SPRING 2022 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Sensory Walk Courtyard, Memorial School: Students and staff will create outdoor sensory walk where learners can regulate emotions, get a mind-body break and release energy for optimal learning.
Benefits of Cooking, Levi Coe Library: Patrons will be encouraged to discover new recipes and cook with their families through accessing the AtoZ Food America database. Projects such as creating recipe box included.
Personal Narrative to Poetry, Memorial School: Expand 5th graders’ skills and interest in narrative and poetry writing through work with teaching artist. Create Japanese folding books of personal poetry. Share poetry at event.
No Bones About It!, CRHS: Activity of Pre-Calculus/Robotics classes to expose learners to Science of Materials and Biomedical Engineering disciplines. Create open Design Studio to allow for independent work for other students.
STEM Camp, DMYFS/DMLWC: Develop/run a summer STEM program that will include science, technology, engineering, art and math opportunities and activities for youth ages 7 - 13.
Dramatic Play Stations, Durham Public Library: Provide young library patrons and families a series of rotating, dramatic play stations to develop language and literacy skills.
Fine Feathered Friends, Levi Coe Library: Storytime at library and local preschools will teach about natural world and spark an interest in birds through purchase of birdfeeder and birdhouse cam.
Bringing Shakespeare into the 21st Century, Mid-Lea Garden Club: Refurbish Shakespeare Garden at Levi Coe Library to raise interest in Shakespeare through related flowers and plants, with presentation to share garden process and Shakespeare.
CRHS Pollinator Habitat, ECO Club: High school students will learn about pollinator habitats and then revitalize an outdoor garden by adding native plants to attract pollinators.
Community Compost, Coginchaug Area Transition: Continue with educating community about need to compost. To reduce cost of transporting collected compost, compost will be made/distributed at DMIAAB.
Coginchaug Valley Community Band, Timothy Fisher and Bruce Schmottlach: The community band is back! Will include community and CRHS members who will perform two concerts annually.
SPRING 2021 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Slavery in Our Community, Eagle Scout Project: Will acknowledge contributions of slaves and abolitionists from our towns, including research, adding to town websites, and placing permanent plaques to honor these individuals.
Witness Stones Project, Strong School: Students volunteering for this effort wil learn how to access and understand primary and secondary sources in tracing an enslaved person from our towns. A witness stone will recognize that person and a community ceremony will be held.
Complete Streets Durham: The group, formed by Sustainable Durham, will present an education and safety campaign to enhance walkability and safety on a planned pedestrian loop. This will also help promote the crowdfunding portion of a matching Sustainable CT Grant.
Paper Prototypes, Memorial School: This project is to inspire students to be imaginative and creative in their problem-solving by using a Cricut machine to make paper prototypes of their creative ideas.
Statistical Evaluation of Employment Training, CRHS: Probability and Stats students will partner with the Africa Initiative for Rural Development in Nairobi, Kenya to perform data analysis of success rates of programs run by AIRD and make recommendations based on their findings.
Snowshoe Squad, Memorial School: 12 sets of snowshoes will allow for the creation of a Snowshoe Club, with students snowshoeing during recess and also taking the equipment home for vacations and weekends.
Durham-Middlefield Residential Composting Pilot, Coginchaug Area Transition (CAT): 100 local families will participate in a six-month composting project through DMIAAB. The goal is that the program will be a model to transfer costs and help green our communities.
Community Conversations About Race, Middlefield-Durham Racial Justice Team: Monthly conversations about race will continue to be held in cooperation with the Levi Coe and Durham Public libraries. This is an ongoing program.
DIY Durham, Durham Public Library: Monthly DIY Take and Make Kits will continue to be offered. Thirty kits will be distributed monthly featuring a variety of arts and crafts projects.
Open Mic Initiative, Strong School: Monthly open mic nights will be hosted for all residents of Durham and Middlefield. Participants will be invited to share music, visual arts, dance, theater or any other creative art.
Stamping Kits, Levi Coe Library: Eight stamping kits, centered around holiday and greeting cards, will be made available for check-out at Levi Coe Library.
Conscious Kids Reading Kits, Levi Coe Library: The Children’s Room will create nine reading kits that introduce pre-K and elementary children to topics such as social consciousness, belonging, celebrating kids of color, gender expression, social justice, women in science, etc.
Flexible Seating, Brewster School: The flexible seating for kindergartners will provide options for these young learners who learn better with chairs that rock, standing desks or stools with movement.
Goatscaping, Brewster School: Goats will clear an area of the school property of invasive plants and poison ivy. Informational programs will be run for students and the community regarding the purpose and benefits of goatscaping.
Creative Mindfulness Kits, DMYFS: DMYFS will offer various creative arts kits based around themes such as kindness, affirmations, de-stressing, journaling and gratitude.
Distance Theater, Phase II: Following up last year’s Distance Theater production, this grant will allow for a second production of a live musical by local youth.