At a recent meeting, the Manheim Township Educational Foundation (MTEF) board of directors approved the Grant Committee's recommendation to award nine grants totaling more than $61,000 for the fall 2022 cycle. These grants are made possible through EITC donations, memorial funds, institutional grants, general donations, and contributions from MTEF community partners.

A $20,000 grant was awarded to support the construction of an outdoor learning pavilion at Brecht Elementary School. This space will comply with ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) accessibility standards and will provide room for an entire class to learn while being protected from the weather.

A grant for $1,223 will provide students in grades three and four at Bucher Elementary several hands-on environmental science lessons, from water conversation to animal biodiversity, presented by a county conservation officer. These lessons are designed to help students build a positive relationship between nature and community, including the stream on school property, while addressing Pennsylvania state standards in environment and ecology.

Building on the success of author Thomas C. Murray's keynote speech at Manheim Township School District's 2022 convocation, a $9,500 grant will allow the district to host educator and author Joseph M. Sanfelippo as a speaker at kickoff day in August 2023.

A grant of $700 will support Brecht Elementary School's Summer Reading Kickoff and provide each student with an age-appropriate book to read over the summer. Students will choose their book and make a craft designed to remind them to read over the summer. This grant is made possible through the Louise Engle Memorial Fund established through MTEF.

A grant of $6,100 is designated for the Martian Colonization Project, an interdisciplinary, problem-based STEM learning experience based on the novel "The Martian" by Andy Weir. Over the course of several months, seventh-grade students will collaborate to solve real-world problems in nontraditional formats accessible for all learners. This grant is funded by the Arthur F. Shirk Memorial Fund.

MTEF will help to offset some of the costs for the Manheim Township High School's quiz bowl team to compete at the national level through funds provided by an outside grant. The grant awarded is $2,500.

A grant of $1,887 will provide a set of high-end replicas of skulls of ancient hominids for use in seventh-grade science classes. The skulls will facilitate a hands-on activity at the culmination of the life science unit.

A grant of over $6,927 was awarded for fitness equipment for kinesthetic intervention for students in grades five and six at Landis Run Intermediate School. This project seeks to help students who struggle to stay focused in the classroom by providing them with a productive way to channel their excess energy.

A $12,600 grant will support a weekly after-school and summer program of STEAM enrichment for English language learners and at-risk students at Bucher Elementary. Utilizing the resources of Snapology, a community provider of STEAM education programs, this project will teach students about science, technology, engineering, art and math through the building and manipulation of a variety of hands-on and technology.