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The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) recently awarded EIO Fund grants totaling more than $45,000 to seven Washington County school districts through the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

Avella School District accepts garant

Funding for the grants was provided by Washington Financial with each school district receiving a $6,430 grant to support innovative educational programs.

Washington Financial Branch Managers and WCCF Grants and Scholarships Coordinator Michelle Grosso recently met with school district staff and students to present the grants and discuss the implementation of the programs.

Avella Area School District plans to use its grant to purchase a vinyl cutter, vinyl printer, and related software to expand the Maker Space for students in grades 7 through 12. The Maker Space offers comprehensive Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) instruction to enhance the core curriculum.

Burgettstown Area School District will use its grant to purchase Google virtual reality goggles and a green screen and recording equipment for the media studio located in the elementary school library. Students will use virtual reality to explore science and social studies topics more deeply by taking virtual field trips and recreating historical sites and events.

Canon-McMillan School District will use the funding to support the Science Matters program, a hands-on science program which delivers challenging science curricula in a problem-solving environment through themed activity kits.

Fort Cherry School District plans to use its technology grant to purchase computers, editing software, video cameras, and peripherals to support the multimedia program for grades 7 through 12.

Peters Township School District’s technology grant will be used to purchase a specialty printer to allow students to create industry standard, large format prints of projects in the engineering, manufacturing, CADD, and art courses. Students will be able to use the printer to produce final prototype schematics of projects designed by ANSYS in the Automated Manufacturing course; print complex data workflows and application interface designs in the Digital Design Course; create renderings and blueprints from the SolidWorks computer‐aided design program in the architecture/Engineering and CADD courses; and produce large format art pieces created in the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite in the Computer Art Graphics & Design courses.

Trinity Area School District will use its technology grant to equip elementary students with Chromebooks to enhance the elementary arts curriculum. The Chromebooks will provide a new way to deliver differentiated STEAM instruction into the various courses offering learners engaging online programs and applications that go beyond simple paper and pencil practice techniques.

Washington School District was awarded a technology grant to purchase Chromebooks and the related hardware and software to incorporate more individualized, prescriptive instructional delivery. This grant will assist Washington School District as it works toward a 1 to 1 student to technology ratio.

Thanks to the generous support of corporate sponsors, the WCCF has cumulatively awarded more than $933,500 in EIO Fund grants to innovative programs at local public schools across the county.Local businesses who are interested in learning how they may receive EITC tax credits of 75% to 100% for qualifying contributions to the WCCF are encouraged to visit www.wccf.net or contact the Foundation at 724-222-6330.

Photo at Right:  Avella Area School District Superintendent Cyril Walther (front left), Technology Education Teacher Darren Shaffer(rear right), and Avella students recently met with Washington Financial Hickory Branch Manager Judy Bee (center) to discuss the plans for additional technology in the MakerSpace for grades 7 through 12.

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