Students across Ocean and Monmouth counties will see upgrades to their school libraries and media centers. OceanFirst Foundation has awarded $330,000 in grants and gift certificates as part of its second annual Library/Media Center Enhancement Grant Program. Recipients were announced at a reception hosted by OceanFirst Foundation for more than 250 representatives of schools in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties.
According to a press release, in 10 years the OceanFirst Foundation has contributed more than $16 million to more than 600 charities in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties. Now in its second year, the Library/Media Center Enhancement Grant program has contributed more than $600,000 to schools in the OceanFirst service area. The program is an effort to enrich the learning experience and encourage a love of reading and learning.
In addition to awarding 10 schools $25,000 each, this year OceanFirst Foundation presented applicants from 10 additional schools $5,000 honorable mention awards. Each school not chosen to receive a major award received a choice of a $250 gift certificate from either Scholastic Books, Follett Library Resources or Staples, making OceanFirst Foundation’s total contribution for the 2006 program $330,000.
In Monmouth County, the Park Avenue Elementary School, Freehold Borough, was awarded a $5,000 grant.
The 10 schools in Ocean County that received $25,000 grants are: Cedar Creek Elementary School, Lanoka Harbor; Lanoka Harbor Elementary School, Lanoka Harbor; Herbertsville Elementary School, Brick; Seaside Park Elementary School, Seaside Park; Berkeley Township Elementary School, Bayville; Saint Peter School, Point Pleasant; Central Regional Middle School, Bayville; Toms River High School North, Toms River; Lacey Township High School, Lanoka Harbor; and Brick Memorial High School, Brick.
Nine schools in Ocean County received $5,000 grants. They are: Clifton Avenue Grade School, Lakewood; New Egypt Primary School, Plumsted; Hugh J. Boyd Jr. Elementary School, Seaside Heights; Holy Family School, Lakewood; Memorial Middle School, Point Pleasant; Lakehurst Elementary School, Lakehurst; Brick Township High School, Brick; Barnegat High School, Barnegat; and Manchester Township High School, Manchester.
John R. Garbarino, chairman, president and chief executive officer of OceanFirst Bank, said, “We recognize the critical role school libraries and media centers play in a student’s academic and lifelong success, and also the challenges presented by limited resources. We are proud to report that in just two years, this special initiative has provided more than $600,000 in grants to support positive youth development and education, a core priority of OceanFirst Foundation.”

