Grants, Donations Help Schools
Pictured at right: members of the MHS crew team- Sean Connor, Jenn Mui, and Kim Stamegna- along with their coach, Amy Byron, are pictured with Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, Export Towing General Manager Steve Kushman and Operations Manager John Shaughnessy, and School Committee members Robert E. Skerry, Jr., Lena DiGiantommaso, and Bill Brady. Export Towing donated $2500 to the crew team. Courtesy photo.
Schools Land Federal Grant; Local Businesses Donate Money
– Allison Goldsberry
Medford and several other local communities have won a federal grant for teaching American history.
TRITEC, a tri-city collaborative with Medford, Malden, and Everett, has been awarded a $1.6 million grant by the US Department of Education for teaching American history. The purpose of the grant is to boost student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge of traditional American history.
Dr. Cynthia Fiducia, TRITEC Executive Director, said the grant will continue what has already been started by Voices Rising, a similar program created when TRITEC received a significant federal grant several years ago for teaching American history.
According to Dr. Fiducia, the $1.6 million grant will be used to train teachers, with 81 hours of professional development planned. Training will include collaborating with Suffolk University history scholars, the Boston Public Library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the JFK Library and Museum, and nearly twenty other organizations.
The theme of the grant will be “Becoming American: The Defining Role of Immigration.”
The very competitive grant was awarded to just 123 of 470 applicants from 38 states. Medford is one of ten school districts in Massachusetts to receive the grant. Dr. Fiducia said Braintree and Chelsea are also collaborating with Medford, Malden, and Everett on the grant.
Mayor Michael McGlynn praised School Superintendent Roy Belson for pursuing and receiving grant money for additional funding in tough economic times. Supt. Belson said the schools are doing some “spectacular things” despite a tight budget. According to Supt. Belson, TRITEC has secured over $6 million in grants over the past ten years.
In addition to the TRITEC grants, Medford’s schools have received a financial boost from generous local businesses.
Export Towing recently asked Mayor McGlynn what it could do to help a program in need of funding, and after some discussion, the company decided to “adopt” the crew team for the fall season. The company’s generous $2,500 donation will enable the team to hit the water this fall with new boats and oars.
In addition, Sidney Wolk, President and CEO of Cross Country Automotive Services, told Mayor McGlynn he wanted to make a donation to help purchase supplies for the schools since the tight budget had forced some cutbacks in supplies such as textbooks and office supplies. Wolk donated $10,000, which Mayor McGlynn handed over to Supt. Belson during a press conference on Thursday.
“It’s a pleasure to see people step up and help the community,” said Supt. Belson.