Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Meet the Advisory Council!

The Trail to Every Classroom (TTEC) Advisory Council was formed in July, 2011.  It is composed of an Appalachian Trail maintaining club member and a teacher from each of the four regions of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) plus 1 higher education member, 3 at-large reps, and members from the National Park Service, US Forest Service and the ATC.  Our mission statement is to support the continued growth, viability, and relevance of the TTEC program.  Our purpose is to serve as liaisons and ambassadors to TTEC educators and 31 AT clubs as well as to advise the AT Park Office and ATC staff on emerging questions, issues, and opportunities.  We meet once a year, face to face, and conduct bimonthly conference calls to fulfill our mission and purpose.

We represent about 20 people who care about the TTEC program and desire to contribute to its continued success.  Each member has committed to a 2 or 3 year term of service.

We ask clubs to reach out to TTEC teachers to assist them with TTEC curriculum.  Also, TTEC teachers can contact clubs or the Advisory Council reps directly to ask for assistance.  We aim to establish working relationships between the Trail Clubs and the TTEC teachers/alumni. 

Members of the Trail to Every Classroom Advisory Council:












Sharon Van Horn, Co-Chair and Southern Region Club Rep sevh@email.dnet.net












Betty Gatewood, Co-Chair and Mid Atlantice Regional Club Rep bjgatewood@gmail.com












Deila Clark, North East Region and A.T. Stewardship Council

Not Pictured: Pat Woods, Higher Education Rep pwoods9@gmail.com













Robert Siudzinski, At Large Rep, Washington College Rsiudzinski2@washcoll.edu













 Lucy Simonds, North East Regional Teacher Rep lucysimonds@gmail.com

Not Pictured:  Steve Schimpff, North East Regional Club Rep 

Not Pictured: Barbara Wieman, Mid Atlantic Club Rep  blwiemann@gmail.com













Marlene Jefferson, Mid-Atlantic Teacher Rep Marlene.Jefferson@lcps.org












Karen Lutz, ATC Mid-Atlantic Director klutz@appalachiantrail.org












Chip Donahue, Virginia Regional Teacher Rep ddonahue@rcs.k12.va.us












Norma Johnson, Virginia Regional Club Rep Ngjohnson1@gmail.com












Julie Judkins, Southern Region ATC Community Program Manager jjudkins@appalachiantrail.org












Olga Pader, Southern Region Teacher Rep olgapader@frontier.com












Rita Hennessy, Assitant Park Manager, Appalachian National Scenic Trail













Clare Long, US Forest Service Ranger and Education Specialist, White Mountain National Forest cclong@fs.fed.us



Monday, February 11, 2013

More Grant Opportunities


Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation Announces 2013 Toolbox for Education Grant Program

Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation has announced the opening of its Spring 2013 Toolbox for Education grant cycle. The program supports projects that encourage parent involvement in local schools and build stronger community spirit.
Ranging from $2,000 to $5,000,Toolbox for Education grants are awarded in support of projects that have a permanent impact on a school community, such as facility enhancement (indoor or outdoor) as well as landscaping/clean-up projects. Grant funds cannot be used to pay for memorials, stipends, salaries, artists in residence, field trips, or scholarships. Only 10 percent of any award can be allocated for outside expenses such as labor, installation, consultation, and delivery.
Lowe's will only consider grants for projects that can be completed within a year of receipt of the grant. A Toolbox grant can be used as part of a large-scale project like a playground, as long as the grant will be used to complete a phase of the project that can be completed within a twelve months of the award.
To be eligible for a grant, applicants must be a public K-12 school or nonprofit parent group associated with such a school. Parent groups that are applying (PTO, PTA, etc.) must have an independent EIN and official 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Preschools are not eligible.
The application process will be closed after fifteen hundred applications have been received.
Complete application and eligibility guidelines, as well as lists of past grant recipients, are available on the Toolbox for Education Web Site.
Primary Subject: Education
Geographic Funding Area: National

Posted on January 25, 2013  print    
Deadline: March 1, 2013

Lemelson-MIT Program Announces 2013-14 InvenTeam Initiative to Cultivate High School Student Creativity

Created by the Lemelson-MIT Program, the InvenTeam initiative provides opportunities for high school students to cultivate their creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving abilities and apply lessons from science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects to invent technological solutions to real-world problems.
InvenTeams comprised of high school students, teachers, and mentors receive grants of up to $10,000 to invent technological solutions to a problem of their choice. Projects can range from assistive devices to environmental technologies and consumer goods. Applicants are encouraged to consider the needs of the world's poorest people (those earning $2 or less a day) when brainstorming ideas.
STEM educators at high schools and nonprofit educational organizations who have not received an InvenTeam grant within the past three years are eligible to apply. Funds may be allocated for project-related research, materials, and learning experiences. Funds may not be used to purchase capital equipment or professional services.
Complete application and eligibility guidelines, including profiles of past InvenTeams, are available at the Lemelson-MIT Program Web site.
Primary Subject: Science/Technology
Geographic Funding Area: National

Posted on February 7, 2013  print    
Deadline: October 1, 2013

Toshiba America Foundation Invites Applications for K-5 Science and Math Projects

The Toshiba America Foundation is accepting applications from K-5 grade school teachers with innovative science or math projects.
The foundation awards grants of up to $1,000 to K-5 teachers in public or private nonprofit schools in support of hands-on science or math education projects. Grant funds may be used for project-related materials only. The foundation strongly encourages projects planned and led by individual teachers or teams of teachers for their own classrooms.
Summer projects or afterschool programs will not be considered, nor will salaries, facility maintenance, textbooks, video production, audio-visual equipment, and education research be funded.
Complete application and eligibility guidelines and information about past recipients are available at the Toshiba America Foundation Web site.
Primary Subject: Education
Geographic Funding Area: National

Posted on February 7, 2013  print    
Deadline: Open

Toyota U.S.A. Foundation Accepting Proposals for K-12 Math, Science, Environmental Science Initiatives

The Toyota U.S.A. Foundation is committed to improving the quality of K-12 education in America by supporting innovative programs and building partnerships with organizations dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, science, and environmental science.
Grants are provided to colleges and universities as well as to nonprofit organizations engaged in pre-collegiate math and/or science education. The foundation places priority on programs that are broad in scope and incorporate systemic approaches; creative programs that develop the potential of students and/or teachers; and cost-effective programs that possess a high potential for success and relatively low duplication of effort.
Grants are made only to nonprofit organizations certified as tax exempt under Section501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The foundation does not make grants for publications, lobbying activities, advertising, capital campaigns, or endowments. K-12 public and private schools are not eligible to apply.
For complete application and eligibility guidelines, visit the Toyota U.S.A. Foundation Web site.
Primary Subject: Education
Geographic Funding Area: National

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Free Books Program

The Reading Resource Project is an ongoing program that runs throughout the year. 

The Literacy Empowerment Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, invites your school or other literacy project to apply for FREE books for your literacy project. During the past year, LEF has distributed over 3,000,000 books to schools all across the country for Read Across America Day and other literacy projects.

Please share this information with your fellow educators!

Order Form at http://www.lefbooks.org

LEF
1311 West Chester Pike
West Chester, PA 19382
Phone:             610-719-6448      
Web site: http://www.lefbooks.org
E-mail: info@lefbooks.org

North Carolina NCCAT participants

North Carolina NCCAT participants
At the Wayah Bald Fire Tower

Mary Jane

Mary Jane
On top of Silers Bald