Bernards Township Education Foundation

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April/May 2010 BTEF News Update: On May 11,2010 Bernards Township Education Foundation presented: *What Would Google Do?* A BOLD LOOK AT the MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES TODAY Jeff Jarvis explored the principles, ideas, philosophies, and worldview underpinning Google’s success as explained in his new book, *What Would Google Do? Jeff Jarvis* is the proprietor of one of the Web's most popular and respected blogs about media, Buzzmachine.com. He writes the new media column for the Guardian in London. He was named one of 100 worldwide media leaders by the World Economic Forum in 2007 and 2008, and he is the creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly. He teaches journalism at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. Focusing on a wide range of industries including airlines, television, government, healthcare, media, manufacturing, and education, he details what each would be like if they operated under Google’s rules. “The question we ask is about thinking in new ways, solving problems with new solutions, facing new challenges, seeing new opportunities, and understanding a different way to look at the structure of the economy and society and how we relate to each other,” Jarvis writes. This Speaker Series event was hosted by the Bernards Township Education Foundation on May 11^th at 7:00 PM in the Ridge High School Lecture Hall. Our Thanks to Mr. Jarvis for a great presentation and for taking time to sign copies of his book for the audience. _________________ New 2010 Grant Received from Avaya Inc in Basking Ridge Oak Street Elementary School to Receive New SMART Response Systems thanks to Avaya’s Grant The Bernards Township Education Foundation is pleased to announce that Avaya Inc., located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, has agreed to fund the purchase of new SMART Response Systems for the students at Oak Street Elementary School. This interactive response system allows teachers to gain accurate and immediate insight into student learning while increasing comprehension, retention and participation. The Principal, teachers and students at Oak Street Elementary are thrilled to be receiving the new SMART Response Systems and together with the BTEF extend their warm thanks to Avaya for its support of our innovative educational endeavors. ______________ 2010 Ridge Alumni Memorial Scholarship: This scholarship for Ridge High School Seniors was first awarded in 2008 and was established by members of the Ridge High School Class of 1967. The scholarship fund has grown through their contributions and the contributions of many other alumni of RidgeHigh School. The BTEF works with the scholarship founders to help publicize the scholarship and process scholarship fund contributions. This unique, nontraditional scholarship is awarded to students that have overcome significant obstacles in pursuing their educational goals. Application details are available at RidgeAMS.googlepages.com or through the Ridge Guidance Department. _______________________ BTEF Receives 2009 Verizon New Jersey Foundation Grant In 2009, the BTEF received a $10,000 grant from the 2008 Verizon New Jersey “Check into Literacy” Program. The Verizon grant program focuses its funding efforts on programs that use technology to build reading skills. The Bernards Township School District’s winning proposal was for the launch of a special pilot reading program for elementary school students that will incorporate the use of digital readers to engage students. This innovative program began in the 2009/10 school year. The BTEF purchased 30 electronic readers (Kindles), and delivered the readers to the Bernards Township School District. The District's administration is also developing applications which will expand this exciting technology to more students and grade levels. ____________________ 2008 Greenhouse Effect Project: The installation of the Greenhouse at Ridge High School has been completed and is in full operation. The Greenhouse is the key feature of the Greenhouse Effect Program that will help prepare special needs students for horticultural and other occupational fields and provide important life skills needed for safe and productive experiences after graduation. The Greenhouse Effect promotes inclusion in the classroom and the community and is overseen by certified staff members. The program emphasizes business skills, mentoring, biology and the environment, horticulture skills and financial literacy. General education students interested in gardening and small business development are paired with special needs students as peer mentors in this program. The funds for this amazing program were raised through the efforts of the BTEF and the generous contributions of members of our community. Previous News Releases: A Note of Gratitude from the BTEF 2008 Local Hero Award The motivational spirit of Art Raynes has captured the hearts and admiration of many as he continues to inspire today’s busy youth into rewarding volunteer roles within the community. His ongoing commitment coupled with his innate ability to inspire others has brought wide recognition to the *Saturdays in Motion* program. Most recently his community volunteerism earned him the distinguished honor of Bank of America’s Local Hero Award. In addition Art was presented a check in the amount of $5000 to be donated to his/her non-profit organization of his choice. Fortuitously, Art’s path, and that of the BTEF’s cross again. Over 10 years ago, Art, a practicing Attorney, voluntarily assisted the Bernards Township Education Foundation at its inception with the preparation of its bylaws and not for profit status. On Monday, December 17th, 2007 at the Bernards Township Board of Education meeting, in a room packed with many of his Saturdays in Motion Volunteers, Art Raynes announced his intentions to donate his Bank of America award of $5000 to the Bernards Township Education Foundation. The recently revitalized Bernards Township Education Foundation(“BTEF”), is a 501 (c) 3 organization whose mission is to “Advance Public Education in the 21st Century through principled leadership, dynamic programs, shared resources and community participation” seeks funding for desired district pilot programs through corporate and foundation grants. Art’s community and financial contribution will help spawn a new pilot program for the Bernards Township School District. Thanks to Art and all his partners including the YMCA and the amazing student volunteers, the BTEF has been inspired to apply the funding towards the Greenhouse Effect Project. The Greenhouse Effect expands the current vocational skills/community based programs at Ridge High School. The focus of the Greenhouse Effect is to develop employment readiness through functional academics, purposeful vocational assessments and appropriate horticulture work experiences on the school campus as well as in the local community. Programs similar to the Greenhouse Effect have been widely used to reach this goal. The Horticulture Training Program at Durfee Conservatory at the University of Massachusetts has been effective in improving behavioral and prevocational skills of special needs students. Durfee’s work recognizes horticultural therapy as a “dynamic profession which uses the tasks and activities of horticulture to benefit special needs persons. Therapists can provide behavior and job skill training through structured programs to help a client develop an improved self image and to acquire social skills while learning a trade.
BTEF PO Box 69, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Info@BTEF.org (908) 204-2600 x310