2020 Grant Recipients
| The District 113 Education Foundation is happy to announce that it has funded the following grants during the 2019-20 school year, thanks to the support of our community and to the innovation of our District’s dedicated and talented educators. | |
| GRANT | STAFF MEMBER(S) |
| Closing the Gender Gap in Computer Science “Girls Code Club”— Creating opportunities for all students to engage in computer science through hosting code-a thons, and providing new technology for teaching purposes. This club continues with it’s initial mission to transform all students from creative thoughtful students to entrepreneurs, coders, developers and business people. Linda Gordon Award Winner | Tesa Edwards and Deb Wilson, Highland Park High School |
| Flex Farm — Enables students to learn how food is produced through a self-contained growing system for lettuce and other vegetables. Increases exposure to farming, which is one of the largest industries in the U.S. Linda Gordon Award Winner | Jeff Hoyer and Julie Blanche, Deerfield High School |
| Peardeck, Premium Version — This powerful tool will be available to ALL teachers in District 113. The program furnishes classroom teachers with a quick, hassle-free way of getting accurate and useful data on what kids actually know in just seconds. District 113 Education Foundation Signature Grant | Julia Kapelnikova, Highland Park High School |
| Breakout Boxes — Innovative ways for students to directly apply and practice skills and concepts they have learned using creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking. Students actively engage in a scavenger hunt/escape-room-style educational challenge designed to get kids to work together and apply what they’ve learned in class. | Alex Mak, Highland Park High School |
| Curriculum, Devices and Supplies — Providing curriculum, devices and supplies to help provide a safe space and “Circle of Courage” for students who may feel emotionally dysregulated. | Melissa Zientara, Highland Park High School |
| EdPuzzle — Video-based homework tool creates opportunities for teachers to assess students understanding of concepts before class so that teachers can differentiate instruction and be responsive to student’s learning needs by pre-assessing students’ knowledge and comprehension before they get to class. | M. Sachin J. Jhunjhunwala, Highland Park High School |
| Flexible Seating for Inclusion Classrooms — Providing alternative seating options, this prototype classroom better meets the needs of students with varied learning and emotional challenges. | Allison Lewin and Rachel Alongi, Highland Park High School |
| Genocide Commemoration Day — Speakers and a mini-museum at Deerfield High School will help raise awareness during a comprehensive day of honor and education about genocide and mass atrocity in all its forms, past and present. | Niki Antonakos and Staci Schachter Studnitzer, Deerfield High School |
| Poetry Club — Focusing on building community through hip hop poetics and foundations of spoken word as a genre, and providing a safe space for any student wishing to explore personal and societal issues centered around belonging, race, culture, gender, and identity. | Robyn Corelitz, Deerfield High School |
| Shakespeare Project of Chicago — English honor students will have the opportunity to interact with the Shakespeare Project of Chicago whose members will both coach and act out scenes enabling students to receive an authentic learning experience. | Lenny DePasquale, Highland Park High School |
| Smart Cart Advanced Data Collection Equipment — Used by physics students in dozens of new innovative lab experiments. Provides instant communication with student Chromebooks for real-time data collection and analysis. | Brian Scane, Highland Park High School |
| Tablet Compound Microscope — Students gain exposure to 21st century skills, creating opportunities for group learning and interactivity, regardless of physical ability. This equipment features an integrated tablet, offering the latest in digital imaging and allows students to view live images. | Michelle Newman, Deerfield High School |
| Vinyl Printer/ Cutter — Adding to the Makerspace experience, students will be able to create and print stickers, signs and more for clubs and classrooms. | Lindsay Meyer, Highland Park High School |