​GRANT AWARDS!

NBAEF and ECMC Group provide more than $27,000 in grants to NBAPS staff.
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On Monday, Feb. 13, representatives of the North Branch Area Education Foundation (NBAEF), including President Kim Theis, Treasurer Terry Nelson, and Directors Mindy Lattimore, Tammy Hoveland, and Joan Audette, were on hand at North Branch Area Public Schools to surprise staff with over $27,000 in grants - including those funded by a $10,000 donation from the ECMC Group.

In all, the NBAEF funded seven grants including:

• $2,000 toward a motivational speaker for multilingual students K-12 submitted by EL Teacher Ried Anderson.
• $3,800 to provide more age appropriate games and activities for Youth Connections students age 10-13 submitted by Director of Early Learning Erica Bjerketvedt.
• $3,550 toward the purchase of CPR mannequins and related materials to provide basic life support instruction for students K-12 submitted by School Nurses Kristen Swalboski and Abigail Halseth.
• $1,700 for materials to create an outdoor classroom at the Norse Area Learning Center (NALC), submitted by NALC and Distance Learning Academy Principal Coleman McDonough.
• $1,060 toward Gameplan Interactive Elementary Music Curriculum for students grades K-5 submitted by Music Teacher Taylor Neil.
• $5,000 to improve the inventory of school-owned instruments for middle school band students submitted by Music Teacher Ben Paro.
• $1,329 to fund a science-based field trip to iFly for NALC students submitted by Science and Math Teacher Chris Thompson.

Three additional grants were funded by ECMC Group, including:

• $2,040 to purchase Inkle Looms for art students grades 6-8 submitted by Art Teacher Lee Ann Falen. 
• $485 toward personal white boards for 1st grade students submitted by 1st Grade Teacher Meghan Hanegraaf. 
• $6,665 for social/emotional development creative play toys for Kindergarten students submitted by Kindergarten Teacher Vicki Klun. 

“I am so grateful for the creative ideas that our staff have to expand learning opportunities for our students,” said Superintendent Sara Paul, adding, “Through the support community members provide through donations to the NBAEF, and the financial support from the ECMC Group, we are able to expand on the creativity of our staff. Thank you NBAEF and ECMC Group!” 

“A year of fundraising and reviewing grant applications culminates in this wonderful day once a year,” said NBAEF President Kim Theis. “It is such a pleasure to see the surprise and joy on the faces of staff and students when they learn that their proposals have been funded. We are already looking forward to next February!”
To learn more about the NBAEF, go to www.nbaef.org.