With students in Calgary back in the classroom we wanted to highlight some of the amazing programs our donors have made possible and the impacts they are having on students.
EducationMatters Fall Grants – How YOU Can Help
Not every school in Calgary has a school council that is able to fund extra educational enhancements. That is where grants from EducationMatters come in. We work with generous donors to support key projects across the school board to create important learning opportunities for students in Calgary.
From April until the end of September, schools apply for assistance with educational projects that require additional funding.
In 2016, EducationMatters supported projects including reading programs for parenting students and their children, food and clothing for students in need, and Maker Education materials and robotics to enhance science instruction.
Connaught School educators shared this story about an immigrant student’s growth through the English Language Learning Through Music Program, supported through EducationMatters:
Gemma* arrived at Connaught School with her brother in the fall of 2015 and did not speak any English. Gemma was extremely shy and hesitant to experiment with speech. She did not speak in class and took very few risks, even in small group settings. However, Gemma was quick to participate in non-verbal ways. In music, she eagerly raised her hand to play instruments and was excited to initiate musical conversation with an instrument. At the winter concert, Gemma played an instrument as part of a small group ensemble.
Sullen and withdrawn most of the time, Gemma’s complete demeanor shifted when playing music. A smile would come across her face, and she radiated pure joy.
From this time on, the risk-taking Gemma demonstrated in music, began to show in other curricular areas. In the fall of 2016, the staff at Connaught School were astounded at the confidence and fluency Gemma presented. For her, an instrument was a stepping-stone to a new school, a new country, and a new language.
Your donations help to bring smiles to children’s faces and help them to build a love for learning. They make more wonderful learning moments, like Gemma’s, happen.
Each year, requests for funding always outweigh the funds available, and our volunteer Grants Committee members are faced with tough choices.
If you would like to increase the support available for this fall’s granting period, please contact Michele at (403)817-7472. We would love to speak with you about how you can participate, and how you can help in an area of education that is important to you.
*Student name changed
A Letter from a Student Award Winner to Her Donor
To the amazing donor who helped to make my dreams come true,
I want to thank you for the amazing opportunity that you have helped to provide me with.
I have wanted to be a nurse since I was in the 7th grade and it is because of your outstanding generosity and kindness that this dream has been made possible for me. I can’t express to you enough the gratitude and appreciation I feel.
I want you to know that this has had a huge impact on my life and it is because of this opportunity that you have afforded me that I will be able to receive the education that will allow me to achieve my dream job. I am so excited to start my first semester in the Bachelor of Nursing program that I have already purchased and started reading my textbooks! The course I am most looking forward to is the Anatomy and Physiology 1 and I am almost halfway through the textbook as you can see in the picture.
Sincerely,
Katrina
Scholarships for Butchers, Bakers, and Candlestick Makers – and Engineers and Nurses and…
The generosity of EducationMatters donors is undeniable!
This past spring, students from across Calgary took time away from their busy exam and year-end schedules to write submissions in hopes they might be selected for awards and scholarships. Success would mean off-setting the mounting costs of furthering their education.
These young citizens of Calgary wrote about their hopes and aspirations. Each person’s story was different. Some wrote with great joy about uncovering their deep interests and their keen desire to work on their passion for art, medicine, and education. Others spoke of hardships they had endured, and the fight to overcome personal doubts.
EducationMatters’ staff members and the volunteer Awards Selection Committee spent hours poring over the applications.
When the discussions and tough decision-making came to a close, 186 students were offered awards totaling over $520,000 to be collected over the coming years.
EducationMatters is deeply grateful for the donors who make student awards possible, and for the volunteers who take on the task of making tough decisions. We would like to thank all of the students that submitted applications and wish all of the CBE and CSSD student applicants continued learning and great success ahead.
Thanking You – Our 2017 Donor Appreciation Event
On November 16, 2017 we celebrate YOU – our donors and supporters who help us enhance education for publicly educated students!
This year’s thank you luncheon will be held at Fort Calgary from 11:30am to 1:30 pm.
Our host is Andrew Phung, an award-winning actor and star of CBC’s hit series Kim’s Convenience.
Andrew will bring his unique blend of thoughtfulness and humour as we celebrate you and the opportunities you create for students.
We are also excited to present our keynote speaker, Dr. Dianne Gereluk. She is a Professor and Associate Dean, in the Undergraduate Programs in Education at the Werklund School of Education, at the University of Calgary. Dr. Gereluk will give a presentation on Reimagining the Teaching Profession, and we are excited to hear her ideas.
Space is limited, so please let us know if you will be joining us by emailing events@educationmatters.ca or call (403) 817-7468.