The Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands awarded $20,000 in grants to 23 teachers and professionals from 12 schools on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John, the foundation announced Wednesday.
The grants, which range from $250 to $1,000, are from the Anderson Family Fund for Education, and are intended to enhance learning opportunities for students.
"Once again, we received a remarkable number of applications for the Anderson Teacher Grants and the selection process was difficult," said Dee Baecher-Brown, president of the foundation."The evaluation committee selected those that had creative strategies to promote student learning and those that would have the greatest impact on the students."
This year, three grants were awarded for purposes that would benefit children of many schools.
The Law and You program received a $1,000 grant to help purchase supplies and materials for students learning about the criminal justice system, gang awareness, bullying, conflict resolution.
The Humane Society received a grant of $1,000 to purchase "Kind News," a publication from the Humane Society of the United States publication. This publication teaches children from kindergarten through the sixth grade about how to treat animals with empathy, care and respect.
St. Joseph High School received a grant to support its students’ work with youth at the Youth Rehabilitation Center.
Other programs that received funding included three requests from teachers for programs dealing with dance instructions for children, preserving the art of cultural dances, and for a new dancing project whose mission is to build social awareness, confidence, and self-esteem in the students through the practice of ballroom dancing.
The annual teacher grant program is administered by CFVI and made possible through the generosity of the family of the late John E. Anderson Sr. It is funded by St. Thomas-based Topa Properties, Ltd.
"The array of creative proposed projects becomes more interesting every year," according to Steve Morton, President of TOPA Properties, Ltd.
The Anderson Family Fund for Education is one of more than 100 named funds at CFVI providing scholarships, grants, and supporting programs in the USVI. Individuals or businesses wishing to know more about CFVI should call 774-6031, or visit their website at www.cfvi.net.
