202-606-8339 Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
Federal Grants to Museums
Working with Community Organizations to
Strengthen
Neighborhoods
Among the museums selected
for funding are the Chicago Botanic Garden to partner with the Gads Hill Center
(a non-profit family resource center serving the area's Mexican-American
community) to nurture an interest in science and math in junior high school
students; the Boston Children's Museum to partner with Countdown to Kindergarten
(a community education consortium including Head Start, Boston Public Schools,
and many other organizations) to help at-risk children transition from preschool
to kindergarten; and the Florida Aquarium to collaborate with the State's
Parent-Educators Association, the Lowry Park Zoo, and Nature's Classroom (a 365
acre outdoor educational center for the area county's public schools) to engage
home schooled children and their families in hands-on science learning through
curriculum based on Florida State Standard Science
Goals.
"No matter a museum's size
or discipline, chances are, it offers educational activities specifically geared
for school-age children," remarked the Institute's Director, Dr. Robert S.
Martin. "According to a recent IMLS study,
Since 1998, IMLS has
awarded over $18 million dollars ($18,793,837) in National Leadership Grants to
museums and libraries with the grant recipients matching the awards with over
$20 million ($20,532,647). National
Leadership Grants support model projects that improve library and museum
services and enhance collaborations between libraries and museums.
There are four categories
of funding through IMLS' National Leadership Grants for museums: Museums in the Community, Museums Online, Professional Practices, and Library-Museum Collaborations. Today's recipients are funded through
the Museums in the Community
category. Museums in the Community grants support
museum-community partnerships that enhance the quality of community life. The remaining two grant categories will
be announced in September, 2003.
About
the
2003
National Leadership Grants for Museums
Museums
in the Community Category
Grant Award: $222,988
Recipient Match:
$169,356
Project Director: Cindy Klemmer
(847)835-6832; [log in to unmask]
La Primera Ciencia: An Urban Environmental Science
Camp
The
Young at
Art of Broward
Grant Award: $185,902
Recipient Match:
$118,936
Project Director: Mindy Shrago
(954)424-0085 x021;
ArtREACH
ArtREACH is a
project by the Young at Art Children's Museum of Broward in collaboration with
the School Board of Broward County and two homeless shelters (Providence Place
and Angelica House) operated by Catholic Charities in Broward County to provide
museum services to children in need.
An after-school arts and homework assistance center will be established
in
Boston
Children's Museum
Grant Award: $499,840
Recipient Match:
$909,805
Project Director: Jeri Robinson
(617)426-6500x227; [log in to unmask]
Making Connections for School
Readiness
Together with its
partner, Countdown to Kindergarten, the museum will collaborate to help
at-risk children prepare for the
public school system and the transition from preschool to kindergarten. The project also plans to involve
parents, kindergarten teachers, and preschool educators to address the key
issues of communication, support, and readiness. The first part of the project will
articulate a set of "readiness expectations" through three symposia with early
educators. The project will also
create and implement engaging activities to help children develop the skills
needed to reach readiness. Welcoming and supporting activities for parents to
participate with their children as families are also a significant aspect of the
project. Throughout the project
preschool and kindergarten educators will design and implement readiness
activities. Finally, the model will
be disseminated to other children's museums to help them build connections among
educators and the families of young children
New Museum
of Contemporary Art
Grant Award: $94,398
Recipient Match:
$200,516
Project Director: Anne Barlow
(212)219-1222x205; [log in to unmask]
Re-Presenting Race in the Digital
Age
The New Museum of
Contemporary Art will partner with two schools--The Heritage High School,
Grant Award: $249,923
Recipient Match:
$116,603
Project Director: Madeleine Zeigler
(505)841-2857; [log in to unmask]
Proyecto Futuro Billingual
Partnership
Proyecto Futuro is
designed to build science and math competencies by focusing on school/family
interactions. The New Mexico Museum
of Natural History & Science will partner with the Albuquerque Public
Schools for this project. Long term
goals of the program are to involve parents in their children's education,
foster positive attitude changes in students toward education, and to mutually
reinforce positive messages from teachers and parents about how to learn and
succeed in science and math.
Implementation of the program will be accomplished through family science
nights and professional teacher development sessions. Families will be engaged
in bilingual math and science activities and receive take-home kits. Teachers will receive training and
bilingual teaching materials
Grant Award: $121,022
Recipient Match:
$102,218
Project Director: Rebecca Clayton
(813)367-4017; [log in to unmask]
From the Source to the Sea: An Innovative Program for Homeschool
Families
Partnering with the
Lowry Park Zoo, Florida Parent-Educators Association, and Nature's Classroom,
the Florida Aquarium project aims to develop informal learning targeted to home
schooled children and their parents.
Coordinating with educators from all the partners and a curriculum based
on Florida State Standard Science Goals, the project will engage 50 families
(approximately 60 students) in an integrated hands-on learning science project
utilizing the Hillsborough River Watershed. Monthly units will be developed using a
combination of field trips, field activities, family activities, museum visits,
and distance learning components.
This will provide home school students with a working knowledge of
science-based experimentation and greater awareness of preservation and
conservations issues. It also
provides families with an expanded science curriculum and opportunities to learn
together.
Eileen Maxwell
Public Affairs Specialist
Institute of
Museum and Library Services
1100 Pennsylvania
Ave., N.W.
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20506
202-606-8339
202-606-8591 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
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