The D62 Foundation

Algonquin Middle School - $6,000

Cooking Club: Students in the ELS program get added support in learning adaptive skills leading to achievement and readiness for high school and beyond.

Flight Club: New materials will keep the 3 year old Flight Club up to date for the students. New DJI drones and a remote-control plane are on the wish list, as well as materials to make styrofoam planes.

Music and Art Collaboration: Students study historic album art, listen to their favorite music, and work on creating original album art.

Musical Performance Field Trip: Students in the music department will have the opportunity to attend a live musical performance by professional musicians.

Nursing Home Tour: A select group of music students will take a holiday tour of several nursing homes in the area, creating joy with their instruments and voices.

Seventh Grade Service Day: Students will participate in community outreach activities such as creating blankets for hospitalized children and shelter pets, creating care packages for military service members, and beautifying the environment with plantings.

Spanish Field Trip: Students enrolled in the 8th grade Spanish program will take a field trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art to view the Day of the Dead exhibit and take in the other Hispanic culture exhibits on site.

STEM Rocket Launchers: Students will engage in scientific experiments aligned with the 7th grade curriculum. As part of the experimentation, students will use mini rocket launchers to test Newton’s Second Law of Motion F=M*a.

Summer Reading Program: The summer reading program is a comprehensive school program where every student is engaged in reading. Discussion groups, group activities, along with games and prizes, mark the culmination of the program.

Chippewa Middle School: $5,000

Building Empathy Through Service Project: Service projects are developed for students to participate in. The projects are themed and designed to build empathy and stronger relationships within the school environment.  

ELS Community Outings: The students in the ELS program participate in community outings such as visits to, among other places, a grocery store, the library, or a restaurant. They get to see the workings of a community and how to navigate within it.

Literacy Night: Students and their families share a night filled with a variety of literacy-based activities. Community organizations like the Des Plaines Public Library and the Des Plaines Police Department are represented as well.  

Music Competition: Students participating in band, choir and orchestra can attend a workshop/evaluated performance at the end of the year.

Reading Challenge: Students will be encouraged to do more independent reading.

Spanish Field Trip: Students enrolled in the 8th grade Spanish program will take a field trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art to view the Day of the Dead exhibit and take in the other Hispanic culture exhibits on site.

STEAM Night: Students and/or their family members will have a chance to visit STEM stations and win prizes at the STEAM night celebration. 

Central Elementary School: $300

Illinois Invention Connection: Students will identify problems that affect the world and develop inventions that can help people in their daily lives.

Cumberland Elementary School: $4,200

B.E.S.T. Community Outings: Students will take a series of community outing trips aimed at improving social skills, education, and building confidence.  

ELS Community Outings: The students in the ELS program participate in community outings such as visits to, among other places, retailers, the library, or a restaurant. They get to see the workings of a community and how to navigate within it.  

ELS Cooking Program: Students in the ELS program will get added support in learning adaptive skills leading to achievement and readiness for high school and beyond.  

Games for Inclusion: Students from the ELS program will have fun playing games with their general education “buddies”. The interaction will enhance the Buddies program and create an atmosphere of better understanding.

Hands-On Science Truck: A hands-on science truck will make a visit to school for use by students in the ELS program. The truck is filled with scientific exhibits and activities for the students to engage with.

Reading Program: Blooket is a resource that is engaging to students and motivates them to read. The app helps improve student’s reading skills and targets areas for student growth. Assessments help students practice for statewide testing.

Forest Elementary School: $1,700

Family Night: The school community will come together for an evening of family-fun based around STEM activities.

Turn up the Bass (Instrument Purchase): Two additional bass bars will be purchased to round out the Orff instrument collection. ‘D’ and ‘A’ will be added to ‘C’ ‘F’ and ‘G’.

Iroquois Community School: $2,000

Buzzing for Music (Instrument Purchase): The pBuzz, a new musical instrument, will be added to the music department as a new and fun instructional way for students to experience music.

Theater Field Trip: First and second grade students will travel locally to see the play Elephant & Piggie ‘We’re in a Play’.  

Orchard Place Elementary School: $4,400 

Adler Planetarium Field Trip: 5th grade students will go to the Planetarium to learn about the stars, solar system, and the universe.

Community Connection Events: Several events are planned to engage the students and their families in fun and educational activities. These are community-based events held in the evening at school.

History Center Field Trip: Students will take a field trip to the Des Plaines History Center and learn about the history of Des Plaines along with how the community has changed over the years.

Multicultural Fair: Students and their families will celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the community through food-tasting and cultural performances.

Pond Investigation and Exploration: Student’s will visit the Botanic Gardens and learn about nature, water quality, and the biodiversity of organisms in the lakes on the property.  

Theater Field Trips: First grade students and their chaperones will travel to see the play Elephant & Piggie ‘We’re in a Play’ and fifth graders will go on a field trip to the Metropolis in Arlington Heights to see A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 

Plainfield Elementary School: $200

Community Building Activities: Community building activities are at the center of this collaboration. Students build positive relationships with each other fostering a strong school community and self-esteem.

North Elementary School: $3,800

Architectural Studies Field Trip: Students in the 5th grade will study significant architects that made contributions to Chicago’s skyline. The students will design their own two-point perspective cityscape and go on the architectural boat tour in Chicago.

Chicago Art Institute Field Trip: Students will have a 60-minute tour of the Art Institute to give them insight and understanding about how art is preserved, stored, and exhibited. In class they will study the significance of art to humanity and world culture.

March Book Madness: March Book Madness is a bracket-style tournament that matches books in one-on-one competitions.  

Shedd Aquarium Field Trip: Students will go on a field trip to the Shedd Aquarium to study the life cycles of animals. 

Algonquin Middle School - $12,935

8^th Grade Spanish Field Trip: Eighth grade students enrolled in the Spanish program at Algonquin will get a chance to experience the Day of the Dead exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art.        

AMS Culture Fair: An evening event at Algonquin Middle School will highlight the diverse backgrounds of students and staff. It is a festive night filled with learning, food, music, crafts, games, and dance from cultures around the world.       

AMS SELF Field Trip: The SELF students at Algonquin Middle School would spend a day participating in the Chicago Dogs Home Run for Education program. Students would experience the sport of baseball while completing a STEM curriculum complete with activities in reading, math, science, history, and geography.

AMS Summer Reading Program: The summer reading program includes every student at the Algonquin Middle school. Students are given the option of reading one of the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award books to read over the summer. When students return in the fall, they participate in group activities centered around their chosen book. Funds are partially used to ensure that each student has access to at least one of the books suggested.

Astronomy Night: Algonquin students and their families will have the opportunity to participate in a night filled with fun and activities centered around astronomy. Members from Northwest Suburban Astronomers add to the fun and educational experience by bringing various telescopes and holding demonstrations on exploring science together.            

Author Visit: Fern Schumer Chapman will visit Algonquin and tell 8^th grade students the story of her mother, a Holocaust survivor., and subject of 5 books.  Fern’s mother accompanies her daughter and shares her story directly when possible.     

Boy's Club: A club for boys at Algonquin offers opportunities for boys to build friendships, develop new skills, and find new interests. The activities are decided by the participants and are centered around sports, but also subjects agreed on by the group.         

Discover the D.P. Library: Students at Algonquin will be treated to a fun day exploring the Des Plaines Library. They will have a tour, eat pizza, do a craft or scavenger hunt centered around reading and books. There will be two sessions which will coincide with winter break and summer vacation, in order to encourage visiting the library when school is not in session.      

AMS Family Literacy Night: A fun night is planned for the students of Algonquin to celebrate literacy and the importance of reading and writing. There will be activities that will interest students and their families, book giveaways, and read aloud sessions for all age groups. The D.P. Park District and D.P. Library are represented at the event as well. 

Flight Club: The Algonquin Flight Club will expand its current offering by adding desktop devices to coordinate with the 3 flight simulators that they currently own.

Jazz Band Music Library: A variety of music literature will be purchased for the Algonquin Jazz Band, increasing the available pieces students can choose to perform. The pieces will include non-traditional musical options for the growing number of non-traditional instruments in the school’s collection.

Let's Get Moving: Movement tools such as ribbon streamers and scarves will be purchased to use in the general music classroom. These tools reinforce creative thought and allow for a variety of ways to explore music.    

Mariachi Club: With interest in the Mariachi club at Algonquin growing, it is important to have the proper instruments. The group would like to purchase 2 guitarrons, mariachi specific instruments.

Nursing Home Tour: A small group of select musicians from the Algonquin music department will be visiting several nursing homes to bring the holiday spirit to the residents in residence.

Project Funway: In this after-school club at Algonquin students will learn all the aspects of sewing. They will learn hand stitches, cutting patterns, and how to use a sewing machine. 

Service Club: In conjunction with Kiwanis International a new club called the Service club will be established at Algonquin. Students who believe in the power of service will bi-monthly and host events throughout the year.

Service/Learning Day: Students at Algonquin spend time at the end of the year to give back in various ways to the community. Depending on student interest, that varies from year to year, projects such as making fleece blankets for hospital patients, creating care packages for military service members, and food and clothing drives are some of the options.

STEM Club Field Trip: The STEM Club students at Algonquin will go on a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. The students will also have the opportunity to participate in the Learning Lab at the museum and learn what it takes to be a forensic scientist.

STEM Girls: Once a month a STEM seminar will be held for Algonquin 6^th grade girls to introduce them to the vast world of women in science. Each month a different female scientist will be part of the seminar and speak about her science background, work on math problems with the girls, and answer questions about her career. The hope is that this will increase interest in math and science as well as raise math confidence and scores.

Stop Motion Animation: Music and Drama students at Algonquin will have the opportunity to create an original story, make props out of molding clay to support that story, and use technology to film their own stop motion movie.

Ukulele Inventory: The music program at Algonquin is thriving as is the interest in ukuleles. In order to meet the increasing interest and excessive use, higher quality soprano and concert ukuleles are needed to round out the inventory.

Upgrade to Volleyball: The girls’ volleyball program at Algonquin is looking to improve their game by improving their equipment. Portable nets would be purchased that more closely mimic a tournament type game experience. The nets are easy to set up and take down and have appropriate net tension that allows blocking and tipping skills to be taught.

Central elementary school - $825

Power Hour: Bringing STEAM activities to 4^th grade students at Central School is a way to showcase outside interests and future careers. Students will have an hour each week to delve into various STEAM activities that directly appeal to their individual interests.

Chippewa middle school - $7,016

Chip Lit Night: Chippewa opens its doors to the school community with its annual family literacy night. This celebration brings together families, encourages literacy, and promotes community involvement.   

Chippewa Spanish Field Trip: 8^th grade students enrolled in the Spanish program at Chippewa will take a field trip to the Day of the Dead exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Students will participate in a guided tour through the exhibit which will educate them about the history of this significant cultural event.          

Music Ensembles Contest: Interested members of the Chippewa Band, Choir, and Orchestra programs will have an opportunity to attend an evaluated performance event hosted by a renowned musical organization.            

Community Exploration: Community based outings will be arranged for students at Chippewa that are part of the Educational Life Skills program. Students will once again have the chance to be out in the community exploring task based and social leisure activities. The community will also benefit from interacting with these students and learning about communication and safety.          

Cooking Club:  Chippewa students will be able to join a cooking club as an after-school activity. Students will learn about nutrition, meal planning, and working together to create delicious meals they can replicate at home.        

Cooking Up Independence: Students in the Educational Life Skills program at Chippewa will learn about food and food preparation materials. They will have cooking lessons and enrichment activities as part of their curriculum.

Intramural's: The intramural program at Chippewa will get a makeover with new equipment.

Mosaic Mural: Students participating in an after-school club at Chippewa will create al tile mosaic mural that will be displayed at the school. The mural will not only be beautiful but will spread the message of kindness at the school.

Reactions & Robotics Club: Chippewa students will be able to participate in after-school activities involving chain reactions. Students create and build with Legos and compete against each other as their knowledge and experience increases. Competitions outside of school offer an opportunity for a student’s interest in this topic to grow.

Social Leisure Activities & Games: Games that promote interpersonal skills and communication skills will be purchased for the Educational Life Skills students at Chippewa. During group leisure time the fames will be used and facilitated by the social workers at the school.

Tabletop Game Club: The students at Chippewa will have a chance to participate in a once a week after-school club centered around tabletop games. Students will enhance their social emotional skills as well as improve strategic and critical thinking.

Cumberland elementary school - $5,064

Doggie Bag MakerSpace: Students at Chippewa will have an opportunity to meet and read to therapy dogs. The stories will then be translated into task cards that are created by the students in the MakerSpace.  

Elementary ELS Cooking: Students in the ELS program will have lessons twice a month on food & food preparation. They will cook, try new foods, learn about utensils, and reinforce cognitive skills.

ELS Community Outings: Students in the ELS program at Cumberland will venture out into the community to learn about the world and their participation in it. They will visit community establishments involved in retail, health care, banking, and leisure activities.    

Hands on Science Truck:  A day of STEM activities will be arranged for the ELS students of Cumberland. The students will get to visit various stations set up for them that explore everything from dinosaur excavation to the physics of flight and chemistry experiments.

I Can Be Your SPHERO: Younger students at Cumberland school will have the opportunity to learn about and experiment in the world of coding. Sphero Indi and Sphero mini robots will be purchased.

Support For Neurodivergent Learners: To improve the physical education class and outcomes for the Education Life Skills students at Cumberland, a television for use in the class would be beneficial. The television would allow the students to focus on the screen as they mimic the activity they are trying to master. The paras and physical education teacher can support and critique their participation and its effectiveness.

Forest elementary school - $2,994

Family Literacy Night: An evening of literacy-based activities will encourage Forest student families to come out and celebrate reading. There will be activities for all ages, free used books, read a-louds, & comfort dogs.           

First Chapter Fridays: Friday literacy time will be used to introduce students to the first chapter of a series of books. Forest students will learn about genres and if they like what they hear there will be more where that came from. The books will most often be part of a series that students can continue on with after they finish the first book.    

One Book, One School: Students at Forest school will all read the same book at the start of the school year. There will be activities centered around the book and its theme each trimester.

Puppets are Fun!: Kindergarten and first grade students at Forest will experience their music lessons in a fun and animated way with the use of puppets.

Read Aloud & Proud: Each trimester a new read aloud will be chosen for students in 5^th grade at Forest school. Multiple copies will be made available to students so they can read along and participate in the activities associated with the book.

Robotics Club: The Robotics Club at Forest School has a collection of robots it uses for its club for students. One of the robots has finished its useful life and needs to be replaced. Forest students love their robots.

Iroquois community school - $4,745

Anti-Bullying Math: An exciting and interactive school assembly will take place for all students at Iroquois, grades 1 – 8. The program will focus on the magic of math while imparting messages of kindness and anti-bullying behavior. Teachers will follow up with activities that focus on predictive math.  

Dan Woodrow Author Visit: Iroquois 1^st – 5^th graders will have an opportunity to meet author Dan Woodrow. His presentations will excite students to read and inspire them to write their own stories.     

Jazz It Up: Students will have an opportunity to work with Jazz Residency artists at Iroquois. The students can then showcase what they have learned at a local jazz festival and receive feedback.

The Juggler With Yellow Shoes: A motivational speaker with an unusual talent will offer anti-bullying strategies to Iroquois students in grades K - 5. Dan Kirk is a juggler who entertains but also helps students understand how to prevent being a victim and build self-confidence.

The Rope Warrior: David Fisher will entertain the students at Iroquois while teaching them about teamwork, being a good listener, respecting others, and empathy.

North Elementary School - $4,000

Chicago Architectural Studies: 5^th grade students at North School will study architecture and some of the renowned architects that have influenced the skyline of Chicago. They will learn about urban planning and try their hand at creating their own cityscape drawing. The unit culminates in a Wendella architectural boat tour.   

Holiday Cheer for Dear Des Plaines: The North Elementary Chorus will take to the road for a Christmas caroling tour around Des Plaines. The sites visited will be a combination of District sites and schools along with other sites within the community.

Keep Calm and Love Mother Earth: Kindergarten and first grade students at North School will learn about how to keep the earth healthy as well as climate change and plants. They will participate in hands on activities at school and visit a nature center in the area.

Kings, Queens, Castles and Things: 4^th & 5^th grade students at North school will learn about the period in history known as the Middle Ages. They will learn about the customs, government, art, and music of that time and how those things are still influencing our culture today. A trip to Medieval Times for educational activities and fun will be part of the unit.

Naper Settlement Admission: 3^rd graders at North school will take a trip to the Naper settlement to gain a historical perspective on living in a rural society.

Novel Effects Read-A-Loud Magic at North School: Novel effects is an app that is used to enhance a book being read as a read a-loud. The background soundtrack created for a book adds an extra dimension of engagement that makes reading more enjoyable. More than 1000 titles, English and bilingual, are supported.   

Shedd Aquarium Visit: Students from North school will take the 5^th grade class to the Shedd aquarium to learn about animal and plant life living in the waters around the world.

Social Emotional Learning Tools: Students at OP will have more comprehensive access to SEL tools in hopes of creating an educational environment where students feel confident and are ready to learn. Social emotional learning tools can create enhanced student focus and awareness that leads to improved learning.

Word Collector's Reading Rewards: This reading program for bilingual students at North aims to improve their reading and comprehension skills. Students read, collect vocabulary, and earn rewards.

Orchard Place Elementary School - $2,230

Children's Day at OP: Children’s Day is an internationally recognized day to promote children’s development and well -being. OP will celebrate this day with a community dinner and carnival for the students and their families.      

Nature Guided Investigation Discovery: 4^th grade students from OP will visit the Botanic Gardens to discover why nature is so exciting. Students will learn about the internal and external structure of plants and how they thrive.

Planetarium Field Trip: Orchard Place 5^th grade students will take a trip to the world-renowned Adler Planetarium to supplement their studies of the solar system, universe, and stars.

South Elementary School - $1,249

Global Perspectives: The 5^th grade students at South school will be taking a trip to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performance titled Global Perspectives. The performance is a musical journey around the world and celebrates diverse people, cultures, & places around the globe.

Historic Wagner Farm Field Trip: The kindergarten classes at South school will have the opportunity to visit Wagner Farm. The students will learn about animals, animal habitats, and life on the farm.

Algonquin Middle School - $9,158

Aviation Club: Students at Algonquin Middle School will be able to join a new club this school year, Aviation
Club. The club will be centered around all things aviation such as wing and airplane design,
drones and navigating through indoor obstacle courses, and career opportunities in aviation.

Classroom Library: A classroom library consisting of high interest, low level reading material would be created for
students with special needs. Representative titles would be selected that reflect the science and
social studies curriculum for this instructional special education class.

Nursing Home Music Tour: Money awarded would be used to provide transportation for music students from Algonquin
Middle School to do a small tour of area nursing homes. It is a one day tour for the musicians
and attending staff members, and they perform at several nearby nursing homes.

Mariachi Club: This after school club will bring together students interested in learning to play Mariachi music.
Exploring the music and culture of this traditional genre of music will enhance students'
understanding of its long history within Mexican culture.

Project Funway: This after school club would be for students that want to learn or improve upon their stitching
and sewing skills. Students learn about stitches, sewing, patterns, and sewing machines. Using
their creative skills students create unique projects.

7th Grade Service Learning Day: 7th grade students will participate in a day of service, giving back to the school, the District, and
the community. They can choose from a wide variety of service projects designed to find
something that aligns with their personal interests while encouraging service to others.

Nonfiction Book Club: The 7th grade nonfiction book club is in need of more books that will diversify their inventory
and engage students on a higher level, with hopes of improving reading scores.

Author Visit Fern Schumer Chapman: 8th grade students at Algonquin Middle School will attend a presentation by the daughter of a
Holocaust survivor and her mother if possible. Fern Chapman has written 5 books about the
Holocaust based on her mother’s history and being a survivor.

AMS Summer Reading Program: All incoming and current students attending Algonquin Middle School have required reading
over the summer. Books are loaned through the Des Plaines library and Algonquin Middle
school and accommodations are made for those that have financial need. It is an ‘all school’
project, and activities and celebrations take place when school resumes in the Fall.

AMS Family Literacy Night: Students, their families, and staff come together to celebrate literacy. A night is set aside for
everyone to gather at the school and participate in read aloud sessions, creating bookmarks
and other crafts, book talks, and more. Prizes and raffles round out the exciting evening.

Thunder Reading Challenge: Students will read books from multiple genres to expand their vocabulary and increase their
recreational reading. They will set goals and receive rewards and incentives as they succeed in
reaching those goals.

Books for All: A little free library would be installed at the entrance to Algonquin. This library would be stocked
by using donated books from students, staff, and their families. Some used books would be
purchased to round out the assortment.

Chippewa Middle School - $9,584

Positive School Environment: Students will be encouraged to be responsible and respectful through inspirational messages
and quotes. In the age of Tik Tok challenges and an increase in vandalism and graffiti in bathrooms, the movement of change will begin in student bathrooms on campus.

Classroom Rewards: Students in STEM class receive rewards from their teacher for things such as being a strong
participant, focused, turning work in on time. The funds requested would be used to purchase some of the incentives for the students such as fidgets, pens, pencils, erasers etc.

STEM Club: This is an after school club open to all students at Chippewa. Students must collaborate, plan,
and create projects that solve the expected STEM objective within the given time frame.

PBIS Essentials: PBIS is a school wide program that encourages students to be respectful of others in the
building, whether it be other students or staff. Students are also encouraged to be responsible partners of a healthy and safe school environment and community. The funds would go towards incentives and rewards.

Chippewa Literacy Night: The Chippewa staff will host an evening of events and activities centered around literacy. Family
members attend as well as students. It is a fun festive evening filled with book giveaways, school supplies and gift card raffles, and entertainment.

CMS Music Festival Trip: Students studying Band, Orchestra, and Choir can be part of a music festival and evaluation
competition at the culmination of their school music experience. Students that meet the requirements set forth within the school’s music program can perform at a music festival and receive encouragement and valuable feedback to help them achieve their next musical goal.

Latin Percussion Instruments: The funds will be used to purchase latin percussion instruments. These instruments will
supplement the current inventory of percussion instruments, none of which are true latin percussion instruments used to make latin music.

Out of my Mind Novel study: The 6th grade ELA teachers would like to purchase 90 copies of the novel Out of my Mind. This
novel is read every year by the 6th grade students at Chippewa. The novel teaches about respecting differences, being kind to others, and that students learn different ways.

Inclusion Enrichment and Support: This grant would provide the funding to purchase adaptive equipment so that Educational Life
Skill program students can participate at a higher level in Encore and Advisory activities. When purchased and used, things like fidgets that help increase a student’s ability to focus and padding for drums to decrease the sound level for a sound sensitive student, will increase and enhance learning opportunities for these students.

One Book, One School: Incoming 6th grade Chippewa students will be required to read a specific title over the summer
prior to entering middle school. A book will be chosen and purchased for every incoming 6th grader at the schools whose students feed into Chippewa. All students will read the same book and group activities related to the book will be developed for the Fall when students are in session.

Summer Reading Author: The entire student body of Chippewa read the book Wink this past summer. Chippewa would like to host the author of Wink, Rob Harrell, as a guest speaker for the students.

Chippewa's Environmental Club: The members of Chippewa’s environmental club work hard on maintaining the plants around the
Chippewa campus. They would like to plant some more trees on the property that would offer
shade to students and enhance the lawn area.

Cumberland elementary School - $4,100

Cougar Communication: A segment of the student population at Cumberland are supported educationally through visual
communication boards. The funds from this grant would go towards purchasing more boards in order to standardize those visual supports equally throughout the building. The special ed community as well as general education students will be broader communicators with the
boards in place.

Flying to new Heights: 6 student drones and 1 adult drone with a camera will be purchased for use by the students and
staff at Cumberland. Students can write code for drones, create school videos with the drones,
while increasing their science and mathematical knowledge.

The Great Outdoors: Camp chairs, clip boards, and a cart will be purchased to use as a mobile classroom. Students and teachers can move their learning environment to a new location on campus quickly and easily.

SEL Little Library: Books will be purchased that support social emotional learning for students. The District
supports the Second Step program to guide circle time conversations. There is a recommended list of books that correlate to the various topics. The grant funds would go towards purchasing each of those titles to be housed in the LMC.

The Need to Read: The LMC specialist at Cumberland would work with teachers to individualize student reading.
She would purchase 1 - 2 books for each student from Scholastic Books that would be specifically chosen for that student. The choices will be made by observation by the LMC specialist and collaboration with teachers.

Forest elementary School - $300

Robot Expansion Pack: Students love robots and all the learning that goes along with them. Robots can enhance the learning experience in many ways and across many curriculums. Coding is an important skill and the more experiences a student has the better. A few more robots are needed so that no more than two students within a class are working with a robot at the same time.

Iroquois Community School - $2,595

Anti-Bullying BMX Assembly: A BMX National Champion and America’s Got Talent semi-finalist brings his own unique brand
and message about bullying to the students of Iroquois. While doing BMX tricks he imparts important lessons promoting self confidence, resilience, and social skills.

Jazz Residency Program: Professional jazz musicians from around the Chicago area will attend Jazz Band rehearsals at
Iroquois. The professional musicians will share their knowledge on improvisation, jazz styles, and the history of jazz. Students learn and benefit from the real-life experiences of these musicians.

First on the Farm: First grade students will take a trip to a working farm. There they will learn about plants and animals. They will have a wagon ride and learn about the lives of farm families and workers.

North Elementary School - $2,120

Architectural Boat Tour: This 5th grade unit of study has students learning about architecture and architects that
influenced as well as created Chicago’s skyline. The project involves library research, perspective drawing, and the study of urban planning. The unit culminates with a 90 minute architectural boat tour of Chicago.

Learning from the Community: Students from North school will take field trips to the Naper Settlement and the Shedd Aquarium. The Naper Settlement offers students hands-on experiences of the early settlers. The Shedd Aquarium trip will teach the students about underwater communities and ecosystems.

100 Book Challenge: Students will be challenged to read a variety of genres. Prizes will be awarded as each goal is
reached.

Orchard Place Elementary School - $2,050

Let's Play Together: The purchase of specific recreational equipment and games will afford the students and staff of Orchard Place opportunities to relax and enjoy positive social interaction. The ultimate goal is to promote student development, cooperative team building, and conflict resolution skills within a positive school community experience.

Planetarium Field Trip: Students from Orchard Place will take a field trip to the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Students
will study the planets, stars, and solar system and then visit the planetarium to enhance their education.

Trip to Des Plaines History Center: Third grade students from Orchard Place will visit the Des Plaines History Center as a way to
understand what motivated community members in the past and to help students understand what the future can hold for the city they call home.

Plainfield Elementary School - $130

I Am, Yo Soy: This program is aimed at fostering interaction between 1st grade bilingual students and other students within the school. The aim is to create relationships between the various groups of students and brainstorm positive feedback descriptors for each other. The money is for t-shirts, the ink and the screen have already been acquired.

Other Grants - $2,000

Charlotte's Web performance: Second grade students will be transported to Prairie Lakes for a performance of Charlotte’s Web. Students will then discuss and compare the book and the live performance.

Author Aaron Reynolds visit: Through his high energy, interactive presentation he promotes a love of reading and writing. He also encourages students through his books to love and respect each other and themselves.

Algonquin Middle School - $5,400

Chippewa Middle School - $3,797

Central Elementary School - $2,200

Cumberland Elementary School - $1,000

Forest Elementary School - $1,000

Iroquois Community School - $1,724

North Elementary School - $500

Orchard Place Elementary School - $3,000

Total for the 2021-2022 School Year - $18,621

Algonquin Middle School - $7,549

Seventh Grade Service: 7th grade students will ‘give back’ to the community through their participation in one of several service project options.

National Museum of Mexican Art: 8th grade students studying Spanish at Algonquin, Chippewa, and Iroquois will visit the Day of the Dead exhibit at the National Museum of Mexican Art and take a walking tour of the murals in the neighborhood around the Museum.

Aztec, Inca and Maya Collections: Seventh grade students studying Spanish at Algonquin, Chippewa, and Iroquois will take a field trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art to see the Maya, Aztec, and Inca Collections. They will also take a walking tour of the murals in the neighborhood near the Museum.

Author Fern Schumer Chapman visit: 8th grade students at Algonquin will get to meet author Fern Schumer Chapman and hear a presentation from Fern and her mother Edith Westerfeld who is a Holocaust survivor.

C.H.I.L.L.: This grant helps support and ongoing, successful, school wide project which teaches students about the benefits and rewards of positive behavior and respect.

Music at 3 Nursing Homes: Some of the talented musicians at Algonquin will visit 3 local nursing homes during the holidays to entertain the residents with musical selections.

Yamaha Harmony Director Keyboard: A multi-dimensional keyboard will be used as a tool for the instrumental music program to teach students about rhythm, tuning, and harmony.

Summer Reading Program: All Algonquin students will select a title from a specific reading list and read that book over the summer. In the Fall students will participate in a reading celebration directed by staff which includes writing and/or discussion groups based on the title selected.

Family Literacy Night: Students and families will get a chance to participate in an evening of activities designed by the staff of Algonquin to celebrate reading and literacy.

Chippewa Middle School - $5,085

Family Culture Night: Students, teachers, and parents will work together to transform the Chippewa gymnasium into a global carnival for Chippewa families to enjoy.

ELS Community Outings: Educational Life Skills students will participate in monthly community outings. The outings will include experiences such as bowling, theater, gardening and agriculture.

ELS Daily Life Skills: Students will have a better understanding of the world they live in through simulated life experiences and activities such as food preparation, home organization, and community social skills.

Keep Us Singing: New sheet music will be purchased to update the repertoire of the Chippewa Middle School Chamber Choir.

Sew What Club: New sewing machines will be purchased for the Chippewa after school FACS Club. Students will be able to build on the skills they learned in class and socialize with students that share a common interest.

Chippewa CARES: Students will be recognized for their leadership qualities at a quarterly recognition breakfast that they will attend with their family members.

Festival Choir Contest: Interested students from the Chippewa Choir program will be able to attend an end of the year musical event/performance at an ensemble contest hosted by Music in the Parks.

Summer Reading - 6th grade: A summer reading book will be provided to all incoming 6th grade students. In the Fall activities will be planned for students to participate in ice-breaker activities centered around the book.

Family Literacy Night: Chippewa will host an evening of activities for families emphasizing that reading is fun.

Iroquois Community School - $400

Scholastic Books for Students: Students in the second grade will get a new Scholastic book of their very own every month.

Central Elementary School - $1,576

Heading to Springfield: Students from Central and Iroquois will visit the state capital of Illinois and learn about the history of our great state.

Osmo Genius Kits: These interactive learning tools link with iPads and help students improve their skills in areas such as spelling, physics, and math, in an engaging and entertaining way.

Forest Elementary School - $443

Forest STEM Fair: Forest students in grades 2 - 5 will exhibit their STEM projects for families to view. There will also be independent STEM activities for students and their families.

Turing Tumbles: The Robotics Club, MakerSpace Club, as well as individual classrooms will benefit from the purchase and use of Turing Tumble kits. Students create mechanical computers powered by marbles while learning computer science and coding concepts.

North Elementary School - $7,780

Chicago Architecture Study: 5th grade students will study Chicago architecture and architects. They will try their hand at creating their own cityscape drawing and take an architectural tour of Chicago.

Life Cycles/Structures of Life: Students will learn about various animals and sea life and enhance their research by visiting the Shedd Aquarium and Wagner Farm.

Our History: Students will learn about the lifestyles of early Native Americans and settlers through visits to the Field Museum and Naper Settlement.

Xylophone: A new xylophone will be purchased for the music program.

Family Fun at North: There will be three separate evening activities planned for families at North. One evening will focus on Health and Fitness, one on Literacy, and one on STEM activities.

Legoland Workshop: Students will have an opportunity to learn about physics principles such as force, pivot, and load using legos.

Author Visit: Students will travel to the Des Plaines Public Library to meet author Eric Litwin, author of the popular book series Pete the Cat.

Weather at Museum of Science & Industry: Students will visit the weather and erosion exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Hands on Kinder Farm Experience: Students from Kindergarten will be able to visit a farm, see the animals, meet the farmers, and observe the staff that helps the farm run.

Orchard Place Elementary School - $2,150

Nuestras Historias: A local artist will work with first grade students on several projects that will foster a cultural understanding of the student’s family and the community in which they live. Orchard Place

Our Community Our Land: Students will take a field trip to a nature reserve in Park Ridge where they will learn about wildlife and take a nature walk in a location easily accessible to their families.

Peggy Notebaert Museum Trip: Students will visit the hands on exhibits and participate in workshops to learn about nature and animal behavior.

Plainfield Elementary School - $2,572

You Matter Challenge: Based on the belief that we all have value, special gifts, and talents, this school wide project promotes kindness and understanding amongst all students in the school.

Little Chefs and Crafty Kids: Intermediate and elementary students will have a chance to participate in cooking sessions and craft workshops.

2nd grade Learning Journey: Second grade students will write and publish a book that will demonstrate the techniques learned through the Step Up to Writing program.

South Elementary School - $1,325

The Music Man: Students will visit Prairie Lakes to see the CYTNW Cook performance of The Music Man.

Pollination Action: Students will visit the Chicago Botanic Garden and learn first hand about plants, pollination, and the part animals play in the process.

Total for the 2018-2019 School Year: $28,880

Algonquin Middle School - $7,085

Crafteria: Purchase sewing supplies, glue, and materials for after school craft club.

7th Grade Service Project: Service project to give back to the community. Based upon availability - Feed My Starving Children, Anti-Cruelty Society, local nursing home or Project Linus.

6th Grade Mission Patches: Six grade teams will design own mission patch that will be attached to their backpack, binder or clothing.

Summer Reading Program: Summer reading program encourages all students to read over the summer. The grant covers purchase of Des Plaines Library cards with financial needs, raffle prizes for completion of reading program and print costs for program poster/signs.

Author Visit from Fern Schumer Chapman: Author will discuss her mother’s story about the Holocaust and World War II.

Ukulele Grant: Purchase of ukuleles for students to learn how to play.

Literacy Night: This grant will cover the food and beverage, books and prizes. The AMS Literacy Night is where students and families are invited to celebrating reading and literacy.

C.H.I.L.L. & Have Fun: Prizes for monthly student incentive positive behavior program.

Sharing the “Future” of Math Today: Students will recognize how members of the community benefit from solid math skills. Fees cover a school license for the project.

Girls On the Run. Heart and Soul: Running program that encourages girls to run. Grant covers the transportation cost to 5K and necessary shoes for financially challenged girls.

Iroquois Community School - $1,994

Classroom Mindfulness: Certified Mindful Life Ambassador will work with all students for an entire day. Work on areas of Brain Gym and Mindfulness Practice. Ms. Beranek will follow up throughout the year

A Guitar for All: A complete set of guitars for all students during music class. Grant covers the cost to purchase 4 guitars.

Which Way Will You Grow: Students simulate an environment without gravity and impact on root and seed germination.

Central Elementary School - $1,468

Wobble Into The Future: Non-traditional chairs that allow students to focus, move and stay engage in a rigorous curriculum.

Ukuleles: Purchase instruments to teach students how to play ukuleles. 20 instruments

Cumberland Elementary School - $290

Osmo for 1st Graders: Osmo is a gaming system that encourages creative thinking by solving problems. Practice in math, reading and coding skills.

Forest Elementary School - $1,220

Unleashing Creativity With Wixie: Online publishing application that gives students knowledge though art, writing and narration.

MakerSpace Magic: Additional materials for MakerSpace including a Design Rube Goldberg machine, stop motion videos for plant life cycle and dash and dot robots for coding activities.

North Elementary School - $5,262

Volo Museum: Visit Volo Museum to see how the growth of technology affects our physical environment.

5th Grade Chicago Architecture Boat Tour: Students learn historically significant skyscrapers and buildings in Chicago by renowned architects. Students create their own two-point perspective cityscape drawing.

Pioneer Survival Skills: Field Trip to visit the Grove, a homestead from 1836. Students will learn the struggles of pioneer life and importance of conservation.

Feed My Starving Children Community Service: Service project where students learn about another culture and pack food for them. Grant covers transportation and admission.

Field Trip Learning Experience: Grant off sets the costs associated with field trips to Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, Adler Planetarium and Metropolis Theater.

Orchard Place Elementary School - $2,400

OP Coders Club: After a 10 week program that will teach students the fundaments of computer science. A field trip to a high school and local company to see computer science skills in business.

A Day In The Life of A 2nd Grader: Parents experience a day in the life of 2nd grader in math and reading rotations. Funds will purchase math and reading toolkits for each family.

Sensory Stations: Structured format for students with sensor needs. Grant covers sensory cushions, fidget balls, Zones of Regulation App and a classroom trampoline.

Is It Real or Is It Fantasy: A field trip to see a play after learning about comparing and contrast lesson on the play and story read in class.

Plainfield Elementary School - $3,602

Social Thinking For Plainfield: Teaching training for mind, empathy and social thinking.

Group Mentoring: Group mentoring program that uses art, crafts and cooking. Grant covers art, craft and cooking supplies.

Art and Literacy Club: Purchase paints, canvases and other art material for this club.

You Matter: You Matter Challenge recognize we each have special gifts and talents. Grant covers the cost of materials to manufacture group tee shirts.

South Elementary School - $302

Off To The Dream Lab: Second graders to visit the Algonquin Dream Lab to focus on the science of sound.

Drumfit-Exercise Through Drumming: A physical education class that combines mental health benefits through drumming. Grant covers the cost of new exercise balls and drum sticks.

Terrace Elementary School - $1,000

YMCA Camp Duncan: Field Trip to Camp Duncan to work on group challenges in team building, enriching activities in the outdoors and focus on anti-bullying program.

Total for the 2017-2018 School Year: $24,623

Algonquin Middle School:

Photography Club: Additional cameras and printing supplies will be purchased so that students have a project to take with them at the end of the program.

History Club: Entrance fee for the Algonquin History Club to compete in the Chicago History Fair.

Sew What's Cooking: An after school activity where students learn to cook, sew, and be creative while making friends and socializing.

Minute To Win It: An eight grade end-of-the year event with fun activities as a way to celebrate promotion.

Summer Reading Program: Students and staff will participate in reading and writing activities that involve titles from the Caudill selections.

Community Service Learning Project: Seventh grade students will participate in a day of service. There are several projects students can participate in based on their interests and how they wish to give back to the community.

#1 Pi Day: Students will hold a school wide day of activities centered on the number 3.14, also known as Pi.

Iroquois Community School:

A Guitar For All: The music department will purchase 6 guitars.

Yoga For Life: A certified yoga instructor will spend the day teaching students about yoga, benefits, and how to live a healthy life:

Flexible Seating In First: Hokki stools will be purchased for use in first grade, allowing student movement and improved focus.

Differentiated Support For Movement: All Kindergarteners will benefit from the use of Hokki stools. These stools allow students to learn in a less restrictive environment and students can move while learning.

Central Elementary School:

Enhancing Engagement in Small Groups: Third grade students will benefit from a Pen Pack Math Program.

Cumberland Elementary School:

LMC Maker Space Materials: Students will learn about circuits and build simple machines within curriculum guidelines.

Social Emotional Growth: Students in the special needs Kindergarten will benefit from materials purchased to promote social - emotional growth.

Figurenotes Musical Support: Special needs students will be able to engage and learn more in their music class with the use of icons, colors, and charts.

Topographical Maps: Fourth grade students will create topographical maps of the United States using Model Magic, which is a self-hardening nontoxic modeling compound.

Forest Elementary School:

Wixie: A subscription to Wixie will allow students to access creative publishing options on any web device.

Storyworks: Fourth grade students will have a subscription to Storyworks magazine which would help balance core literacy skills.

Scholastic News: Second grade students will benefit from a subscription to Scholastic news.

North Elementary School:

Architectural Boat Tour: Fifth grade students will go on a architectural boat tour as a culminating activity to their unit that focuses on art, architecture, and architects.

Project Pioneer: Fifth grade students will experience pioneer life through demonstrations and hands-on activities at the Grove.

Fifth Grade Reading Materials: National Geographic Ladders reading materials will be purchased for students.

Taking Technology To The Next Level: Purchase additional apps that will help Kindergarten students create stories.

Field Trip Experiences: Students will attend the Adler Planetarium, The Metropolis Theater and the Lizzardo Museum of Lapidary Art.

Comparing Communities: Students will visit the Naper settlement to learn about life and challenges back in the early years of our country.

Uke Can Do It: Purchase an additional 20 ukuleles to enhance the music program.

Kindergarten Mentor Texts Spanish/English: The Kindergarten team will purchase books, the same titles in Spanish and English, to improve reading and literacy in their classes.

Zoo Field Trip: Kindergarten students will attend a second filed trip to the zoo or one of the museums.

Volo Auto Museum: Fourth grade students will study the American automobile and the impact of the auto industry on the economy, climate, and the growth of technologies.

Welcome To North: Any new student entering North school beginning in October will be given a welcome gift that will provide the new student with essential school items.

Orchard Place Elementary School:

Outdoor Education: Fifth grade students will attend a two-day educational program at the Ingleside YMCA.

Meet Osmo: Students will benefit from the use of Osmo, an interactive learning device that works with an iPad to create an interactive hands-on learning space.

Elephant And Piggie Are In A Play: First graders will see a play and then compare/contrast the play and the book.

Expanding Horizons, Building Bridges: Special needs students and one family member per student, will attend a children's theater production at De Paul.

Real or Fairy Tale: Second grade students will study the difference between folk tales and fairy tales. The culminating activity will be a filed trip to a live performance of Cinderella.

Plainfield Elementary School: 

Ukulele Mania: Ten ukuleles will be purchased to increase the number of ukuleles available to students in grades second through fifth.

Plainfield Future Problem Solvers: Students will participate in an internationally based program that promotes critical thinking, writing, reading, and developing a vision of the future.

Group Mentoring: Students that need additional guidance in achieving their optimal performance academically, behaviorally and socially, will be mentored for ten weeks during an after school club.

Reading Buddies: Purchase reading materials and storage containers for a project where third grade students work with volunteers from the community.

Happy Feet: Happy Feet is a walking/running club for third, fourth and fifth grade students that promotes healthy life habits.