‘Mama mia!’

HEF grants help students meet artists and grow ‘pizza gardens’

By: Donna Lukiw
   Fourth-grade students at Woods Road Elementary School will be growing their own toppings for pizzas in "pizza gardens," thanks to grant to the school from the Hillsborough Education Foundation.
   Woods Road Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Peach Draper received the $520.18 in grant from the HEF to begin the science project. The students will use a secluded spot on school grounds where they will be growing their own vegetables and herbs.
   "Students will plant small plants basil, peppers, lettuce, onions, and squash for best results," Ms. Draper said. "Students (will) take pictures of the project weekly and make observations."
   The students will also put all pictures, observations and Excel spreadsheet data files on PowerPoint presentations and share the results with all the WRS students on Earth Day, Ms. Draper said.
   The Hillsborough Education Foundation awarded mini-grants totaling $6,716.13 to teachers throughout the school district. The grants are paid for with the proceeds from HEF fundraisers, including the annual Taste of Hillsborough — scheduled for April 29 this year — and a fall golf outing.
   The HEF was established 11 years ago to increase "educational and cultural opportunities in Hillsborough."
   Woods Road Elementary School second-grade teacher Amy Crane said the $750 she received is being used to add reading material to bolster science and social studies lessons for second-graders.
   "The money was used to buy supplementary reading materials from National Geographic," Ms. Crane said. She added she believes using the National Geographic material will encourage students to read more — and learn more — about their science and social studies lessons.
   Ann Marie Pahoulis, an art teacher at Amsterdam Elementary School received $1,285 that will be used to bring in two visiting artists.
   "One artist will create acrylic paintings in the style of Monet with second-grade students," Ms. Pahoulis said. "The paintings will be displayed as a re-creation of Monet’s ‘lily pond.’"
   The other artist will work with the third-grade students and will give a history of paper-making where students will learn how to create works of art from paper pulp.
   "The benefits of bringing in a visiting artist goes beyond the events and creations of the day," Ms. Pahoulis said. "These young students have an opportunity to learn from a person who is a master in their field."
   Funding also went to Hillsborough High School teachers Marion Donoghue, Deirdre Godin, Roberta Henry and Craig Hoppe; Woods Road teachers Tracy Stephens, Dina Stoff, and Melanie Cruz; Hillsborough Middle School teacher Tristen Garretson and Sunnymead teacher Dawn Renz.
   For more information on the HEF, visit the Web site, www.hef.org.