 science teacher
Zeh School in Northborough: Brian Kramer, 3rd grade teacher and Mary Ellen Remillard, librarian